Brandy joined Zane Lowe on Apple Music to run through her At Home With playlist ahead of the release of her new album B7 due out this Friday. During the chat, she talks about returning to music, reflects on the success of her massive 1998 collaboration with Monica “The Boy Is Mine” and her relationship with the late Whitney Houston. She also talks about working with Chance The Rapper and Daniel Caesar on new music, achieving success at such a young age, parenthood, the healing power of music, and more.
On Striving For Honesty With Her Forthcoming Album B7…
I felt like I wanted to just be as honest as possible with this new project. I wanted to approach this project like if this was my last chance, if this was my last shot at creating music, what would this project be about? What would it sound like? Would I just bare it all? Would I tell my story as deep as I could tell it? And I wanted to, of course, stay true to R&B but at the same time go outside of the box. So I wanted to work with someone that could understand that and that's why I was able to connect and have that chemistry with a DJ Camper. And we just had such a great chemistry. And then also with LeShawn Daniels who I've worked with for many, many years, who's no longer with us. But he was such a crucial part, such an instrument in how I was able to push forward and writing and producing with this music.
On The Success of Her 1998 Hit Collab With Monica “The Boy Is Mine”…
Oh my God, that's the biggest song of my entire career, I think. What an amazing record. I think when I first heard the record with Rodney Jerkins, I couldn't believe to hear the instruments that he used in that song. I was blown away by it. I knew that just with the topic of the song, it needed Monica on it. I thought that she just brought such an amazing flavour, an amazing swag to the song and every time I hear it, it sounds fresh and new to this day. And I want to say this. After that duet, I remember Whitney Houston and Mariah Carey then doing a duet. I always say that it was because of "The Boy Is Mine" my two favourite artists got together to do a duet. I always feel like me and Monica had something to do with that. And I think, especially when you say Monica and myself, I mean, that song was about a boy and it was about us competing over a boy. And so naturally people are going to put us against each other even more because of the topic of the song and what we're speaking about. So we played into the competitiveness of it.
On Her Relationship With Whitney Houston…
She had a very, very tough time, especially in the end of her life. What she was able to, not only accomplished, but what she was able to do and experience with her voice is unmatched. And I really wished that that's what she could be remembered for more so than anything, is how she was able to touch us with her voice. I mean, her voice is just, I mean…When I first met her, I couldn't believe that she was even a real person. I've saw her. I ran away from her and I was screaming and I just couldn't believe it. And she embraced me and she asked me about just how I was taking everything. And I just remember just having a conversation with her and just her being a really down-to-earth person. And immediately, she just made me feel comfortable to just be myself. And we just had so many great moments like that. I remember being in the studio with her and just singing with her and feeling like I'm singing with my idol. I never would've thought. I just wanted to meet her. I never thought I would be able to just be in the studio and to share a mic with her. Of course, she was breathtaking. I mean, to see someone that looked like you, I don't even think I can describe it. I can say this. She never represented that it was impossible. It always felt like what she did and what she accomplished was possible. That was the magic of Whitney Houston, even though it was impossible what she did.
On The Perils of Fame and Addiction…
Brandy: Well, I've come through a lot when it comes to fame. I've endured a lot when it's come to fame. I've been through my struggles with that. I've been blessed to come out the other side of it but it's a very dangerous thing. It's very scary and I don't like fame, fame. I don't like it at all. I think that there should be rules to it. My daughter, she wants to follow in my footsteps in terms of music and getting out there. I'm really afraid for her to do that, very overprotective, because fame, it could kill you. It really can.
Zane: Alcohol is survival. Prescription medication is survival. Addiction, it's survival. It's like, "How do I know myself through this experience which is so hyper acutely focused and then attach to business?" How'd you get through it? How did you get through it?
Brandy: A lot of work, a lot of self work, a lot of counselling, a lot of family. You have to also want to make it too. You have to want to be better. You have to want to be the best version of yourself. I don't have a choice either. I have a daughter. She's everything to me. It's either get it right or mess up her life. I don't choose to mess up her life so I choose to be what I have to be to be the example that I need to be. That's all I can really say.
On Collaborating With Chance The Rapper on “Baby Mama”…
Well, "Baby Mama" is my cool point song. That's my I need my mama points. Just to do a song about her, to do a song expressing my love for her, and then just my independence as a mom, a single mom. And I think a lot of moms out there, single moms don't get the credit. When people say baby mom, that's like a negative. Yeah, but it is not. It's definitely a triumph. I love being a mom. He FaceTimed me before we did the song. And he told me all about that story and his family. And that's one of the reasons why I wanted him to be a part of the song because I just thought his story was amazing. And he's just a great artist in general. And then also, like I said, the cool points.
On Working With Daniel Caesar…
Oh my God, Daniel, his voice. He's just anointed, just a magical, anointed artist. And so just like I said before, about chance, it's like the chemistry was just not forced. We just came together and his team, they just got me and we just were able to put together a great song and I absolutely loved what he wrote. And just to see him go into the booth and for that song to just pour out of him, to work with him was just a dream. It was great. And to see him that young, it's like just an old, old soul. I'm like, "You're really in your twenties, dude? Is this really true?"
