Breathe Again

Album: Toni Braxton (1993)
Charted: 2 3
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • This is a song by American R&B singer Toni Braxton from her self-titled debut album. The ballad was released as the album's second single, and was the most successful release from the album, peaking at #3 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 and later #2 on the UK singles chart.
  • Braxton won the 1995 Grammy Award for Best Female Rhythm & Blues Vocal Performance for this song. It was her second consecutive Grammy award.
  • Kenny "Babyface" Edmonds wrote the song. He also co-produced the track along with LA Reid and Daryl Simmons. Babyface later recalled in May 2010 interview with Singersroom.com: "'Breathe Again' was written in Atlanta, Georgia inside a studio with Coco (Cheryl "Coko" Clemons from the group SWV). It was at LA Reid's house, we had a studio we built there in the guest house. We were trying to come up with more songs for her record. It was kind of one of those songs that I kind of sat down and started playing these cords and the words and melodies just kind of floated out. It was really written quickly; probably a couple of hours."
  • Speaking to Billboard in a 2018 interview, Braxton said this is the one song she never gets tired of performing.

    "It's my go-to song that I can sing anytime," she explained. "If I need to warm up, if I need to impress you with my vocal skills, if I want to feel good as I help heal people with broken hearts, that's the song I'm going to sing. It's like that classic black Chanel dress that goes with everything. You just change it up with accessories."

Comments: 1

  • John Shine from Bridgeport, OhioJust a great, great song. Maybe best song of the decade.
see more comments

Editor's Picks

"Stairway To Heaven" Lawsuit: A Timeline

"Stairway To Heaven" Lawsuit: A TimelineSong Writing

Untangling the events that led to the "Stairway To Heaven" lawsuit.

Allen Toussaint - "Southern Nights"

Allen Toussaint - "Southern Nights"They're Playing My Song

A song he wrote and recorded from "sheer spiritual inspiration," Allen's didn't think "Southern Nights" had hit potential until Glen Campbell took it to #1 two years later.

The Fratellis

The FratellisSongwriter Interviews

Jon Fratelli talks about the band's third album, and the five-year break leading up to it.

Arrested For Your Art - The Story Of 2 Live Crew's "Obscene" Album

Arrested For Your Art - The Story Of 2 Live Crew's "Obscene" AlbumSong Writing

In the summer of 1990, you could get arrested for selling a 2 Live Crew album or performing their songs in Southern Florida. And that's exactly what happened.

Janet Jackson

Janet JacksonFact or Fiction

Was Janet secretly married at 18? Did she gain 60 pounds for a movie role that went to Mariah Carey? See what you know about Ms. Jackson.

Mike Scott of The Waterboys

Mike Scott of The WaterboysSongwriter Interviews

The stories behind "Whole Of The Moon" and "Red Army Blues," and why rock music has "outlived its era of innovation."