Up Close with Toni Braxton
with FHM Mexico March 2025 Cover star Toni Braxton / @tonibraxton
Hair Stay Ready / @jstayready_
Makeup Mila Thomas / @makeupbymila
Photographer Fadil Berisha / @fadilberishaphotography
Stylist Wilford Lenov / @wilfordlenov
Art Director Vincent Tran / @vincenttranartistry
PR Juliana Plotkin / @julianaplotkin
Producer Tunnel Media Group / @tunnelmediagroup
Executive Producers Cory Couture Productions / @corycoutureproductions & Valentina Gurova / @valentinagurova
Wow, Toni Braxton, it’s amazing to have you. We love Braxton Family Values, how’s being a reality star different from being a famous singer? There’s no comparison. Reality is not my favorite thing to do, although I enjoy watching it. Having cameras around me all the time can be a lot but, on the upside, I get to enjoy time with my family. Honestly, there’s really nothing that can top being on stage, for me.
If you weren’t a singer or a reality star, what do you think you’d be doing as a career today? If I wasn’t a singer or reality star, wow…I went to college to be a teacher, so I would probably be a teacher. I would really enjoy teaching kids how to sing and perform. That would feel very rewarding. There’s just something about molding young minds, and I think of all the teachers who helped me and molded me when I wanted to be a performer.
Tell us something interesting about yourself people might not know about you: I don’t think people know that I’m silly and I’m funny. I like to laugh. I love comedians and appreciate how they can take real life, the good with the bad, and turn it into something funny.They help remind us to find opportunities to laugh at life. I know I have plenty of sad songs in my arsenal and for me, those songs are meant to make others feel as if we’re sad and getting through it together it’s like me saying, “You’re not alone!” Other times, I want songs to celebrate love and life. My Las Vegas residency is alongside Cedric The Entertainer, and we named the show “Love and Laughter” – and that is exactly what can unite us all.
What’s the most cringe pickup line you’ve ever got? Oh, cringe, huh? I like that word… I wouldn’t say that it was cringe-worthy… because it actually caught my attention… so I guess it was a “different” approach. Someone once said… “Do you like Raisins? How do you feel about a Date?” LOL, it made me laugh. We never went on a date, but it was surely a way to break the ice.
What are you most looking forward to doing this year? I am looking forward to going on tour this year. I haven’t toured. I’ve been doing my “Love and Laughter” residency in Vegas, but going on tour is a little different. I can’t wait to connect with my fans abroad.
You’ve always been a style icon what’s your go-to fashion must-have? My Go-To fashion must-have has always been Jeans and a T-shirt. You can’t go wrong with jeans and a T-shirt. A nice pair of high-heeled shoes and red lipstick.
What’s your secret to staying confident and glowing no matter what? My secret to staying confident is simply believing in yourself and realizing there’s nothing or no one like you. Embrace your distinctions and differences and celebrate them! There is only one YOU, and that is more than enough.
What’s one thing on your bucket list you haven’t done yet? I’ve been so fortunate to do so many of the things that were on my list, even things I didn’t realize were on my list until I did them. There’s beauty of allowing yourself to live each day to the fullest and trying not to have any regrets. Maybe being in the same room with certain people like Diane Carroll, Eartha Kit, or Paul Newman, having had conversations with those who left a legacy, but who are no longer with us.
Are there new projects or events that you’re working on, and could you tell us a bit about that? I’m so excited about creating new music! I haven’t had any new music out in a while and that is truly at the heart of my passion because my passion is singing and performing. Music has always been a pathway for me to share experiences, ideas, and thoughts, and I cannot wait to express myself in this new chapter of my life. And of course, I love to take it back to the classics, as I love performing songs from my catalog that I know my fans want to hear.
What’s one of the biggest lessons you’ve learned in life and how has that changed your perspective? There are so many lessons, but I feel like there are important lessons to learn every day if you stay present. I really lean into a new understanding of perspective and ultimately, always striving to be happy. That’s the hardest part to remind yourself that happiness is a choice. Is the glass half empty or half full? I always try to think of the glass as always being half full, even when I want to say the opposite. A strong and positive mindset is truly the key.
A lot of young women look up to you, what advice would you give them on pursuing their own dreams? I would tell any young woman in this business, it’s important to pay close attention to the details. Know that you don’t always have to accept everything, and sometimes in certain situations, practicing more silence to listen is very valuable. Know when the speak up and when silence is more golden.
You’ve done so much in your life, what would you say, people tend to focus on, that isn’t really important, and what would you say is important in this journey of life? I think people tend to concentrate on some of the hardships I’ve had as an artist, renegotiating business in my career. I hate that, but it’s called the music business for a reason. I wish they could just concentrate on the music and the love that goes behind it.
Any last words for our readers and where can they follow you online for updates? Social Media… I don’t really know much about all that stuff. I do just enough to maintain, but I am far from an expert! My kids often say, “Mom, you have to do a little bit more!” so I’m trying. My boys are teaching me, so stay tuned! I’m determined to get better at this.
