Brandy made history as the first Black Cinderella. But to hear her tell it, she was just trying to meet Whitney Houston.
"That was one of my goals, to become famous enough to meet Whitney Houston. I didn't really know what was going on at the time that 'Cinderella' was happening. I was becoming a princess, but at the same time, I was with my idol and having the best time singing and working with her," Brandy says.
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The superstar singer and actress was in Houston for an invite-only tasting event with Stella Rosa Brandy. (How's that for brand synergy?) Several dozen influencers and liquor distributors gathered inside the House of Blues Foundation Room as DJ Supastar spun '90s R&B and rap classics. Brandy entertained the crowd with a performance of "I Wanna Be Down," her 1994 debut single, as bartenders poured her signature B Rocka cocktail.
Disney's 'Descendants: The Rise Of Red' stars Malia Baker as Chloe and Brandy as Cinderella.
Disney's 'Descendants: The Rise Of Red' stars Malia Baker as Chloe and Brandy as Cinderella.
Disney/Edward Herrera)
Brandy began working with Stella Rosa in 2022 and says the pairing "just made sense" because of the branding harmony and the company's family origins. She regularly travels the country to make appearances at VIP events. She shakes up a cocktail during the tasting but admits to not being a great bartender.
Earlier in the evening, tucked away inside a private dining area, Brandy radiates a peaceful energy that seems to glow from inside. (It could also be her amazing skin.) Her denim-on-denim-on-denim pantsuit is accented by black gloves with a gold shimmer. She's shy and soft-spoken but friendly, greeting everyone in the room and dropping easily into conversations.
Brandy's charmed performance in the 1997 TV film laid the groundwork for Anika Noni Rose, the voice of Tiana in "The Princess and the Frog;" and most recently Halle Bailey in a live-action adaptation of "The Little Mermaid." In 2014, actress Keke Palmer became the first Black actress to play Cinderella on Broadway and credited Brandy with paving the way.
Brandy and Whitney Houston in 'Rodgers and Hammerstein's Cinderella'
Brandy and Whitney Houston in 'Rodgers and Hammerstein's Cinderella'
Neal Preston /ABC
"I didn't realize how much that would affect and how much that would impact. To be able to be Cinderella and to be a Disney princess, to be Black, to have the braids, it just was so impactful. And it changed my life," Brandy says.v
Her charmed performance in the 1997 TV film laid the groundwork for Anika Noni Rose, the voice of Tiana in "The Princess and the Frog;" and most recently Halle Bailey in a live-action adaptation of "The Little Mermaid." In 2014, actress Keke Palmer became the first Black actress to play Cinderella on Broadway and credited Brandy with paving the way.
"I didn't realize how much that would affect and how much that would impact. To be able to be Cinderella and to be a Disney princess, to be Black, to have the braids, it just was so impactful. And it changed my life," Brandy says.
Disney's 'Descendants: The Rise Of Red' stars Brandy as Cinderella.
Disney's 'Descendants: The Rise Of Red' stars Brandy as Cinderella.
Disney/Edward Herrera
Theatre Under the Stars produced a version for its holiday musical inspired by the Brandy/Houston movie. It starred Texas native Brianna Kaleen, who says she grew up watching that version and recreating it at home.
"I had a dress that matched Brandy's. My parents always say that I would run around in it and be like, 'The prince is giving a ball!'" Kaleen remembers. My whole career, I've been really advocating for Black women to be in roles that they typically aren't in."
Brandy will reprise her enchanted role in the upcoming "Descendants: The Rise of Red," a musical fantasy film premiering July 12 on Disney+. It's the fourth installment in the "Descendants" series of films that focus on the children of Disney villains. Paolo Montalban, Brandy's TV prince, also returns as King Charming.
Jennifer Love Hewitt and Brandy in the film 'I Still Know What You Did Last Summer'
Jennifer Love Hewitt and Brandy in the film 'I Still Know What You Did Last Summer'
HANDOUT
"It was so surreal. It just brought back so many memories and so many good times that we had filming the first 'Rodgers and Hammerstein's Cinderella'. I'm really blessed to be able to do that again," Brandy says.
Brandy will make another return of sorts with "The Front Room," a horror film from A24 about a young couple who, while expecting their first child, welcome an estranged stepmother into their home. Brandy first showcased her scream queen chops in "I Still Know What You Did Last Summer" alongside Jennifer Love Hewitt and Freddie Prinze Jr.
"I'm nervous," she says of the new film. "This is different. This is psychological. It's very intimate."
Along with film talk, Brandy opened up about the rest of her wide-ranging, long-lasting career.
Music was the thing for you. But did you always want to do more?
I did not know that. Music was everything to me, especially in the beginning of my career. I would do other things to try to get to my music, like if it was a commercial, if it was a TV show, it was all to get to my music, not knowing that acting would also be a big part of my life, modeling.
I don't want to insult you and say everything else — film, TV, Broadway just happened ...
It really just happened. That's the way it feels. I didn't know that I would be cut out for everything that I was able to do in my career. But it just so happened that everything that I did fulfilled me in different ways, and there was an audience for it. It felt purposeful.
Brandy, who has found success with music and acting, appeared at the House of Blues Foundation Room in Houston for an invite-only event celebrating her partnership with Stella Rosa.
Brandy, who has found success with music and acting, appeared at the House of Blues Foundation Room in Houston for an invite-only event celebrating her partnership with Stella Rosa.
courtesy
What's left on your list to do?
I just want to continue to do what I love to do, which is all of what you just mentioned. It's so fulfilling, and it's the reason why I feel like I'm born, outside of being a mother and being the example to my daughter.
You're a pioneer as a young, Black actress who appealed to cross-cultural audiences through music, then parlaying that into film and TV.
It was amazing to see how that all unfolded. I feel very blessed to be able to look back and see what I've been able to do in my career and my life.
And you got to work with Whitney Houston. She was my first concert.
Me too! I talked my way all the way backstage. I was 11, 12 trying to get to her. But she left before I was able to get to her.
Brandy and Paolo Montalban in 'Rodgers and Hammerstein's Cinderella'
Brandy and Paolo Montalban in 'Rodgers and Hammerstein's Cinderella'
NEAL PRESTON/ABC
You have a horror film coming up. Are you a fan of scary movies?
I used to be, but not so much anymore. I like to have nice dreams at night.
Are you working on new music?
I'm about to start a new music project. I'm excited about it. I don't know (what I want it to sound like), which is great because I get to explore and be as creative as I can possibly be and work with so many different producers and writers.
You were Roxie Hart in the musical "Chicago" on Broadway. Would you ever go back?
I would love to do Broadway again. Broadway was probably the best thing I've ever done.
Brandy Norwood as Roxie Hart with Denny Paschall, left, and Michael Scirrotto in 'Chicago'
Brandy Norwood as Roxie Hart with Denny Paschall, left, and Michael Scirrotto in 'Chicago'
Jeremy Daniel/Washington Post News Service
Wow. What was it that you loved so much?
I just felt like I was the most disciplined. I cared so much about the audience. It's the real show business. It's not something you can edit. It's not something you can go back and do. You have to be present in the moment. There's nowhere to hide. I felt like I was flying. I felt like I trusted something higher than myself to get me through each show. Playing Roxie Hart in "Chicago," there were moments where it was just me and the audience, where I was speaking directly to the audience. Not to a person, to the audience. It was a connection like I've never felt before. It was deep. It really inspired me.
What do you want people to know about Brandy in 2024?
That I'm still inspired and I still love to express myself in music and film. And I'm very grateful to have the experiences that I've had in my career, and I just want to continue that. And that I'm a great person.
April 16, 2024
Photo of Joey Guerra
Joey Guerra
MUSIC CRITIC / WRITER
