R&B singer Brandy talks about making her first Christmas album 'Christmas With Brandy,' singing with her daughter on the album, reprising her iconic role as Cinderella in 'Descendants: The Rise of Red,' her role in the new Christmas movie on Netflix 'Best Christmas, Ever!,' having her own Brandy with Stella Rosa and more!
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00:00 Are we thinking about working on B8?
00:02 Because your last album was B7.
00:03 I would love to start working on B8.
00:05 Okay.
00:06 I really would.
00:07 That's in the plan.
00:09 Okay.
00:10 For sure.
00:10 I love how you called it B8.
00:12 Just again manifesting.
00:16 I love that.
00:17 I love that.
00:18 Hi, I'm Brandi and you're watching Billboard News.
00:29 Hi, this is Gail Mitchell, Executive Director of R&B and Hip Hop for Billboard Magazine,
00:34 and I'm so excited.
00:35 It's been a long time since I've seen this woman, but this is one of the timeless voices of music,
00:40 Grammy Award-winning singer, Brandi.
00:57 Here you are with a Christmas album, your very first one.
01:01 I'm really excited.
01:02 And a movie as well.
01:03 And a movie.
01:03 Christmas with Brandi.
01:06 Christmas with Brandi.
01:07 I can't believe it is your first holiday album.
01:09 Yes, I can't believe it either because I love Christmas and I love Christmas carols,
01:15 and so I can't believe it's my first one.
01:19 How did you make a Christmas album a Brandi album?
01:23 I've had a great team of people to work with me.
01:32 The producer is Nephew.
01:34 One of the writers is Sebastian Cole, Tatiana Clark, India Kearney.
01:39 I just had a really good team around me and they really helped me put my own spin
01:44 on the classics and helped me put together some originals that I'm really proud of.
01:52 [Music]
01:59 Were some songs left on the table?
02:02 Could there be a second album?
02:04 There could be.
02:05 There were a few songs left on the table for sure that could be part of just a regular album.
02:14 It doesn't have to necessarily be a Christmas album.
02:17 Your daughter's featured, Sarah, on one song called Christmas Gifts.
02:22 Yes.
02:23 How did that come together and what is like working with your daughter?
02:26 Well, I love the melody of A Christmas Gift, also written by Sebastian Cole, an amazing writer.
02:32 I just love the melody and I just thought our voices would sound great together.
02:37 [Music]
02:41 And I just love working with her.
02:42 I love seeing her blossom into this beautiful flower, this beautiful artist,
02:47 and just someone that really loves music.
02:51 Okay, she grew up wanting to be a singer?
02:53 Yes, she's still growing up wanting to be a singer.
02:57 That's what she wants to do.
03:00 Okay, cool.
03:01 So what is, how do you feel as a mother watching her blossom?
03:04 I feel amazing.
03:06 I feel so complete just knowing that she's doing something that she loves and she has so much
03:14 passion. It's her life, like music is her life and I just, I've never met that in anyone else
03:22 like that but myself.
03:23 [Music]
03:29 It means everything to her, just like how much it meant to me coming up.
03:34 Next generation, see?
03:35 Yes.
03:36 So what has it been like as a working mom?
03:40 I've been a working mom but for you, what was it like being able to balance that, being a working
03:45 mom between that and your craft?
03:46 Having a good support system I think is key.
03:50 And also I just loved having my baby with me everywhere and now that she's 21 she can just
03:56 go everywhere with me and not have to worry about school and getting out and doing all of that.
04:03 Get these boys off of you, child.
04:05 [Laughter]
04:08 But you too, mother.
04:10 No!
04:11 Yes!
04:11 Is there one lesson you told her at the outset when you saw that she wanted to pursue music
04:17 as a career?
04:18 Yeah, don't follow anyone.
04:19 Okay, all right.
04:21 She has her own path, her own destiny created for her by the Most High and
04:27 she just needs to follow that.
04:30 What advice would you give to working mothers yourself having
04:32 been on that journey and you never quit being a mom?
04:37 Yeah, you never quit being a mom.
04:38 I think also making your children your inspiration, your reason why,
04:44 I think keeps you going as a working mom.
04:47 When you first had your daughter, I mean...
04:49 I was 23.
04:51 Yes, but it's an empowering thing.
04:53 There's a whole different mindset.
04:55 How did that affect your, you think it affected your creativity and what you wanted to continue?
04:59 Oh my God.
05:00 Musically.
05:04 It's said that I've made one of my best albums pregnant, so...
05:09 And that would be?
05:11 Full Moon.
05:12 Full Moon.
05:13 So then before we get into the film, right there, are we thinking about working on B8?
05:20 Because your last album was B7.
05:22 I would love to start working on B8.
05:24 Okay.
05:24 I really would.
05:25 That's in the plan.
05:28 Okay.
05:28 For sure.
05:29 I love how you called it B8.
05:32 Just again manifesting.
05:34 I love that.
05:35 I love that.
05:36 All right.
05:37 So the film.
05:38 The film, Best Christmas Ever.
05:41 Okay.
05:42 With co-stars Heather Graham, Jason Biggs.
05:44 So talk about how that project came together.
05:47 Well, I was doing another show that I had just wrapped up,
05:52 and I got the call to be a part of this Christmas movie.
05:55 And when I read the script, I thought it was an instant classic.
06:01 I love the script.
06:01 I love what it talked about from rekindling friendships to family,
06:07 to even twists and turns that you don't see coming in the movie at all.
06:12 And then I love my character, Jackie, who's so bubbly,
06:16 who looks at the positive of life and tries to find the good in everything.
06:21 I was loving her.
06:24 I just thought she was great.
06:26 And just working on the film was just, it was a lot of fun.
06:29 And I got to sing in the movie.
06:31 Yeah.
06:31 Any fun stories or anecdotes or during the filming?
06:37 Jason Biggs is hilarious.
06:41 I mean, there was not a day that we did not laugh on that set.
06:44 It didn't even feel like work.
06:46 It just felt like we were just having so much fun.
06:49 All right.
06:50 He's a prankster?
06:51 Yeah, he's a comedian.
06:52 Okay.
06:53 He's a comedian, and he doesn't even have to try hard.
06:55 He just spills out the comedy.
06:59 Gotcha. Okay.
07:01 How does acting provide a different creative outlet for you?
07:04 Because I'm me acting.
07:06 I'm playing somebody completely different.
07:11 So you have to find a way to bring the truth to that character and also find ways you can relate
07:17 so you can use whatever is going on in your life or whatever has gone on in your life
07:24 to bring to the character that you're playing.
07:27 Acting is more of a challenge for me.
07:28 Hi, this is Brandi, and I play Cinderella.
07:30 So what hints can you give us?
07:32 Because you're going to reprise your role as Queen Cinderella.
07:35 Going to be in The Descendants, the Disney franchise.
07:39 Okay.
07:39 And I'm very blessed to get the opportunity to play Cinderella again.
07:45 She's a queen, and I do get a chance to sing with the prince that was also in Rogers and
07:52 Hammerstein's Cinderella that I played in with Whitney Houston.
07:58 What does it feel like to go back to this character?
08:00 Surreal.
08:01 Yeah?
08:02 It felt so surreal.
08:03 Because at the time, what did this role mean for you when you got it and got the chance to be with Whitney?
08:08 It meant everything because two dreams were coming true.
08:12 A career dream to be sort of like a superhero, the first black Disney princess.
08:19 That's a huge thing to experience.
08:24 And then to parallel that with my dream coming true, working with my idol, Whitney Houston.
08:31 So Stella Rosa.
08:34 Stella Rosa.
08:35 Brandi.
08:35 So Brandi has her own Brandi.
08:37 Yes.
08:38 What a blessing it is for them to come to me to do this line of Brandi because the product
08:46 is so good.
08:47 The bottles are beautiful.
08:49 And it was just the perfect partnership.
08:52 Honey Peach, Tropical Passion, and Smooth Black.
08:56 And Honey Peach can go well with eggnog for your holiday season.
09:01 Okay.
09:02 So you guys.
09:03 This is out now?
09:04 Yes, this is out now.
09:06 Okay.
09:06 All right.
09:07 Stella Rosa, Brandi.
09:14 How do you feel about other artists being inspired or influenced by your body of work
09:21 and what you've done?
09:22 I think it's the most flattering.
09:24 It humbles me because I know how much love is out there for me.
09:29 And people have expressed it, have come up to me and said the most amazing things.
09:36 And that's why you do what you do is to inspire other people and especially artists that want
09:41 to do what you do.
09:42 And it's just so humbling and it feels so good.
09:45 So is there anyone you haven't collaborated with?
09:48 Who's on your wish list?
09:49 D'Angelo.
09:50 I love D'Angelo.
09:53 I think he's one of the greatest male singers ever.
09:56 And I've always wanted to work with him.
09:58 All right.
09:59 Well, we'll manifest it.
10:00 We'll put it in the universe and make that happen.
10:02 Anybody else that's high up on your list?
10:04 Sade.
10:05 I love Sade.
10:07 I know she doesn't do a lot of claps, but I love Sade.
10:12 Yeah.
10:12 She's amazing.
10:13 I think you two would sound great together.
10:15 Oh my goodness.
10:16 We're pleased that you joined us.
10:18 I'm pleased that I joined you too.
10:20 Good to see you.
10:21 This is really nice.
10:22 You look great.
10:23 And thank you.
10:23 So do you.
10:24 Thank you so much.
10:24 And continue success.
10:25 Thank you.
10:26 You too.
10:27 Thank you.
10:27 All right.
10:28 [MUSIC PLAYING]