It’s been seven years since Toni Braxton released a solo album, but the R&B icon is ready to return to the music scene with her eighth album Sex & Cigarettes, due in early 2018.
Speaking with The Insider, the “Braxton Family Values” star revealed the provocative title. “I’m excited to be doing what I love doing,” she said. “The new album comes out at the top of the year and it’s called Sex & Cigarettes. I feel like I’m older, I want to say what I feel, I don’t want to be censored.”
She recently filmed the steamy video for the first single, “Deadwood,” which will be her first to carry a parental advisory sticker, adding to the project’s mature content. “There is this guy in the video who’s super sexy,” said Braxton. “I think we’re going to be seeing a lot of him. He’s great eye candy.”
Braxton, who wrapped her starring role in the Lifetime movie Faith Under Fire, hasn’t released a solo album since 2010’s Pulse. However, she hasn’t been completely gone from the music scene. In 2014, she teamed up with Babyface for Love, Marriage & Divorce and the following year, she was part of Braxton Family Christmas.
Toni isn’t the only Braxton with new music on the way. Her sister Tamar is also prepping her new album Bluebird of Happiness, which is set for a Sept. 29 release.
During an interview with Rap-Up, Tamar opened up about her sister’s influence. “Toni Braxton has taught me everything I know about my career,” she said. “How silly would it be for me to have a sister who is a living legend, who has accomplished all these things, has been through ups and downs and everything around the globe, for me to not ask her questions and take her advice? It would be silly and so narcissistic of me. That’s not how I am. I want to learn and evolve in life and that’s the only way you’re going to be great, it’s when you study the greats.”