Never Say Never (Brandy album)

Following the release of her multi-platinum eponymous debut album (1994) and several equally successful soundtrack contributions such as "Sittin' Up in My Room" from Waiting to Exhale (1995) and "Missing You" from Set It Off (1996), Norwood took a lengthy musical break in which she graduated from high school, enrolled in college and established a flourishing acting career.[6] In 1995, she was cast in the titular role in the UPN sitcom Moesha,[7] and in the following two years, she appeared opposite her idol Whitney Houston in the musical television film Cinderella (1997) and filmed the slasher film sequel I Still Know What You Did Last Summer (1998).[8] While she enjoyed her acting profile accomplishments, Norwood felt that her transition had caused people to recognize her more as an actress than as a singer, though she was still considering music her career priority.[9] Suffering from what she called "sophomore album jitters" however, it became difficult for Norwood to go in the studio and really produce.[6] Thus, she found herself making excuses to her artists and repertoire guys Paris Davis and Craig Kallman to avoid singing.[6]

While she was preparing to start work of her second studio album by October 1997, previous meetings with Atlantic Records had been unfruitful.[10] Barely satisfied with the material that was presented to her, the recording of new music was postponed several times until 1997, as Norwood found that many songs would not express what she wanted to tell at that point of her career.[10] "Many of the songs I heard were not 'me'," the singer stated during a promotional interview with Jet in 1999, "And If I can't feel it, then I won't sing it."[10] Also, after Brandy, she felt in a space of wanting to do something different, while exploring her voice and playing with different sounds.[11] Elaborating on her desire for progression and a more mature sound, Norwood added, that "I'm not the little girl I was when I made my first record. My voice is a strong instrument now; my vocals come from both my heart and my diaphragm. My heart because I matured in the four years since the last album; I'm more emotionally there."[10]

Nexer Say Never was executive produced by Rodney Jerkins (pictured) and his team.[12]

Later that year, Norwood requested rapper–songwriter Missy Elliott as one of the producers for her album.[13] However, Atlantic refused the approach to have Norwood work with Elliott and her regular co-producer Timbaland following their work with label mate and fellow teen R&B singer Aaliyah on her second studio One in a Million, released the year before.[13] Impressed with his work on Mary J. Blige's 1997 album Share My World, Davis called then-newcomer Rodney "Darkchild" Jerkins to meet with Norwood at Georgia's, a restaurant in Los Angeles.[14] Accompanied by his brother Fred Jerkins III and songwriter LaShawn Daniels, he ended up completing five songs in five days with her, including “Learn the Hard Way”, “Happy”, “I Put That on Everything,” and title track “Never Say Never.”[14] Satisfied with their output, Atlantic Records secured a production deal with Jerkins's team and encouraged them to work on more material for the album.[15] With Jerkins and his team producing the majortiy on the album, he was eventually promoted to executive producer on the album.[12]

Jerkins and his circle worked excessively on the album, with typical sessions starting in the afternoon and lasting until the early morning hours.[12] Despite the physical distance between the recording studios and Jerkins's native in New Jersey, he brought many of his family and friends to Los Angeles to help work on the album.[12] His brother Fred quit his steady job working at Prudential Insurance Company to work with Norwood on Never Say Never, while his sister Sybil received co-writing credits on the album.[12] Drawing from their own experiences, many titles of Never Say Never were built on a cliché book in the studio.[14] With Jerkins being inspired by the singer/producer partnerships of Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis and Janet Jackson as well as the influence of DeVante Swing on Jodeci's sound, he envisioned a full body of work for Norwood's second album, telling: "I wanted to make records where you fell in love with and heard the journey of the artists from beginning to end. The intro is just as important as the song, the outro is just as important. Once I got Brandy to believe in that vision, then we just locked in."[14]

Apart from Jerkins and Darkchild crew, Norwood also worked with Canadian producer David Foster on the album.[16] Lending a certain level of adult contemporary–pop crossover credibility to the project, he would produce three songs on Never Say Never, including "Have You Ever?," written by his frequent collaborator Diane Warren, the Gordon Chambers-penned "One Voice" and "(Everything I Do) I Do It for You," a cover version of Canadian singer Bryan Adams's 1991 song. Norwood credited the chemistry with both producers with her musical growth: "They brought out the best in me, the vocals I didn't know I had," she said.[10] Encouraged by Jerkins to share her feelings and participate in the record making process, Norwood wrote and produced on the majority of the album.[10] Nevertheless, after Brandy's commercial success, she was heavily pressured, stating: "It's very important to me that my music connects with the general public.[9]

The album's opening track "Angel in Disguise" is a Rodney Jerkins-produced mid-tempo track that features backing vocals by fellow R&B singer Joe.[17] Set as the album's lead single, "The Boy Is Mine" was originally intended to be a solo song for Brandy, but due to Monica's success by that time it was conceived as a duet.

"Learn the Hard Way" is the album's fourth track. It is the third song on the album, and shares similarities with the song "Never Say Never". The Guy Roche-produced "Almost Doesn't Count" is the fifth track. Brandy performed the song in the 1999 film Double Platinum, starring Diana Ross and herself. The international single "Top of the World" is the album's sixth track. It is a collaboration with Mase and the song talks about Brandy as a popstar just trying to be her and not feeling like being in her own world. In the music video, directed by Paul Hunter, Brandy was featured incurring various supernatural phenomena. She spontaneously floated in the air, flipping and somersaulting above random objects; telephone poles and vehicles, as people stopped to stare. These strange phenomena also included balancing herself vertically and horizontally alongside skyscrapers and buildings. The Darkchild-produced "U Don't Know Me (Like U Used To)", which is the album's seventh and final single, is noted for its remix version with Shaunta and Da Brat. The remix was released as the lead single to the same-named EP. "Never Say Never", also produced by Rodney Jerkins, is the eighth song of the album. "Never Say Never" was released as a Germany single in 2000. "Truthfully", a ballad about a broken relationship, was penned by former Boyz II Men member, singer-songwriter Marc Nelson.[18] Recorded in a single take, it took Nelson five different sessions to get Norwood in the recording studio as she felt initially nervous about working with him.[18] Main production on the song was helmed by Harvey Mason, Jr. who received his first major placement as a producer on "Truthfully".[19] Mason was consulted by Jerkins after he had shopped around several tracks for record executives.[19]

The number-one-hit "Have You Ever?" was the tenth track. Brandy states that it was the first time she had been in the studio with a producer like David Foster. Her voice was not as developed as it is now and the song required what producers call 'money notes' – the kind that get you a No. 1 on the charts. She says she was really nervous but it all worked just fine.",[20] "Put That on Everything" a mid-tempo ballad is the albums eleventh track and was written by Brandy Norwood, L. Daniels, Fred Jenkins III, Rodney Jerkins and Joana Tejeda and is produced by Rodney Jerkins. The album's twelfth song is actually a phone conversation in the car between Brandy, Rodney and Fred Jerkins. "Happy", an R&B up-tempo-song, that was featured in the motion picture Double Platinum and received positive critics from The Rolling Stone magazine,[21] was the album's thirteenth song. It also served as the theme song of the 2002 reality TV show Brandy: Special Delivery, which was aired on MTV. "One Voice", the fourteenth track, is the official UNICEF theme song in its 50th anniversary year. Entertainment Weekly describes her voice in the song as soft and smoky and as a gospel-fired ballad that find her effortlessly raising the roof.[22] "Tomorrow", another ballad is the fifteenth track and is with almost 6 minutes the albums longest song. The final song is the Bryan Adams cover "(Everything I Do) I Do It for You". Although lacking video or promotion the song received a top thirty entry on New Zealand singles chart.

Promotion for Never Say Never began with Brandy's appearance on music magazine Vibe's April cover, followed by a massive print campaign, including cover shoots for Teen People and Ebony as well as coverage in fanzines.[23] The co-marketing venture between Vibe and Atlantic Records resulted in a number of joint projects, such as a Vibe/Brandy website, a college marketing tour, and several retail and radio promotions.[23] With television channel MTV, Brandy hosted the network's spring break shows in Jamaica on March 13–15.[23] In June, Brandy performed "Top of the World" alongside Mase at the 7th annual MTV Movie Awards.[24] On June 13, MTV aired a special that focused on Brandy presenting a video countdown that consisted of her favorite music videos. The following day, MTV produced a 30-minute Ultra Sound segment special that focused on her .[23] On August 28, Brandy performed "The Boy is Mine" solo on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno.[25] On September 3, Brandy performed the remix version of "Top of the World" alongside rappers Big Pun and Fat Joe at the Soul Train Lady of Soul Awards.[26] Also in September, Brandy and Monica performed "The Boy Is Mine" live for the first time together at the 15th Annual MTV Video Music Awards.[27] On September 26, Brandy performed at the Hip-Hop Unity Festival which was held in Los Angeles at the Memorial Coliseum.[28] On October 11, Brandy performed at the 4th annual International Achievement in Arts Awards.[29]

On January 11, 1999, Brandy and actress Melissa Joan Hart hosted the 26th annual American Music Awards at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles.[30] During the award ceremony she performed her song "Have You Ever?". [31] Later on in the month on January 31 Brandy and Rapper LL Cool J Hosted Miami radio station WEDR's Super Bowl concert. This concert was a festivity that surrounded the 33rd annual Super Bowl.[32] In March 1999 Brandy joined former First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton and Attorney General Janet Reno at the National Museum of Women in the Arts to recognize six young women selected for the second annual Volunteerism Awards.[33] On April 13 Brandy performed alongside Mariah Carey, Celine Dion, Aretha Franklin, Gloria Estefan and Shania Twain at VH1 Divas Live '99 concert.[34] By May 1999 Brandy embarked on a world tour with shows in France, Germany, Holland, and Japan.[35][36] In June Brandy returned to America for the North American Leg of her tour which was originally from June 18 to August 2.[35] The tour eventually was cut short because Brandy was obligated to film the upcoming 5th season of her UPN sitcom Moesha.[36]

At retail, a Brandy standee was provided to merchants, while the album was made part of "price and positing" programs at all major national accounts and urban indie accounts nationally upon its release.[23] Other marketing items for Never Say Never included a partnering with DC Comics, which created a Brandy comic book in September 1998 for junior high and high school students.[23] Atlantic also discussed plans with Disney for a cross-promotion between the home video version of Cinderella (1997) and the album as well as the production of a major TV special, involving corporate sponsors.[23]

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[42]
BBC Music	(positive)[43]
Entertainment Weekly	B[3]
The Independent	(mixed)[1]
Los Angeles Times	[44]
Robert Christgau	[45]
Rolling Stone	[46]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide	[47]
The Spokesman-Review	(positive)[48]
Q	[49]

Never Say Never received mostly positive reviews from music critics. Stephen Thomas Erlewine from AllMusic gave the album four out of five stars and noted it a "better, more adventurous record than her debut," adding: "Brandy wisely decides to find a middle ground between Mariah Carey and Mary J. Blige — it's adult contemporary with a slight streetwise edge. [Her] delivery has improved and her subdued vocals can make mediocre material sound convincing. Still, what makes Never Say Never a winning record is the quality songs and production."[42] Daryl Easlea from BBC Music felt that the collection of smooth, mid-paced jams provided a snapshot of commercial R&B from the era. He described Never Say Never "as the epitome of a mixed bag. However, given that a lot of R&B in the late 90s sounds like an ornate musical box revolving, the album is an intelligent brew that deviates sufficiently from that template and plays to Brandy and executive producer Rodney Jerkins's considerable strengths."[43] The Spokesman-Review critic Richard Harrington was positive with the album, writing: "Brandy is co-writer on six of the album's 14 songs and no matter their achievement lyrically, she finds herself grown-up and confident, without taking any false steps."[48]

Rolling Stone magazine was generally positive with the album, giving it three stars out of five stars rating, and wrote: "Brandy exudes more pizazz than the Hanson brothers combined and bursts with enough naive charm to make Jewel look like a jaded sailor. Her second album bubbles with that same effervescence [...]."[46] J. D. Considine, reviewer for Entertainment Weekly, felt that Norwood's voice was lacking passion on the album.[3] Although he indicated that it was "hard to argue with Brandy's deference to the rhythm, especially when she rides one of producer Rodney Jerkins itchily propulsive tracks," he also noted that it was flattening "its emotional range, until the romantic bliss of "Happy," the dogged determination of "Never Say Never," and the conflicted affection of "Angel in Disguise" all end up sounding pretty much the same."[3] He gave the album a B rating.[3] Angela Lewis, writer for The Independent was disappointed with the album, saying: "This is pop R&B without the soul, and could see Brandy without a future in the adult big league. She lacks real command of tracks like "Have You Ever?", showing she's better at playing by the rules than anything else."[1] In his Consumer Guide, Robert Christgau gave the album a two-star honorable mention and picked out its three songs ("The Boy Is Mine", "U Don't Know Me" and "Almost Doesn't Count") while describing Brandy as "America's sweetheart, and why not?"[45]

Never Say Never was nominated for four Grammy Awards at the 1999 ceremony including Best R&B Album and Record of the Year, Best R&B Song, and Best R&B Performance By a Duo or Group with Vocals for "The Boy Is Mine", winning the latter one.[50] At the 2000 ceremony, it received another Grammy nomination for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance for "Almost Doesn't Count".[51] At the 1998 MTV Video Music Awards, the album was nominated for Video of the Year and Best R&B Video for "The Boy Is Mine".[52] The following year, "Have You Ever?" earned a Best R&B Video nomination at the 1999 ceremony.[52] "The Boy Is Mine" won in the categories for Dance Maxi Sales Single of the Year, Hot 100 Sales Single of Year, and R&B Sales Single of the Year at the 1998 Billboard Music Awards.[52] Never Say Never was nominated for Best Female R&B/Soul Album at the 1999 Soul Train Music Awards, while "The Boy Is Mine" while earned a nod in the Best R&B/Soul Single, Group, Band or Duo category.[53] Internationally, it received a nomination in the Best-selling Album by an International Newcomer category at the 1999 Echo Awards in Germany.[52]

Never Say Never debuted at number three on the Billboard 200 on June 16, 1998.[4] Selling approximately 160,000 units in its first week of release, it opened to Norwood's biggest week sales yet and, as of 2020, still retains the largest first-week seller within her discography.[4] The following week, the album managed to climb up to its peak position on the chart, reaching number two, even though its sales had dipped slightly to 152,000 copies.[4] By its 14th week on the charts Never Say Never had sold 1.4 million copies.[54] By the end of the year the album had sold 2.9 million copies in the US and it was the 13th best selling album of 1998.[55] In the end, Never Say Never spent a total of 72 weeks on the Billboard 200 — 28 of which were in the top 20 — and as of 2012 has sold more than 4.6 million copies in the United States according Nielsen Soundscan.[56] The album also sold an additional 665,000 copies through BMG Music Club, bringing total sales of over 5.2 million copies in the United States.[57] It was eventually certified quintuple platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for more than 5 million shipped units,[58]

Never Say Never debuted at number 21 on the UK Albums Chart on June 14, 1998.[59] In its tenth week, the album climbed to a new peak of number 19.[59] Racking up sales of more than 260,000 copies,[60] and was eventually certified platinum by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI), denoting shipments of 300,000 copies.[39]

By May 1999, Never Say Never had sold 7 million copies worldwide, according to Billboard.[61] In January 2000, Yahoo! Music reported that Never Say Never had reached quadruple-platinum certification in Canada; double-platinum in Japan; platinum in Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa; and gold in Ireland, Germany, France, Denmark, the Philippines, Indonesia, and Malaysia.[62] To date, the album remains Norwood's biggest-selling effort with worldwide sales in excess of 17 million copies.[63]

While her debut album had been a major success in the United States, Never Say Never was credited with Norwood's international breakthrough and facilitated her in becoming a viable recording artist with media–crossing appeal in music, film, and television.[64] Claire Lobenfeld from Fact found that while "Brandy’s self-titled debut was sweet and flirty, its follow-up separated her from being just a pop singer with an accelerating star to one with something to say."[65] HipHopDX's Aaron McKrell remarked that "Brandy’s newfound maturity was reflected in her music, and audiences and critics alike raved about the pop-tinged R&B that permeated the album,"[66] with Lela Olds, writing for The Boombox, further reporting that she "grew confident as both an artist and a young woman on Never Say Never, creating an album that showed both personal and vocal growth."[64] Never Say Never is Norwood's most successful album to date, with worldwide sales of 17 million records, including singles and album copies.[64] One of the biggest-selling album of the year for WEA Music, Billboard ranked Never Say Never among the most successful comeback albums of 1998,[63] while Sputnikmusic listed it among its 50 Best Pop Albums of 1998.[67]

Musically, Never Say Never blueprinted Norwood's signature "silky, smooth sound" which would also dominate on following projects.[68] In a 2018 anniversary retrospective, Vibe editor Brittney Fennell declared Never Say Never as Norwood's "career-defining magnum opus." She felt that "it is arguably one of the best R&B albums of the 90s [...] There were a plethora of young female R&B singers at this time, but Brandy’s star power allowed her to transcend genres by transforming her style of R&B into pop music."[69] In a similar article, Da’Shan Smith from Revolt noted that while the album "had an electric sensibility directed towards the approaching new millennium, they helped finalize the standard for what a pop&B diva's midtempos and ballads should consist of [...] Looking back at Never Say Never, one could argue that Brandy remodeled the construct of a teen-star-pushing-20."[68] Critics noted that her ability to grow musically while simultaneously balancing life as an actress served as role model material for other teen singers such as Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera who had upcoming studio debuts.[68] In fact, both Spears and Aguilera referred to Norwood and Never Say Never, as one of their influences during the recording sessions for their debut albums.[70][71]

Aside from boosting Norwood's own success, Never Say Never became instrumental in promoting the careers of many from those involved in the making of the album who were relatively unknown prior to its release, notably chief producer Rodney Jerkins, his brother Fred and songwriter LaShawn Daniels.[72] The trio would went on to work with industry veterans such as Michael Jackson, Whitney Houston, and Toni Braxton as well as upcoming performers such as Jennifer Lopez and Destiny’s Child, while reteaming with Norwood – to varying commercial and critical success – on her third and fifth studio albums Full Moon (2002) and Human (2008).[72] Norwood herself commented in a 2018 interview with music website Okayplayer: "Never Say Never changed the course of my life. I found one of the best producers [Rodney Jerkins] in the world to help me find my new sound. I was so free to try things vocally and the Darkchild team gave me their best work and sweet support."[73] In 2020, she ranked the album among her three favorite releases.[74]

Credits adapted from the liner notes of Never Say Never.[75]

Notes

• ^{^[A]} denotes additional producer

Credits are taken from the album's liner notes.[76]

Managerial

• Executive production – Paris Davis, Rodney Jerkins, Craig Kallman, Brandy Norwood

Musicians and vocalists

Technical and production

• ForeverBrandy.com — official site