Breathe Again


"Breathe Again" is a song by American R&B singer Toni Braxton. It was written by Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds and produced by Edmonds, L.A. Reid, and Daryl Simmons for Braxton's self-titled debut album. Its lyrics evokes a sense of nostalgia from a relationship that has run its course. The ballad was released as the album's second single in 1993.
The single peaked at number three on the US Billboard Hot 100 and number four on the Billboard Hot R&B Singles and Adult Contemporary charts. "Breathe Again" became one of Braxton's most successful international hits, reaching number two in Australia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom and peaking within the top 10 in several European countries and Canada. The song earned Braxton her second consecutive Grammy Award for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance in 1995.
"Breathe Again" was included in all of the greatest hits collections released by Braxton, including Ultimate Toni Braxton, Platinum & Gold Collection, The Essential Toni Braxton, and Breathe Again: The Best of Toni Braxton.

Background and composition

After the success of the previous single, "Another Sad Love Song", "Breathe Again" was released as the second official single from Toni Braxton's self-titled album, on August 6, 1993. "Breathe Again" was written and produced by Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds, with co-production being handled by Daryl Simmons and L.A. Reid. Lyrically, in "Breathe Again", Braxton would crumble and have a nervous breakdown if her boyfriend were to break up with her, singing, "If I never feel you in my arms again/If I never feel your tender kiss again/If I never hear I love you now and then Please understand if love ends/Then I promise you, I promise you/That, that I shall never breathe again."

Critical reception

"Breathe Again" received mostly positive reviews from music critics. Ron Wynn of AllMusic picked the song as a highlight from the album, writing that "Braxton's husky, enticing voice sounds hypnotic on the track." According to Daryl Easlea of BBC Music, the song "fully established Braxton," calling it "a delicate ballad that refused to resort wholly to cliché, it is brought to life by Braxton’s dreamy, breathy delivery." Mitchell May of Chicago Tribune was very positive, writing that "the way her voice throbs when she sings, 'I can't stop thinking about you,' conveys a sense of despair and longing that is rare." People magazine called the song "haunting", writing that, "The quaver in her voice says more about love's promise and deceit than many singers manage in a career." John McAlley of Rolling Stone called it "the album's best material", writing that "Braxton's love hangover has reached ludicrously epic proportions." Steve Pick from St. Louis Post-Dispatch noted that "here's another sad love song from a sultry alto singer who seems to be getting the best of the LaFace production team's work this year. This pretty tune benefits greatly from Braxton's ability to hint at the over-the-top histrionics she never quite falls into. As a result, it's both smooth and edgy." James Hunter from Vibe said that Babyface's writing on "Breathe Again" "gives the deserving future star melodic peaks and valleys to explore with her gorgeously detailed, unconceited voice."

Chart performance

"Breathe Again" was Braxton's first worldwide hit. In the United States, the song was a success, reaching number three for three non-consecutive weeks on the Billboard Hot 100. It spent 17 weeks in the top ten. On the Billboard genre charts, "Breathe Again" also reached high positions, peaking at number two on the Mainstream Top 40 and number four on both the Adult Contemporary and Hot R&B Singles charts. It sold 500,000 copies domestically, earning a gold certification from the Recording Industry Association of America. In the United Kingdom, "Breathe Again" debuted and peaked at number two on January 15, 1994, becoming her best charting-single in the UK along with "Un-Break My Heart".
In Australia, the song debuted at number 47 on the ARIA Singles Chart on March 20, 1994, and reached number two on May 1, 1994, remaining at the same position for two further weeks. It spent 17 weeks on the ARIA Singles Chart and ranked at number 20 on ARIA's year-end chart for 1994. In New Zealand, the song debuted at number 20 on the RIANZ chart on December 12, 1993. In its eighth week, the song climbed to number two, its peak position. It spent four non-consecutive weeks at the position and 21 weeks on the RIANZ chart, becoming Braxton's best-performing single in New Zealand. The song earned a Grammy Award for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance in 1995, becoming Braxton's second consecutive Grammy Award in the same category. In Zimbabwe the song was voted as the best song of the year at the end of year music chart and was the most played song of the same year.

Music video

The accompanying music video, directed by Randee St. Nicholas, was filmed in England and is set in black-and-white format. The concept was Braxton running through a maze, clearing her thoughts of a special kind of love. On her DVD, From Toni with Love... The Video Collection, two other versions of the video are also featured: the "European version" and the "Spanish version". On the same DVD, Braxton commented about the video, saying, "This video was originally filmed in color and Randee St. Nicholas, the director, didn't like the maze part, she said it looked like piles of dirt, instead of these beautiful green , she said it looked like chunks of rock, so she put it in black and white." About her look, she said, "I remember my stylist was going crazy, trying to find a 17th-century dress, and my hair was short, and I didn't want to wear wigs and my stylist put these little extensions in my hair and It was so cold and the dress was so heavy."

Track listings and formats

US CD single
  1. "Breathe Again"
  2. "Breathe Again"
  3. "Breathe Again"
  4. "Breathe Again"
  5. "Breathe Again"
UK and German CD single
  1. "Breathe Again"
  2. "Breathe Again"
  3. "Breathe Again"
  4. "Breathe Again"
  5. "Breathe Again"
  6. "Breathe Again"
Spanish CD single
  1. "Breathe Again"
  2. "Another Sad Love Song"

    Charts

Weekly charts

Year-end charts

Chart Position
Australia 20
Belgium 86
Canada Top Singles 54
Canada Adult Contemporary 8
Europe 54
Netherlands 52
Netherlands 64
New Zealand 20
UK Singles 33
US Billboard Hot 1007
US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs 26

Certifications

Cover versions