Toni Braxton

Toni Braxton -- who was born in Severn, Md. -- just might be singing the blues about the real estate market. Her home in Atlanta, recently foreclosed on, is now for sale for $1.1 million, TMZ reports. And according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, the property has sat on the market for more than four months. It's not because the place doesn't look nice -- at least on the outside. Built in 2001, it's nearly 12,000 square feet and red-bricked, with seven bathrooms, six full baths and a pretty sweet-sounding master bath jacuzzi.

Toni Braxton -- who was born in Severn, Md. -- just might be singing the blues about the real estate market. Her home in Atlanta, recently foreclosed on, is now for sale for $1.1 million, TMZ reports. And according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, the property has sat on the market for more than four months. It's not because the place doesn't look nice -- at least on the outside. Built in 2001, it's nearly 12,000 square feet and red-bricked, with seven bathrooms, six full baths and a pretty sweet-sounding master bath jacuzzi.

Bret Michaels did it. Bobby Brown did it too, to much less success. So did Paula Abdul. The preferred vehicle for a musical comeback is not on the charts any more but on reality television. The latest to join that rich tradition is Toni Braxton, the Severn native who was one of the highest-selling artists of the 1990s but has seen her sales droop to dramatic lows, just 145,000 units for last year's "Pulse. " In the last decade she has also taken personal blows, a multimillion-dollar bankruptcy filed earlier this year being the most recent to attract unflattering attention from the tabloids.

Bret Michaels did it. Bobby Brown did it too, to much less success. So did Paula Abdul. The preferred vehicle for a musical comeback is not on the charts any more but on reality television. The latest to join that rich tradition is Toni Braxton, the Severn native who was one of the highest-selling artists of the 1990s but has seen her sales droop to dramatic lows, just 145,000 units for last year's "Pulse. " In the last decade she has also taken personal blows, a multimillion-dollar bankruptcy filed earlier this year being the most recent to attract unflattering attention from the tabloids.

The Miss Black America pageant announced Tuesday morning that it would revive the national beauty competition that featured past contestants such as Oprah Winfrey and Toni Braxton. In addition to bringing back the pageant after a 15-year absence, organizers will now offer a Little Miss Black America pageant for ages 9-12 and Miss Black America Teen pageant for ages 13-17. The Miss Black America pageant is open to women ages 18-29. The announcement was made at the American Visionary Art Museum in Baltimore.

Her voice is usually husky, famously so. And on the phone at 10 in the morning, it is especially heavy and low. "Hi. This is Toni Braxton," she says then clears her throat. The R&B-pop superstar is calling from her home in Atlanta, where she's resting before she hits the road to promote her new album, Libra, which appears in stores Tuesday. Five years have flown by since Braxton's last substantial hit, 2000's No. 1 R&B smash, He Wasn't Man Enough. Since then, her albums -- 2001's Snowflakes, a Christmas set, and 2002's More Than a Woman have been mostly lukewarm affairs, reaching nowhere near her peak sales in the '90s.

Toni Braxton said she caught a cold from her 2-year-old son, so that's why her voice was so low, breathy and noticeably underpowered Monday night at the Lyric Opera House. Between all the gratuitous rump-shaking and costume changes (10 in all), she asked the packed house to forgive her. But why did she feel the need to apologize? For the past five or six years, the Severn native has all but abandoned the full-throttle, gospel-fueled belting that put her on the pop map nearly 15 years ago. Instead, the seven-time Grammy winner has been sighing huskily through her songs, playing up the coy, Eartha Kitt-inspired sexpot role.

You've probably seen a lot of soul singer Toni Braxton in the last 11 months.There was the video for "You're Makin' Me High" that found the Severn native dressed in a skin-tight white cat suit, and another clip for "I Don't Want To" where she made old jeans look more appealing than any Calvin Klein ad. Plus there were all those awards show appearances in which she demonstrated a gift for making a little bit of fabric go a looo-o-ong way.But if you haven't...

At the Grammys on Wednesday, competition was intense in an unspoken, unofficial category: the "Jennifer Lopez State of Un-Dress" award. And the winner was ... Maryland's own Toni Braxton, who stunned the crowd with a barely-there silver gown very much in the spirit of Lopez's unforgettable Versace number from last year's ceremony. Braxton, 33, picked up her sixth award wearing a Richard Tyler piece that resembled little more than a scarf nipped at the waist. It turned out to be the Grammy dress talked about around the world - or at least in fashion and music circles.

Toni Braxton Grammy Award-winning R&B singer and Severn native Toni Braxton is making a stop at Constitution Hall, 18th and D streets N.W. in Washington. Her latest album, Libra, was released in September. The concert is at 8 p.m. Saturday. Tickets are $70. To order, call 410-547-SEAT or visit ticketmaster.com.

The Miss Black America pageant announced Tuesday morning that it would revive the national beauty competition that featured past contestants such as Oprah Winfrey and Toni Braxton. In addition to bringing back the pageant after a 15-year absence, organizers will now offer a Little Miss Black America pageant for ages 9-12 and Miss Black America Teen pageant for ages 13-17. The Miss Black America pageant is open to women ages 18-29. The announcement was made at the American Visionary Art Museum in Baltimore.

Makeba Riddick stepped off a plane in New York City, exhausted after spending weeks in London working with the Black Eyed Peas, only to get a call from her manager. The record label needed Riddick to fly to Milan immediately and cut a song with pop star Rihanna. The song, "Live Your Life" — a single for the rapper T.I., featuring Rihanna, was almost finished, but the label wanted Riddick to write Rihanna's lyrics and help guide the young singer through her verse. Riddick threw a mini-temper tantrum, then took a deep breath and reluctantly boarded a plane.

Toni Braxton said she caught a cold from her 2-year-old son, so that's why her voice was so low, breathy and noticeably underpowered Monday night at the Lyric Opera House. Between all the gratuitous rump-shaking and costume changes (10 in all), she asked the packed house to forgive her. But why did she feel the need to apologize? For the past five or six years, the Severn native has all but abandoned the full-throttle, gospel-fueled belting that put her on the pop map nearly 15 years ago. Instead, the seven-time Grammy winner has been sighing huskily through her songs, playing up the coy, Eartha Kitt-inspired sexpot role.

Toni Braxton Grammy Award-winning R&B singer and Severn native Toni Braxton is making a stop at Constitution Hall, 18th and D streets N.W. in Washington. Her latest album, Libra, was released in September. The concert is at 8 p.m. Saturday. Tickets are $70. To order, call 410-547-SEAT or visit ticketmaster.com.

Matchbook Romance -- Sonar Lounge / Indie rock unit Matchbook Romance plays Sonar Lounge, 407 E. Saratoga St., tonight at 6. Silverstein, The Early November Amber Pacific and Paremore are also billed. Tickets are $17 and are available through Ticketmaster by calling 410-547-SEAT or visiting ticketmaster.com. Hothouse Flowers -- Rams Head Tavern / Fusion rock group Hothouse Flowers blazes through Rams Head Tavern, 33 West St. in Annapolis, Tuesday night at 8. Tickets are $23. For more information, call 410-268-4545 or visit ramsheadtavern.

TELEVISION 1.CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, CBS 2.Desperate Housewives, ABC 3.Lost, ABC 4.Without a Trace, CBS 5.Grey's Anatomy, CBS FILMS 1.Flightplan, Disney 2.Serenity, Universal 3.Tim Burton's Corpse Bride, Warner Bros. 4.A History of Violence, New Line 5.Into the Blue, Sony SINGLES 1.Gold Digger, Kanye West featuring Jamie Foxx 2.Shake It Off, Mariah Carey 3.Photograph, Nickelback 4.Like You, Bow Wow featuring Ciara 5.My Humps, Black Eyed Peas ALBUMS 1.All Jacked Up, Gretchen Wilson 2.Wildflower, Sheryl Crow 3.Most Known Unknown, Three 6 Mafia 4.Libra, Toni Braxton 5.Late Registration, Kanye West DVDS (SALES)

The Rev. Michael Braxton removed his clerical gown and took off his tie."This is dress-down Sunday," he told his Annapolis congregation a few weeks ago. "God isn't so much concerned with your outward appearance; God is concerned about your heart."Mr. Braxton, the pastor of Cecil Memorial United Methodist Church on Parole Street, often breaks with tradition to make a point.Sometimes, he'll quote teen-ager's slang during sermons that tend to be lively and humorous."I use the slang the kids know," he says, "like, 'Whoomp!

Nominees for the American Music Awards, to be awarded tonight are:* Pop/RockFavorite Male Artist: Bryan AdamsMichael BoltonMeat LoafFavorite Female Artist:Mariah CareyJanet JacksonBonnie RaittFavorite Band, Duo or Group: Ace of BasePink FloydStone Temple PilotsFavorite Single: "I'll Make Love to You" (Boyz II Men)The Power of Love" (Celine Dion)"The Sign" (Ace of Base)Favorite Album:"August and Everything After" (Counting Crows)The Lion King" (Soundtrack)"Music Box" (Mariah Carey)Favorite New Artist: Ace of BaseAll-4-OneCounting Crows* Soul/Rhythm & BluesFavorite Male Artist: BabyfaceTevin CampbellThe Artist Formerly Known as PrinceFavorite Female Artist: Anita BakerToni BraxtonJanet JacksonFavorite Band, Duo or Group: Boyz II MenJodeciSalt-N-PepaFavorite Single: "I Swear" (All-4-One)

Her voice is usually husky, famously so. And on the phone at 10 in the morning, it is especially heavy and low. "Hi. This is Toni Braxton," she says then clears her throat. The R&B-pop superstar is calling from her home in Atlanta, where she's resting before she hits the road to promote her new album, Libra, which appears in stores Tuesday. Five years have flown by since Braxton's last substantial hit, 2000's No. 1 R&B smash, He Wasn't Man Enough. Since then, her albums -- 2001's Snowflakes, a Christmas set, and 2002's More Than a Woman have been mostly lukewarm affairs, reaching nowhere near her peak sales in the '90s.

WHEN Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds altered his gentlemanly, crisp-suit-and-ascot image on his last album, 2001's Face2Face, nobody paid much attention. He grew a 'fro and started sporting dark shades and a five o'clock shadow as if he were Lenny Kravitz or somebody. He also tampered with his musical formula. For Face2Face, the singer-songwriter-uberproducer recruited outsiders -- younger cats like Snoop Dogg and the Neptunes -- to help him "get street." Lyrically, he got a little nasty, too, letting a few expletives slip.