Recording artist Towanda Braxton shocked music fans when she showed up as cast member of the second season of the NBC daytime reality TV series Starting Over. Starting Over is a show about women who want to start their lives over for one reason or another. The radio DJ's and gossip columns were in a flurry with buzz. Just what was Towanda Braxton going to disclose about her famous family on the show? For those that don't know, Towanda is a former member of the singing group The Braxtons and the sister of recording artists Toni and Tamar Braxton.

Starting Over gained a whole new audience those first few weeks with people waiting for dish about the Braxtons, however it soon became clear that Towanda's journey was about Towanda--not about her famous family. Towanda spent 12 and a half weeks on the show--which is a long time! During her episodes viewers saw Towanda grow. In the beginning, she didn't always openly share her opinions and feelings. As time progressed, we saw Towanda grow into a whole new person and it was an amazing transformation.

One of Towanda's goals on the show dealt with jump starting her singing career. While on the show Towanda wowed audiences with her singing skills. Message board fans have been asking whether the rendition of "Wind Beneath My Wings" that she sang at two of her housemates graduation will be released as a single, and viewers had the chance to watch Towanda write and eventually perform her theme song "Here I Am."

Interviewing Towanda was a lot of fun and she was really easy to talk to. She is currently shopping her demo and looking for a record deal. She is working with Orlando Calzada who won a Grammy for his work on Destiny's Child's 2001 album Survivor.

What have you been doing the time in between the break up of The Braxtons and appearing on Starting Over?
Towanda Braxton-Working. I worked at an insurance agency as an underwriter.

How did you come about doing the show Starting Over?
Towanda Braxton--One of my friends is a reality show buff and she saw that they were casting in Atlanta. It was actually before Season 1. She kept asking me. At first I wasn't feeling it. I was like, "I don't want to!" She talked me into it and I went. I got a call back right before the Second Season.

There was an episode in which you were people watching and it appeared you only made negative comments toward the people you saw. Did editing not show some positive things you may have said during the outing with Iyanla?
Towanda Braxton- Of course, and what was so interesting looking back at this episode is that I wasn't pointing out the people--Iyanla was. That was never my purpose of people watching. It was taken out of context. Going people watching you get to see how interesting people are. If you sit and watch an interaction. Usually, when we go people watching we see good things We see kids angry with their parents. Upset if they have a cookie that broke. You give people compliments. "Oh she has a cute purse," or "Those shoes were cute." So they did edit out the good stuff and me explaining the purpose of people watching.

How long were you on the show in total?
Towanda Braxton- 12 and a half weeks. 12 and a half long weeks.

The song you performed on the show, "Here I Am," will it be released as a single?
Towanda Braxton-I'm not sure at this point. There are a lot of legalities going on. What I am doing is shopping my demo for a record contract. We have had several requests for our package.

When you do your album have you considered including your version of "Wind Beneath My Wings" on your album. Or is it on your demo?
Towanda Braxton- No. I didn't consider that.

Really?
Towanda Braxton-I didn't think about that.

Is there anything about the episodes that aired that you didn't like or want to clear up?
Towanda Braxton-Lets see. Where should I begin. Let's see. When Iyana had me do the push ups in group and people watching.

What happened with the push ups? I might have missed that episode.
Towanda Braxton-I didn't get it. We were in group and she just told me to do a push up. I thought she was picking on me. Do a push up. Okay.... let's see another one. When me and Iyana and Andre had the fierce conversation they edited so much out. They edited out Andre and Dr. Stan talking and the fact that it is a federal offense to call someone a Nigger three times.

Was that on the show? I might have missed that.
Towanda Braxton-You remember the day that Iyanla, me and Andre had the fierce conversation. Andre spoke with Dr. Stan. Dr. Stan asked him to tell a story about what makes him upset. He told the story of how the man called him a Nigger three times and that is a hate crime. It's a law. You can't call people faggot or Nigger or anything. They cut that out.

Do you keep in touch with your former housemates?
Towanda Braxton--I do. I talk to Kimmy all the time. I talk to Jennifer. I talk to Josie every now now and then. I talk to Sinae sometimes and I talk to Denise.

Have you signed a deal yet or are you still looking?
Towanda Braxton--I'm shopping my demo.

Have you considered going independent? I know its hard but a lot of artists are doing it now.
Towanda Braxton--I know, but because of the type of music I'm doing I am trying to go after go to a major label.

Do you enjoy performing live?
Towanda Braxton--I love performing live. Love it!

Have you launched your website yet?
Towanda Braxton--No.

Are you waiting until you get your deal?
Towanda Braxton--I'm not sure if I am going to launch a website now. I am waiting until I get signed. I'm waiting for a package at major labels

Were there times when you felt the show wanted you to discuss more of your personal business than you felt comfortable?
Towanda Braxton-- Ummm... I would have to say...yes. When it came to my my marriage. They showed me getting upset a little but they edited out so much of the conversation I had with Iyanla about my marriage being attached. That's how TV is.

Were you ever nervous about how your family and friends might interpret some of things said on the show?
 Towanda Braxton--Well there were a few times I would say things and then think, "Why did I say that." But you never knew how there were going to edit things. So there were some times I was nervous.

I read that you did the Wendy Williams Experience.
Towanda Braxton--I did!

Was it a tough interview?
Towanda Braxton-No, it was fun, it was a lot of fun. I love Wendy. She was Wendy, but she was cool. My thing is if you can handle Wendy, you can handle anybody--if you can get through Wendy.

I was going to ask you what were your goals for 2005. I don't know but I can guess that one of them is to get your deal.
Towanda Braxton--First and foremost. Get my deal. Help my husband. He is publishing his first fiction novel Crazy For a Man. It is about a single mother raising her son and the things they go through when she starts dating again. I'm helping him with that.

Cool. Well I will have to send you some writing links.
Towanda Braxton--Yeah.

It appears that most of the Season Two cast members lost weight while on the show. It was more noticeable recently when they re-aired the reruns from the beginning of the season. Was it because you all were too busy to eat?
Towanda Braxton-I don't know.

It looks like everybody lost weight.
Towanda Braxton-I was just always me. I go through a binge when I just eat, eat, eat and then I have times when I don't eat that much at all.

What one thing did you not like about the entire process?
Towanda Braxton-- Being away from my husband.

What are your overall feelings about the Starting Over experience?
Towanda Braxton-- Dorrie, I think it's bittersweet. When I was leaving the Starting Over house Iyanla handed me a letter to give to Andre. It was two and a half pages long and it wasn't nice. It wasn't nice. Not at all. Very mean. Very out of character.

Was the letter directed towards you or him?
Towanda Braxton--It was to him, but she put my name in it. It was very elementary. When I was in the house I would talk to my sister Tamar and I would talk a lot on the phone. I would tell Tamar what was going on and she would snap off about Iyanla like, "She needs to handler her own business. I know she has a lot of issues with her husband herself, she's trying to be Oprah." In the letter she said stuff like, "Tell Towanda to tell Tamar." I mean it was like, "Am I in the fifth grade?"

So you mean she was listening to your phone calls and just not bringing them up?
Towanda Braxton--Oh yes. Yes. They listen to everything. Absolutely nothing is sacred or private.

One of your early graduation gifts was pages in Essence. Have you done your Essence article yet?
Towanda Braxton--Pictures. It's a picture with a small excerpt, with the blurb that says who you are.

I thought it was spread.
Towanda Braxton--Don't I wish. (laughing)

Is it out yet?
Towanda Braxton-No. It will be in the March issue of Essence. I'll be next to the author Zane.

I read on a web site that you went to college in Maryland. What did you study in college?
Towanda Braxton--Music education, drama and piano at Bowie State University in Maryland. I am a Zeta Phi Beta. 1995. I pledged at Bowie State University!

Being a newlywed is hard enough. Were there times when you felt like the distance and the pressure from the Starting Over process was putting a strain on your marriage?
Towanda Braxton-- Absolutely. Yes, Dorrie.

Are you done with Reality TV?
Towanda Braxton--Yes, yes, yes, I'm done.

They broke your graduation up kind of funny. The first episode was your performance and then there was a big two week break when they showed reruns. Do you feel your graduation didn't get the same exposure as some of the past graduations?
Towanda Braxton--Yep. That my performance was my party.

I didn't like it. It was like the day of your graduation we saw Sommer leave the house and then we saw Denise in a white box.
Towanda Braxton--Yeah, we see Denise painting.

And it seemed like by the time they got to the actual graduation the show was almost over. Usually, when they have a cast member graduation a good portion of the show is devoted to the graduation.
Towanda Braxton--Yep it was kinda shady. It's all good.


Related Links
Sir Links Alot Starting Over Links
Starting Over Official Site

Interview copyright Dorrie Williams-Wheeler, thabiz.com 2005. You may not copy and paste or reprint this article/interview in any way shape or form. You may only link to the interview at this web link-http://www.thabiz.com/towandabraxtoninterview.htm

Interview copyright Dorrie Williams-Wheeler, and Thabiz.com 2005
Dorrie Williams-Wheeler is the author of Be My Sorority Sister Under Pressure and the Unplanned Pregnancy Book for Teens and College Students. She is the founder of Thabiz.com and Imissthe80s.com and writes for the Rap, Teen, and 1980s section at Bellaonline.com. She is an ASCAP member as a writer and a publisher. Please contact Dorrie for advertising inquiries, lyric writing inquiries, reprint rights, paying entertainment jobs, or general comments.
Visit Dorrie on the web at www.sparkledoll.com or e-mail her at webmaster@thabiz.com.
 
Disclaimer ---Advertising Info---Forum---