The Braxton 5

Finally we hear them sing! And I have to admit, the Braxton sisters ain't too shabby when it comes to laying down the vocals. Of course, they were singing The Lord's Prayer like it was an old negro spiritual, but their harmonies were on point and they really did sound good together. So it's obvious that the focus of this week's show is that the girls want to record an album. Tamar is even willing to put her hopes of a solo career aside and dedicate herself to such a project. Traci is all too excited because she's the sister that was left behind after becoming pregnant and starting a family. She never got to realize her dreams to be on that big stage, singing to the masses. So everyone's in and ready to get to work, except for maybe the most important piece to the puzzle and that would be Toni Braxton herself. We learn that the sisters released an album as a singing group, but as it goes with many ensembles, the powers that be only wanted Toni. Toni recalls her mother's voice hanging over her all these years, "Don't forget your sisters!" She is ever loyal to her sisters and always worried about leaving them behind, and throughout her entire career she made a vow to never do that. She explains though, that because of this oath made to herself and her mother, she has missed out on the experience of living this by herself and for herself. She gracefully declines to do the album. And the remaining sisters are devastated. Aside from this we see more of an insider's view of Towanda and Trina's personal lives. Something that I was missing in the last several episodes where I felt Tamar was getting way too much face time. So someone out there was listening and this week we see Towanda's struggle to provide for her family while her husband watches and waits to be told what to do. It really is sad seeing her have to hold the whole world on her shoulders and her husband is so used to it, I don't think he would know what to do if the responsibilities were ever truly turned over to him. Towanda claims she wants her man to be a provider but she acts as an enabler by making all the family decisions and carrying him along with the rest of her burdens. When Towanda and her family are forced to move from their home, she packs everyone up, including her husband, and they all move in to Toni's house. The wear on Towanda, being Toni's personal assistant and the wife of a ne'erdowell is starting to strain on her and she does make a decision to give Toni notice. Trina's marriage has been in trouble as well. According to her, she's been married to her husband for 7 years and he's been cheating for 5 of them. He denies it but does admit he stepped outside the marriage via the internet... So we follow the two of them as they go house hunting. They've come to the decision that in order to leave the past behind them, they must forge ahead in a new environment and the sisters are called in for support as usual. It was good to see a Braxton other than Tamar be profiled, but we have undoubtedly not heard the last of her, afterall, there will be another show next week.