Brandy on Her Broadway Debut: ‘I’ve Stepped Into a Dream’

To most of us, Brandy is the quintessential overachiever; a phenom who has been able to conquer music and TV, starting off as a teenager and lasting over 20 years in the business. But, as the 36-year-old reveals, pushing forward hasn’t always been easy. “I felt like giving up a lot of times in my career,” she told ESSENCE at the Paley Center for Media Tribute celebrating the achievements of African-Americans in television. “I didn’t [always] believe in myself but now,” she added, smiling, “there’s a different type of focus and discipline that I have.”

Donning a black floor-length B. Michael gown, showing off her taut, bronze and beautiful figure—Brandy was glowing as she spoke about her new role, playing Roxie Hart in Chicago on Broadway. “I’ve stepped into a dream that I didn’t realize that I had,” she said. “I’m very free on stage and I love it, but I also love television, I love entertaining, I love the arts period, everything satisfies me in a different way.”

Brandy is also getting ready to return to network television to star in the new BET scripted series, Zoe Moon. Speaking on “the moment” African-Americans are enjoying on television, the former Moesha star added, “I think, this is a great time for television especially for African-Americans…it just feels like everybody isn’t giving up, we are just doing it now. I think we have greater opportunities.”

You can catch Brandy in Chicago through June 21.