Full Moon (Brandy album)

In June 1998, Norwood released her second album Never Say Never. Boosted by the success of its number-one lead single "The Boy Is Mine", a duet with singer Monica, it facilitated Norwood in becoming a viable recording artist with cross-media appeal. In total, the album sold sixteen million copies worldwide and spawned seven singles, including Norwood's second number-one song, the Diane Warren-penned "Have You Ever?". Also in 1998, Norwood made her big screen debut as Karla Wilson, a supporting role in the slasher sequel, I Still Know What You Did Last Summer. The following year, she co-starred with Diana Ross in the telefilm drama Double Platinum about an intense, strained relationship between a mother and daughter. Both Norwood and Ross served as executive producers of the movie, which features original songs from Never Say Never and Ross's Every Day Is a New Day (1999). In mid-2000, she started refocusing herself on her musical career, contributing songs to albums such as Urban Renewal (2001) and the Osmosis Jones soundtrack (2001). During this time her voice started to change, she had developed a scratchy, evocative edge to her voice and now having a deeper and warmer tone with a textured lower register and notably stronger head voice. ==Recording and production==

(pictured) and his team to work the majority of Full Moon. Rapper Ja Rule, singer Babyface and production duo Soulshock & Karlin were reportedly also involved into the project but none of their songs eventually made the album's final track listing. Though Norwood has acknowledged that the creative focus of the album was very much on its technical realization and its sound, she declared Full Moon a concept album based on the development of a male-female relationship: "It's definitely the concept for the albumme falling in love, then going through some turbulence, and then, at the end, I find the person that I really want to be withso it's a great concept and it's a great experience that I had. I found out a lot about myself. I found a lot out about love, and I'm just happy to have that reflect in my music." Norwood decided to name the album after its title track and in reference to the previous three years of her life, stating: "I have done a complete circle and I feel whole. All of that's reflected in the music. That's why I entitled [my album] Full Moon. It's a concept album, it's autobiographical. Everything that I've gone through in the last three years is reflected." ==Music and lyrics==

Full Moon opens with "B Rocka Intro", a shortened and rearranged version of "What About Us?" that starts with a robot voice. The title of the intro references producer Rodney Jerkins's nickname for Brandy. The first full song on the album is title track "Full Moon", producer Mike City's only contribution to Full Moon. A piano-dominated up-tempo song with a "lulling drumbeat and heavy bass," "I Thought", a Jerkins-crafted adamant break-up song about female empowerment, Jerkins described it as an "anthem [and] a flip off" of Brandy's previous single "The Boy Is Mine." Singer-producer Teddy Riley with whom Jerkins worked on Michael Jackson's Invincible (2001) during the creation of Full Moon appears on the talk box segment of the song. Jerkins produced a 2-step groove section for the middle of the song, following a gig in London months before where he was inspired by artists like Craig David and Artful Dodger. Brandy described it as "edgy, sexy" and a "little bit ahead of its time." "He Is", the next song, is a jazzy love song with "a classy piano and sparse drum track," produced by Warryn Campbell. Speaking about God in third person, Brandy was unaware the song was conceptualized as a gospel song by its writers. "Come a Little Closer" is a soft pop ballad that was originally written for NSYNC's Celebrity (2001) but eventually recorded by Canadian boy band I.D. Titled "Make It Last Forever," it appeared on their debut album Identically Different (2001). "Love Wouldn't Count Me Out" is a "sweeping" hymn that has the singer seeking understanding in the midst of romantic trial, == Title and artwork ==

in honor of its title track and in reference to the previous three years of her life. In contrast to Jerkins’ predominant influence on the album, Brandy chose to title it Full Moon after her collaboration with City on the track of the same name. She felt that while the song "stuck out" and had a "completely different vibe" musically from the rest of the album, "Full Moon" still represented the essence of the record. The album's narrative followed the development of a romantic relationship, chronicling her experiences with love, personal challenges, and ultimately finding the partner she truly wanted. Brandy explained that the title not only captured the musical high point of the track itself but also symbolized her own emotional and creative full circle over the preceding three years. Although the album's sound was often described as "futuristic," Brandy stated that this quality emerged incidentally and was not a deliberate guiding principle during the writing or recording process. The album's cover artwork was photographed by Marc Baptiste. It features Norwood up to just beyond the shoulders, sporting long, "lustrous" straight hair, in addition to "heavy" makeup credited to Rea Ann Silva. Additional photos for the album artwork were taken by Jonathan Mannion at the Los Angeles Ambassador Hotel, as well as frequent collaborator Matthew Rolston. ==Release and promotion==

Full Moon was originally scheduled for release in the North America on November 20, 2001, but was ultimately delayed until March 5, 2002. and on Top of the Pops the following day. The promotion continued in Germany with an interview which aired on VIVA Plus in March. Afterwards, the album's release party was held on March 4 in New York City and was attended by celebrities such as Jay-Z, Ananda Lewis, Al Sharpton, Zab Judah, Kid Capri and Bill Duke. Total Request Live and The Early Show on March 5, ''Late Night with Conan O'Brien on March 8, Live with Regis and Kelly on March 12, The Oprah Winfrey Show on March 18, and The Tonight Show with Jay Leno'' on March 28. On April 19, Norwood performed the album's title track on Dick Clark's ''American Bandstand's 50th Anniversary Celebration, which aired on American Broadcasting Company (ABC) on May 3. Furthermore, she appeared on the covers of Vibe and Honeys April 2002 issues. Promotion for Full Moon'' slowed considerably shortly before Brandy gave birth to her and Big Bert's daughter, Sy'Rai Smith. The end of her pregnancy and the birth were documented via the four-episode reality television series Brandy: Special Delivery, which aired on MTV from June 18, the series also chronicled events related to the promotion of Full Moon, including the release of its third single "He Is". Singles Full Moon spawned three singles. Lead single "What About Us?" was released on January 2, 2002. It debuted at number 42 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and eventually peaked at number seven, also reaching number three Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs. Internationally, the song reached the top ten in Australia, Denmark, New Zealand, Scotland, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom, topping the UK R&B Chart, and was certified gold by the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) for shipments of 35,000 copies. The song's highly animated, futuristic accompanying music video, directed by Dave Meyers, introduced a sexier image of Brandy, portraying her as a male-ruling character in an alternate universe, and was nominated in the Viewer's Choice category at the 2002 MTV Video Music Awards. The album’s title track, "Full Moon", followed as the second single on April 1, 2002. It debuted at number 68 on the Billboard Hot 100, it peaked at number 18 in its tenth week on the chart, also reaching at number 16 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs. Elsewhere, it entered the top 40 in France, Ireland, Italy, Scotland, and the Flemish region of Belgium, though it was notably less successful than "What About Us?". The music video for "Full Moon," directed by Chris Robinson, features a nearly six-months-pregnant Brandy at a nighttime house party, where she meets a man and later rides through Los Angeles under the rising full moon. "Full Moon" received a nomination for R&B/Soul or Rap Song of the Year at the 2003 Soul Train Lady of Soul Awards. With Brandy heavily pregnant during the album's promotional campaign, much of the promotion was put on hold before pre-planned singles "When You Touch Me" and "I Thought" could be released. Prior to her delivery, Atlantic commissioned remixes and additional vocals from Brandy, including an acoustic pop version produced with Guy Roche, which she ultimately chose not to use, questioning its potential as a crossover hit. While critics responded positively to the song, many agreed with her concerns and considered it a weak single choice. "He Is" failed to enter the Billboard Hot 100, peaking at number 78 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs. ==Critical reception==

Full Moon was initially met with generally mixed reviews. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, it received an average score of 60 based on ten reviews. In his review for Entertainment Weekly, journalist Craig Seymour gave Full Moon an A− rating, saying that "where [Rodney] Jerkins' herky-jerky stylings come off cold on Jacko's latest, they embolden 23-year-old Brandy as she learns the difference between teen heartbreak and grown-up betrayal, [suggesting] maturity and the high price that often comes with it." J. Victoria Sanders from PopMatters considered Full Moon "an achievement" and added: "As she proclaims her womanhood with throaty whispers and assertive wails, [...] this grown-up Brandy [...] has one thing in common with the cherubic girl she used to be: she still sings with relaxing humility and stylequalities the music world is in dire need of right about now." John Aizlewood from The Guardian found that "without Jerkins, Brandy stumbles more easily. At 73 minutes Full Moon is far too flabby, but there's nothing here to derail her." Similarly, People found that "the rest of Full Moon can't sustain the bizarre brilliance of 'What About Us?'. While much of the CD brandishes a similar edge, with electronic wizardry made for headphone listening, it showcases the producing team more than its singer. Brandy has one of the more distinctive voices around, so it's a shame that she so often gets lost in the beat-heavy mix." Rolling Stone dismissed the album as "frantic, faceless, fake-sexy R&B," while Piers Martin from NME declared it a "velvet-lined bucket of slush." Robert Christgau gave the album a "dud" rating. ==Accolades==

In the United States, Full Moon debuted at number two on the Billboard 200 and atop the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums in the issue dated March 23, 2002, marking Brandy's highest debuts on both charts. Selling 156,000 copies in its first week, the album fell short of the O Brother, Where Art Thou? soundtrack (2000) by less than 4,000 copies. Spending thirty weeks on the latter chart, the album shifted about 700,000 copies within the first three months of its US release. It also debuted and peaked at number eleven on the US Top Internet Albums. The album was certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) on April 5, 2002, and has sold 1.1million units in the country. Full Moon peaked at number eight on the Canadian Albums Chart. Upon its release, it was immediately certified gold by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI), indicating shipments of 100,000 copies. Full Moon also became Brandy's second album to top the UK R&B Albums Chart. As of 2021 the album has sold 148,000 units in the UK. In Japan, Full Moon debuted at number 15 on the Oricon Albums Chart, becoming her second top-twenty entry on the chart. It was eventually certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of Japan (RIAJ) for shipments of more than 100,000 units. Full Moon also became Brandy's first top-ten entry in Germany and Switzerland, reaching numbers eight and seven, respectively. ==Impact and legacy==

described the album as the "Bible" of contemporary R&B from the 2000s, calling it "the diagram on how to make vocals." Since its release, Full Moon has garnered retrospective recognition from musicians, vocalists and music producers, particularly within the R&B and urban contemporary gospel genres. Regarded as "the blueprint of modern R&B," with Billboard calling it "the one to cement her as an R&B trailblazer" as well as the "gold standard for modern R&B vocalists". Music analyst Khaaliq Crowder wrote in a retrospective review published in blog Leeky Crowder that with Full Moon "Brandy abandoned the old image to successfully present a fully developed new one. She no longer used boxer braids nor did it carry the image of the girl-next-door, the singer of "Have You Ever?" returned in 2002 with long, sleek straight hair and heavy makeup, adding warm, sultry mannerisms to her music on songs like "Like This" and "Come a Little Closer"." Musicians such as Ambré, Chris Brown, Jacob Latimore, Lil Mo, Mary Mary, PJ Morton, Keke Palmer, Kierra Sheard, Hope Tala, JoJo, Jazmine Sullivan, The vocal work on the album sparked the idea of Norwood gaining the subjective nickname "Vocal Bible". Norwood herself has ranked Full Moon among her favorites in her album discography numerous times. Songwriter Sean Garrett credits the vocal work on the album for his approach to writing, saying "I take a lot from what [Brandy] and Rodney did on the Full Moon album. I was extremely impressed with it and I always try to outdo that album." B.Slade spoke of the album, commenting Full Moon single-handedly changed the vocal game. "It has been the template for vocal choices and background vocal arrangements [for years]." R&B singer Melanie Fiona especially admired the singer's work on that album, dubbing Norwood the "Harmony Queen". Neo soul singer India.Arie often cites the album, particularly the song "He Is" as being the template for a wide array of singers. Canadian R&B singer Keshia Chanté credited the album for inspiring her writing for her album Night & Day, while American singer Luke James referred to Full Moon as the "bible" of 2000s contemporary R&B, calling it the "blueprint of how to do vocals". the song was also paid tribute to in gospel form by Sunday Best artist Y'anna Crawley. German pop singer Rüdiger Skoczowsky, who cites Brandy as one of his main vocal inspirations, included a cover of "Love Wouldn't Count Me Out" on some of his live shows. On February 12, 2025, British singer Jorja Smith and rapper AJ Tracey released the single "Crush", which heavily samples "Love Wouldn't Count Me Out". ==Track listing==

Notes • signifies a vocal producer • signifies an additional producer • Although only on North American editions of Full Moon, "Die Without You" is not signified as a bonus track. == Personnel ==

Credits adapted from the liner notes of Full Moon. • J.D. Andrew – assistant engineer • Lori Andrews – strings • Marc Baptiste – photography • Jim Bottari – engineer • Stuart Brawley – engineer • Thomas Bricker – design, art director • David Campbell – string arrangements, conducting • Tom Coyne – mastering • Reginald Dozier – engineer • Jan Fairchild – engineer • Andrew Feigenbaum – A&R • Aaron Fishbein – guitar • Jon Gass – mixing • Brad Gilderman – mixing • Larry Gold – cello • Edward Green – strings • Kenneth B. Hertz – assistant engineer • Gerald Heyward – drums • Michael Huff – assistant engineer • Michael Jackson – vocal assistance • Rodney Jerkins – executive producer • Jubu – guitar • Craig Kallman – executive producer, A&R • Suzie Katayama – conductor • Lila Kazakova – strings • Kimbo – violin • Thor Laewe – engineer • Marc Stephen Lee – assistant engineer • Manny Marroquin – mixing • Eugene Mechtovich – strings • Patrick Morgan – strings • Michele Nardone – strings • Brandy Norwood – executive producer, vocal producer, A&R • Dave Pensado – mixing • Isaac Phillips – guitar • Ray-J – vocal assistance • Michael "Wolf" Reaves – engineer • Steve Robillard – assistant engineer • Robin Ross – strings • Ron Shapiro – executive producer • Dexter Simmons – mixing • Marston Smith – strings • Thomas Tally – strings • Joe Lewis Thomas – vocal assistance • Javier Valverde – assistant engineer • Charles Veal, Jr. – strings • Zheng Wang – strings • Joe "Flip" Wilson – piano • Tibor Zelig – strings • Yihuaw Zhao – strings ==Charts==

Weekly charts Year-end charts ==Certifications==