Human is the fifth studio album by American singer Brandy. It was released by Epic Records, Knockout Entertainment and Koch Records on December 9, 2008. The album marked her debut Epic Records release, following her split with Atlantic Records in 2005, and her reunion with longtime collaborator and mentor Rodney "Darkchild" Jerkins, who executively produced and wrote most of the album with his songwriting collective.
Despite being generally well-received by critics, Human debuted at number 15 on the US Billboard 200 with opening week sales of 73,000 copies, becoming Brandy's lowest-charting album since her eponymous debut (1994). As of 2012, Human has sold 214,000 copies in the United States, failing to match the commercial success of predecessors. While leading single "Right Here (Departed)" scored Brandy her biggest chart success since "Full Moon" (2002), the second and final "Long Distance" was not as commercially successful.
Human would become the only album Brandy recorded with Epic Records, after departing both the label and Roc Nation in 2009. Initially, the singer would reflect on disliking the album, describing it as too pop and blaming its lackluster performance on a lack of vision from all involved parties. Over a decade after its release, in 2022, Brandy reflected the album helped her daughter Sy'Rai through personal struggles, and would go on to express fondness for the Human album.
Background In June 2004, Brandy released her fourth studio album Afrodisiac, amidst the well-publicized termination of her short-lived business relationship with record executive and entertainment manager Benny Medina. Brandy ended her contract with his Los Angeles-based Handprint Entertainment after less than a year of representation following controversies surrounding Medina's handling of the lead single "Talk About Our Love", and failed negotiations of a purported co-headlining tour with fellow R&B singer Usher. Despite the negative publicity, Afrodisiac emerged as Brandy's most critically acclaimed album by then, but became a moderate seller on most music markets. The album debuted at number three on the Billboard 200 albums chart but while it went on to sell more than 416,000 copies in the United States, it generally failed to chart or sell noticeably elsewhere. Kanye West-produced "Talk About Our Love" reached number six on the UK Singles Chart but later singles such as "Afrodisiac" and "Who Is She 2 U" failed to score successfully on the popular music charts and promotion for the album soon ended.
At the end of 2004, after eleven years with the company, Brandy asked for and received an unconditional release from her original label Atlantic Records. By the time her contract expired, several of her longtime patrons such as music producer Darryl Williams and industry executive Sylvia Rhone had left the company and Brandy felt mismanaged by her new team of which she found was "looking more towards the hip-hop artists" on the label and "didn't know what to do with [her]." Completing her contract with Atlantic Records, a compilation album compiling her first four studio albums with the company, entitled The Best of Brandy, was released in March 2005. Thereupon, Brandy reportedly started shopping for a new record deal under Knockout Entertainment, her brother's Ray J's vanity label, which would co-venture her subsequent releases, including her fifth album, which she started recording independently.
Recording and production Brandy originally began recording her fifth studio album in 2005. Departing from her established creative approach which saw her setting up projects with former main producers such as Keith Crouch, Rodney "Darkchild" Jerkins and Timbaland, she sought a broader range of musical influences by working with a variety of songwriters and producers, including Louis Winding and Frederik Tao from Danish production team Maximum Risk. The duo produced several songs for Brandy, including both "Honey" and "Sweet Nothings," all of which were penned by frequent collaborator Kenisha Pratt. In the ensuing months, Brandy continued recording independently, without contractual constraints, collaborating with an extensive roster of producers, including Rockwilder and production duo Tim & Bob, with whom she completed multiple demo recordings. Concurrently, her new management facilitated additional sessions at Track Record Studios in North Hollywood with producer Bryan Michael Cox and his associates Adonis Shropshire, Eric Hudson and Kendrick "WyldCard" Dean. The collective was initially intended to oversee the album's production in its entirety. Together, they developed a number of ballads and mid-tempo compositions in a style consistent with their previous work, including a track titled "Make Me Cry." In June 2006, Cox publicly confirmed his role as the project's executive producer. However, subsequent shifts in the album's creative direction, prompted by further recording sessions, ultimately led to the exclusion of his contributions.
In December 2006, Brandy was involved in a fatal automobile accident on the San Diego (405) Freeway in Los Angeles. The collision resulted in the death of a 38-year-old driver whose vehicle was struck by Brandy's Range Rover. While authorities did not arrest or charge Brandy with vehicular manslaughter, citing insufficient evidence, the incident generated substantial media coverage and intense online scrutiny in the aftermath. Several civil lawsuits were filed against her; these were ultimately resolved through out-of-court settlements by her legal representatives. The incident also constituted a significant personal and professional setback. Brandy withdrew from public engagements, including her role as a judge on the second season of the television talent competition America's Got Talent, and entered a period of hiatus. Reflecting on the emotional impact of the tragedy, she emphasized the enduring nature of her grief and the burden of responsibility she continued to carry. Although the accident temporarily halted production on her album, during which she questioned whether to continue her public career, Brandy eventually resumed recording. She later described her return to the studio as a crucial step in her recovery, noting that reconnecting with music provided a sense of stability and emotional release during a profoundly difficult period, telling Billboard: "Once I got back in the studio, the butterflies went away."
In April 2008, Brandy signed with Epic Records. With much of the previously recorded material remaining unused, she resumed work with a new principal collaborator, producer Brian Kennedy. Working alongside songwriters Frank Ocean and James Fauntleroy, the team developed a series of new recordings, including "Freedom", "One Thing" and "Today" which Brandy later described as more closely aligned with the artistic direction she had originally envisioned for the project. Despite these efforts, Epic executives, dissatisfied with the material's commercial potential, strongly encouraged her to reunite with Jerkins in hopes of producing a crossover hit. Jerkins, a key collaborator on previous albums, had not worked with Brandy in years following a professional rift, arising from her concerns that he had repurposed their signature sound for other artists. Upon rejoining the project and assuming executive production duties, he ushered in a significant shift in the album's musical direction. Much of the previously recorded R&B material was set aside in favor of a more internationally oriented pop sound, and although Brandy expressed enthusiasm about their reunion, the lingering tensions in their working relationship contributed to a challenging restart. Feeling uncertain about the new direction, she perceived it at times as overly calculated or inauthentic. However, subsequent recording sessions, particularly those that produced the song "Right Here (Departed)," helped to alleviate her concerns and reaffirm her confidence in the evolving project.
While Jerkins and his team would contribute the majority of Human, Brandy insisted on collaborating with additional producers, including production duo Midi Mafia, Soundz, RedOne, Toby Gad, and Blac Elvis, a decision that later led to further tensions between the two. Additionally, she worked with Rico Love, Rob Knox,"Introduction". Official Rob Knox MySpace. Retrieved on October 10, 2008. The Clutch, Chasity Nwagbara, Kara DioGuardi, and Greg Curtis on Human, though their contributions were ultimately excluded from the final tracklist. Late in the production process, Brandy briefly reunited with Timbaland, but the material from these sessions was likewise not included on the album. Further studio collaborations with Kerry "Krucial" Brothers, Missy Elliott, Yung Berg, and Tonex, by contrast, failed to materialize due to scheduling conflicts.
Music and lyrics Introduced by the words of Brandy's description of a human being on "Human Intro", the album opens with Jerkins-crafted "The Definition", one of the few uptempo recordings on the album. Written by Atlanta-based songwriter Crystal Johnson, the song depicts Brandy rhapsodizing about love. It received generally mixed reviews, with The Boston Globe emphasizing it the most essential track on Human. "Warm It Up (With Love)", another Darkchild production, was created around a piano sample and released to strong positive reactions. Highlighted by AllMusic and Slant Magazine, Newsday writer Glenn Gamboa noted it as "guiding principle" on the album. Lead single "Right Here (Departed)" was not recorded until late into the production of Human and the first song Brandy recorded with Jerkins following their musical reunification in early June 2008. Written by The Writing Camp and recorded with therapeutical background, the track chronicles a woman's talks about mutual support with loved ones. Fifth track "Piano Man" was recorded as an ode to the kind of creative relationship cultivated by a vocalist and their producer or DJ.
"Long Distance", a ballad about the difficulties of a long-distance relationship, was released to positive reactions by critics, with The New York Times calling it an "hymnlike single that distantly echoes Janet Jackson's "Again." Eighth track "Camouflage", one out of two songs on the album that were written by songwriter Claude Kelly, garnered strong reviews in general, with Newsday declaring it a "worthy cousin to Beyoncé's "Irreplaceable" that [is] more about esteem-raising and self-improvement than a search for a sassy put-down." "Torn Down", a joint production by Midi Mafia and Dapo Torimiro, was one of the few prominent Human features on the set list of Brandy's Human World Tour (2009). Incorporating elements of country music, critics noted it a "resolute, crisp mix of static synths, acoustic guitar, and hand claps." Brandy wrote the album's title track with help from producer Toby Gad and Canadian singer Esthero. A "silky R&B anthem" as described by Newsday, the ballad deals with forgiveness. "Shattered Heart" is a downbeat track, that incorporates elements of Middle Eastern music and changes its tempo after three minutes. It has been described as the only "Timbo-esque" record on Human.