Brokenhearted (Brandy)

"Brokenhearted" is a song by American recording artist Brandy Norwood. It was written and produced by Kipper Jones and Keith Crouch for her self-titled debut studio album, Brandy (1994). Requested by then Atlantic Records head Sylvia Rhone, the song was developed late into the production of the album. Pressured to meet Rhone's deadline for Brandy, Kipper suffered from a case of writer's block during the early writing process but eventually came up with the idea for a sweet, morose R&B ballad that deals with the aches of a teenager's first heartbreak. A re-recorded duet version of the song featuring additional vocals from Boyz II Men singer Wanya Morris and produced by Danish production duo Soulshock and Karlin, was released as the album's fourth and final single in August 1995. Music critics were divided on whether the remix improved on the album version. On the charts, "Brokenhearted" peaked inside the top 10 in New Zealand and on the US Billboard Hot 100, becoming Norwood's third domestic top ten hit. It has since been certified Gold in United States by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). A music video depicting Norwood daydreaming about doing a duet with Morris inside a big mansion was directed by Hype Williams and filmed inside the Oheka Castle on the North Shore of Long Island in July 1995. At the 1996 MTV Video Music Awards, "Brokenhearted" received a nomination in the Best Cinematography in a Video category. Norwood and Morris performed their version on numerous occasions, including the 1996 Billboard Music Awards, The Oprah Winfrey Show and on several other televised appearances.