By Jawn Murray, BlackVoices.com
Singer Brandy Norwood is back in the driver's seat and is hoping her new record deal will have her speeding to the top of the charts.
The one-time chart-topper, who was dropped by her former label Atlantic Records in 2004 after dismal sales for her fourth CD, 'Afrodisiac,' has been without a record deal for nearly four years.
BV Buzz has learned exclusively that the former 'Moesha' star is now signed to Epic Records, with plans to rollout a new CD before the year's end.
The 29-year-old singer's career has stalled tremendously since the release of her 2002 CD, 'Full Moon.'
The album was overshadowed by Brandy's abrupt "marriage" to music producer Robert Smith and the announcement of her pregnancy.
The couple appeared on a MTV reality show called 'Special Delivery' that showed her preparing for and then giving birth to their daughter, Sy'rai Iman Smith. She even made an appearance on 'Oprah' to talk about her "marriage."
After the two split a short time later, Smith admitted during a radio interview with Wendy Williams that he and Brandy never actually wed and confessed the whole story was fabricated to protect her image.
The McComb, Mississippi-native went on a media tour attempting to explain her previous lie by declaring that her marriage was a "spiritual union" and that she and Smith had a "true commitment to each other." The spin control didn't work!
A few weeks after the "marriage" racket was revealed, Brandy's then boyfriend, NBA star Quentin Richardson proposed to her and gave her an alleged "diamond ring totaling 11 1/2 carats valued at $1 million."
Brandy had the hoop star's face tattooed on her arm. When the couple split in 2005 amid rumors that singer/actress had began studying Scientology, she had the tattoo turned into a cat.
In June of 2006 it was announced that Brandy would become of judge on the Simon Cowell-produced variety competition, 'America's Got Talent.' The show was a hit for NBC.
TMZ broke news in January 2007 that Brandy was involved in a fatal car crash in December 2006 that killed a 38-year-old woman named Awatef Aboudihaj.
Shortly thereafter, Brandy's involvement with 'America's Got Talent' came to a crashing halt as well, with the show canning the singer and replacing her with Sharon Osborne.
In November of 2007, the one-time CoverGirl spokesmodel was embarrassingly caught lip-syncing during a performance of her song 'Who Is He To You' at Glynn Jackson's 'Sensationnel Hair Idol' competition in
A month later, the Los Angles City Attorney's Office decided not to file criminal charges against the singer for the fatal car crash.
While Brandy's career faltered and personal life read like a daytime soap opera, her younger brother Ray J's career began to flourish.
Once ostracized and written off as just, 'Brandy's little brother,' Ray J's popularity usurped his sister's when he sold a personal sex tape with his former girlfriend, socialite Kim Kardashian to Vivid Entertainment.
The scandalous pornography ironically earned the former child preacher legitimacy among industry types and consumers alike, causing people to now refer to Brandy as: "Ray J's older sister."
Apparently, Brandy is hoping that will all change with her forthcoming CD on Epic Records.
A call to Epic Records to comment on signing Brandy had not been returned at press time.
VIDEO: See Brandy perform 'Almost Doesn't Count' in
1. I am glad to see this classy lady back. If you read the details of the accident she really did nothing wrong.
Marcus Jones at 1:47PM on Apr 9th 2008