In reply to good4bran.

^Great observation! Unfortunately unless people witnessed her early career for themselves they are simply not going to be aware of this fact..., I always said that Britney Spears was white America's answer to Brandy at that time (not talent/music-wise might I add before I'm crucified lol) but in the sense that Brandy's good-girl image was key to her success. From the jump she was marketed as a squeaky clean, virginal, God-fearing Pop/RnB teen sensation. Her talent was almost a bonus because it wasn't the focal point of her brand in the beginning, her mass-appeal marketability was..., anyone with an ear knew she could SAAAAAANG but due to the image that was constructed for her she certainly had growing pains transitioning into Brandy 'the Woman'..., Full Moon (due to pregnancy) and Afrodesiac (due to under promotion) were the first projects that didn't have a multi-format promotional campaign, which really hurt her sales (despite the actual music being innovative and stellar). Taylor Swift and Justin Bieber have this to look forward to, luckily for Brandy she actually had the talent to carry her forward but hers is a cautionary tale that mass appeal marketing while profitable in the short-term makes transitioning into an adult in the public's eyes a total uphill struggle.