Though still in her teens, singer Brandy was among the biggest and brightest new stars to emerge during the 1990s -- a multimedia sensation, she was a success not only on the pop and R&B charts, but also on television. Born in McComb, Missouri in 1979, Brandy Norwood was raised in California, first attracting attention singing with area youth groups. From there she moved on to a series of television award shows and specials, and later co-starred in the short-lived ABC sitcom Thea. Brandy's self-titled debut LP appeared in 1994, launching a series of hits, among them "I Wanna Be Down, " "Baby" and "Brokenhearted"; by now a major star, she returned a year later with the blockbuster "Sittin' Up in My Room, " a cut from the soundtrack to the film Waiting to Exhale. "Missing You, " from the soundtrack to 1996's Set It Off, was also a hit, but instead of immediately releasing a follow-up LP, Brandy returned to acting, starring in the acclaimed UPN sitcom Moesha and also appearing in the title role of the 1997 Disney telefilm Cinderella, one of the biggest success stories of the television season. Her long-awaited sophomore album, Never Say Never , was finally issued in mid-1998.