When Toni Braxton’s lover, Tyson, died in a studly motorcycle accident, she belted out “Un–break My Heart.” I rediscovered the hit when I sat in on a friend’s 90s–themed college radio show. The episode was called "Divas," and somewhere after Whitney Houston, Toni got her play. Somehow, I knew every word to her breathtaking song.
Everywhere I went the tune blasted in my mind. I couldn’t go anywhere without the song playing; Toni was everywhere. My only solace was the music video, which is a success story of the plotted video: lover dies, Toni reflects on memories, orchestra epically plays on. It makes the song hard to take seriously: underwater hugs in their mansion’s swimming pool, playing Twister alone, Tyson combing Toni’s hair, Toni shaving Tyson…
Every now and then there is a flash of Tyson doing taekwondo in their backyard, though a fair amount of the video is devoted to steamy shower scenes. Though months have passed since my initial Tonipiphany, the melody still permeates my subconscious. ?
