Chiefly produced by Keith Crouch, the album contains a range of contemporary genres, including hip-hop, pop-soul, and R&B.

Upon release, Brandy received generally positive reviews from music critics, who complimented Norwood's appearance, as well as the album's timeless appeal.

While the album initially sold slowly, it reached number 20 on the US Billboard 200 and was certified quadruple platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), selling over two million copies in the United States.

In 1990, Norwood's talent led to a binding oral contract with Teaspoon Productions, headed by Chris Stokes and Earl Harris, who obtained her gigs as a backing vocalist for their R&B boy band Immature.

[12] Norwood appreciated the cancellation of the show as she was unenthusiastic about acting at the time; also taping caused scheduling conflicts with the recording of her album.

[16] With Brandy consisting mostly of street-oriented R&B songs with influences from hip hop,[2] the lyrics highlighted her youthful and innocent image.

[21] It was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) on November 4,[22] selling over 600,000 copies in the United States by the end of 1994.

[23] The song's accompanying music video, directed by Keith Ward, portrays Norwood in her tomboyish image, dancing in front of a Jeep near a forest, surrounded by backup dancers.

[24] The Rhythm Nation Hip-Hop Remix of the song, featuring MC Lyte, Queen Latifah and Yo-Yo, was included on the B-Side single for "Baby".

[28] Its accompanying music video, directed by Hype Williams, features Norwood and her company dancing in skiing outfits in Times Square.

[24] The re-recorded duet version of "Brokenhearted", with Wanya Morris from Boyz II Men, was released as the fourth and final single on August 22, 1995, to mixed critical reception.

[33] In his review for AllMusic, Eddie Huffman wrote that "this teenage R&B singer hit the Top Ten late in 1994 with "I Wanna Be Down", a representative track from her solid debut album.

Brandy knows her way around a hip-hop beat, layering tender-tough vocals over spare arrangements like a lower-key Janet Jackson or a more stripped-down Mary J. Blige.

[39] The magazine found that "Brandy's debut is slow, deliberate, and naive — not for lack of accomplishment, but because the best moments here sound as wide-eyed and new as a first date.

"[39] People compared the effort with Aaliyah's debut album Age Ain't Nothing but a Number, which was released four months prior, writing: "While everything about Aaliyah screams here-and-now, Brandy's well-groomed blend of gently lilting hip hop and pop-soul has a more timeless appeal.

With the poise and sassy confidence of a diva twice her age, Brandy mixes her love songs with tributes to her little brother ("Best Friend"), God ("Give Me You"), the perfect man ("Baby") and older crooners like Aretha and Whitney ("I Dedicate").

"[36] In his Consumer Guide, Robert Christgau gave the album a "neither" score,[35] and said it "may impress once or twice with consistent craft or an arresting track or two.

[3][53] To date the album is certified quadruple platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for four million shipped units.

[59] In the United Kingdom, Brandy never got higher than number 119 on the UK Albums Chart, but sold more than 60,000 copies, resulting in a silver certification from the British Phonographic Industry (BPI).

The album led her to successful endeavors before the release of her second album Never Say Never (1998), including a joint tour with vocal group Boyz II Men, songs landing on successful soundtracks for films such as Waiting to Exhale (1995) and Set It Off (1996), her first starring TV role in the sitcom Moesha, and starring as the first African-American Cinderella in Cinderella (1997).

"[63] Fellow neo soul artist Jill Scott particularly praised the songs "Sunny Day" and "Always on My Mind", saying "I listen to her shit all the time".

[65] Canadian recording artist Drake sampled all three parts of "I Dedicate" on his fourth studio album Views (2016) for the song "Fire & Desire".