In the world of modern collaborative R&B songwriting, five female artists stand head and shoulders above their peers:

Beyoncé (HERE), Rihanna (HERE), Ciara (HERE), Brandy, and Alicia Keys (coming soon). Three of them already have their own songwriting lists, but Brandy is a special one. Unlike the others, any song she doesn't release has an equal chance ending up on the album of another artist, finding a second life as a demo floating in the world of YouTube blog leaks, or unreleased to the world forever ("Black Pepper", anyone?).

 

Songs Meant For / Given to / Cut By Brandy

 

Brandy (1990-1994)

 

 

Never Say Never & Soundtracks (1995-1998)

• • Candy - (Denise Rich, Dave Katz, Jive Jones) ---> Mandy Moore (So Real )

• • Fooled By The Moon - (Diane Warren, David Foster) ---> Brandy f. Boyz II Men ---> Elsie Muniz f. Mya & Terry Dexter (from shelved 1999 debut album)

• • I Really Like It - (Pierre Jones, Stason Betha, Mason Betha) ---> Harlem World f. Ma$e & Brandy ---> Harlem World f. Ma$e & Kelly Price (1999 debut album The Movement ) (NEW)

• • No, No, No - (Vincent Herbert, Rob Fusari, Mary Brown, Calvin Gaines, Barry White) ---> Destiny's Child (eponymous debut album) (NEW)

• • Rain - (Brian Alexander Morgan, Jaco Pastorius) ---> SWV (Release Some Tension ) (NEW)

• ---> Beyonce ("So Into You") ---> Tamia (debut album Tamia )

• ---> Marc Nelson ("Truthfully")

 

Full Moon & Soundtracks (1999-2002)

• • Always - (Toni Braxton, Robert "Big Bert" Smith, Kenisha Pratt, Brandy, Tamar Braxton, Blake English) ---> Toni Braxton (More Than A Woman )

• • Always On Time (Hook) - (Irv Gotti, 7 Aurelius, Ja Rule) -> Ja Rule f. Ashanti (Pain Is Love) (NEW)

• • Love/Hate - (Robert "Big Bert" Smith, Brandy, Blake English) ---> Kelly Rowland (Simply Deep )

• • Selfish - (Toni Braxton, Robert "Big Bert" Smith, Kenisha Pratt, Brandy, Tamar Braxton, Blake English) ---> Toni Braxton (More Than A Woman )

• ---> NSYNC ("Come a Little Closer" - originally for 2001 album Celebrity ) ---> Canadian Boyband I.D. ("Make It Last Forever" from debut album Identically Different )

 

Shelved Fourth Album Escape / Afrodisiac (2003-2004)

• • Better Than The Day - (Robert "Big Bert" Smith, Nora Payne, Blake English) ---> Kiley Dean (shelved album Simple Girl )

• • Can't Control Myself - (Paul Jones, Tyrice Jones, E. Burks) ---> Paris Bennett (debut album Princess P ) (NEW)

• • Confused - (Robert "Big Bert" Smith, Nora Payne, Blake English) ---> Kiley Dean (shelved album Simple Girl )

• • Doesn't Really Matter - (Robert "Big Bert" Smith, Brandy, Blake English) ---> Dream (shelved album Reality ) (NEW)

• • Escape - (Brandy, Robert "Big Bert" Smith, Blake English) ---> Kiley Dean (shelved second album Changes )

• • Hush - (Candice Nelson, Walter Millsap, Timbaland) ---> D.O.E (shelved D.O.E. album) (NEW)

• • Never Too Far - (Brandy, Robert "Big Bert" Smith, Blake English) ---> Olivia (shelved second album Behind Closed Doors ) (NEW)

• • Ryde or Die - (Brandy, Robert "Big Bert" Smith, Blake English) ---> Jennifer Lopez (Rebirth )

• • Should I - (Brandy, Robert "Big Bert" Smith, Isaac Philips, Blake English) ---> Kiley Dean (shelved album Simple Girl )

• • Take Me Away - (Robert "Big Bert" Smith, Brandy Nora Payne, Blake English) ---> Tarralyn Ramsey (shelved album Tarralyn )

• • This Must Be Love - (Vincent Davis, Caleb Simms, Blake English) ---> Kiley Dean (shelved album Simple Girl ) (NEW)

• • 2nd Thought - (Brandy, LaShawn Daniels, Rodney Jerkins) ---> Shelved (NEW)

•  ---> Static Major ("La La Land") ---> Scrapped (NEW)

Shelved Fifth Album Sweet Nothings / Human (2005-2008)

• • Not Going To Make Me Cry - (Adonis Shropshire, Wyldcard, Bryan-Michael Cox) ---> Ride For You (Danity Kane's eponymous debut album) (NEW)

• • Quickly - (Frank Ocean, Midi Mafia, Dapo Toromiro) ---> John Legend f. Brandy (2008 album Evolver ) (NEW)

• ---> James Fauntleroy ("Drum Life") ---> Scrapped (NEW)

• ---> Michael Jackson ("True")

 

Shelved Sixth Album / Scrapped Bran'Nu Album / Two Eleven (2009-2012)

• • Between Me & You - (Ne-Yo, StarGate) ---> Blue (did not make compilations or 2013 comeback album Roulette ) (NEW)

• • Decisions - (Ne-Yo, StarGate) ---> RichGirl (Fall In Love With RichGirl )

• • Fear of Flying - (StarGate, Amanda Ghost, Ian Dench) ---> Alexandra Burke (did not make debut album Overcome )

• • Good Night, Good Morning - (Ne-Yo, StarGate) ---> Alexandra Burke (Overcome )

• • Home - (Brandy, Timbaland, J-Roc, James Fauntleroy) ---> Timbaland feat. Brandy (did not make Shock Value II) (NEW)

• • Louboutins - (The-Dream, Tricky Stewart) ---> Jennifer Lopez ( Love? )

• • Perfect Love - (Brandy, Toby Gad, Amanda Ghost, Ian Dench) ---> ??? (NEW)

• • Romeo & Juliet - (Amanda Ghost, Ian Dench) ---> ??? (NEW)

• • Stupid In Love - (Ne-Yo, StarGate) ---> Rihanna (Rated R ) 

• ---> Alicia Keys ("Without You" - originally for Element of Freedom - sat on Harmony Samuels' hard drive for 3 years )

• ---> Beyonce ("Paint This House" - Made in the same Rico Love session as "Sweet Dreams")

• ---> Beyonce ("Slow Love" - rejected from I Am... Sasha Fierce )

• ---> Chris Brown ("Slower')

• ---> Cri$tyle ("Phobia") ---> Shelved (NEW)

• ---> Diddy-Dirty Money ("Can You Hear Me Now?" - did not make Last Train To Paris )

• ---> Frank Ocean ("Scared Of Beautiful") ---> rejected from 'recent' Rihanna and Beyonce projects)

• ---> Megan Rochell ("Betcha Didn't Know") ---> shelved '09 Epic Records album helmed by StarGate, Amanda Ghost, and The-Dream / Tricky Stewart) (NEW)

 

Seventh Album Sessions / B7 (2013-2020)

 

??? 

• • Angel - (LaShawn Daniels, D'Mile, Darkchild, Cri$tyle, Rico Love) ---> Natasha Bedingfield (Human) (NEW)

• • Before It Explodes - (Bruno Mars, Ari Levine, Phillip Lawrence) ---> Alexandra Burke (demo?) ---> Jake Zyrus pka Charice (Human) (NEW)

• • Fall Back - (Mike City) ---> 3LW (Full Moon / Shelved Fourth Album) (NEW)

• • Fearless - (Cri$tyle, Darkchild) ---> Demo ??? (NEW)

• • Get It Back - ( Whitney Houston, Darkchild, Fred Jerkins III, LaShawn Daniels, Toni Estes) ---> Whitney Houston (Never Say Never) (NEW)

• • Give It Up, Let It Go - (Mike City) ---> Mary Mary (Full Moon) (NEW)

• • Gotta Move On - (Keith Crouch, John Jubu Smith, Tamia) ---> Tamia (Never Say Never) (NEW)

• • Hello - (Beyoncé, David Quiñones, Evan Bogart, Ramon Owen) ---> Beyoncé (Human) (NEW)

• • He'll Be Back - (Candice Nelson, Walter Millsap, Timbaland) ---> Jennifer Lopez (Shelved Fourth Album) (NEW)

• • He Said - (Rodney Jerkins, Norman Gregg, LaShawn Daniels, Nora Payne) ---> Mary Mary (Full Moon) (NEW)

• • I Got You - (Akon, Claude Kelly, Giorgio Tuinfort, Whitney Houston) ---> Whitney Houston (Shelved Sixth Album) (NEW)

• • I Remember - (The Runners, Kevin Cossom, Ben Billions) ---> Kelly Rowland (Two Eleven) (NEW)

• • If You Only Knew - (Mary Brown, Rob Fusari, Tatyana Ali, Vincent Herbert) ---> Tatyana Ali (Never Say Never) (NEW)

• • Lay It On Me - (Hit-Boy, Ester Dean, Big Sean) ---> Kelly Rowland (Two Eleven) (NEW)

• • Love You Hate You - (John Conte, Michaela Shiloh, Darkchild, Raelene Arreguin) ---> Keke Palmer (Shelved Sixth Album) (NEW)

• • No Place Like Home - (Mike City) ---> Blu Cantrell (Shelved Fourth Album) (NEW)

• • Nuclear - (Pharrell Williams, James Fauntleroy, Lonny Bereal) ---> Destiny's Child (Human) (NEW)

• • One Shot - (Adonis Shropshire, Wyldcard, Bryan-Michael Cox) ---> Danity Kane (Sweet Nothings) (NEW)

• • Overload - (Rich King, Frank Ocean, Midi Mafia, Dapo Torimiro) ---> Fantasia (Human) (NEW)

• • Red Wine - (Kevin Cossom, Matthew Samuels, Matthew Burnett) ---> Kelly Rowland (Two Eleven) (NEW)

• • Stand Still - (Erica Campbell, Tina Campbell, Danny Nixon) ---> Mary Mary (Shelved Fourth Album) (NEW)

• • The Happy Song - (Mike City) ---> JoJo (Shelved Fourth Album) (NEW)

• • They Don't Know - (Brian Kennedy, James Fauntleroy II) ---> Alexandra Burke (Human) (NEW)

• • Ugly - (Audra Mae, Nicolle Galyon) ---> Fantasia (Seventh Album Sessions) (NEW)

• • We Might Even Be Falling In Love (Victoria Monet, D'Mile) ---> Victoria Monet (B7) (NEW)

• • What I Need - (LaShawn Daniels, Fred Jerkins III, Rodney Jerkins) ---> Ray J (Afrodisiac) (NEW)

 

Edited August 5Aug 5 by AccioEmpireBuilder

This could have been an email.

Who is Brandi

No, no, no part 1 by destiny's child was going to be given to Brandy for never say never. Also Rain by swv was intended for Brandy's nsn era as well.

i'va alway loved Confused by Kiley Dean!! the vibe is immaculate 

 

now that you say it was meant for Brandy, i can totally hear her singing it

i'va alway loved Confused by Kiley Dean!! the vibe is immaculate 

 

now that you say it was meant for Brandy, i can totally hear her singing it

The list so long it took 10 threads to make it

7 hours ago, AshleyLovescats887 said:

This could have been an email.

Welcome! You must be new here: my songwriting threads always start like this. Don't worry: I have more songs coming.   I initially go off of memory, and then I really start researching.

 

1 hour ago, LVP said:

The list so long it took 10 threads to make it

For some reason ATRL shut down 10 times while I was posting this thread... so we got 10 versions of the OP. Glad everything is seemingly back to normal.

Edited October 2, 2025Oct 2 by trainsskyscrapers

her version of stupid in love >>>>>>>>

This was recorded by Brandy first in '03 for the Afrodisiac sessions and later recorded by Paris Bennett. 

This song is more a reversed situation. It was recorded by Megan Rochell in '05/06 for her debut album "You, Me & The Radio" but the album was shelved. Brandy would later recorded for her initial recording sessions of her sixth studio album under Epic Records in 2009.

 

This song was recorded during the initial sessions for Afrodisiac with Big Bert in late 2002/early 2003 prior to their split. I remember reading that Atlantic Records rejected their album together due to the songs sounding all the same. Well, this song "Doesn't Really Matter" later surfaced on one of the few unauthorized compilation albums consisting of unreleased tracks recorded by Pop/R&B group Dream in 2008. It seems like it was probably pitched to the girls during the recording sessions of their sophomore "Reality" (2003) which was shelved at the last minute.

 

I feel like Brandy would've ate Candy up (and her singing would've been less creepy than 14/15-years-old Mandy Moore). 

Edited October 2, 2025Oct 2 by Gossip_Boy

Another Afrodisiac outtake called "Hush", the demo is mislabeled as Keri Hilson but its Candice Nelson singing on there. Brandy talked about Hush in a 2013 interview and mentioned she used to have a copy of it but was eventually lost

 

8 hours ago, LibraSnake01 said:

This was recorded by Brandy first in '03 for the Afrodisiac sessions and later recorded by Paris Bennett. 

This song is more a reversed situation. It was recorded by Megan Rochell in '05/06 for her debut album "You, Me & The Radio" but the album was shelved. Brandy would later recorded for her initial recording sessions of her sixth studio album under Epic Records in 2009.

 

 

8 hours ago, LibraSnake01 said:

This song was recorded during the initial sessions for Afrodisiac with Big Bert in late 2002/early 2003 prior to their split. I remember reading that Atlantic Records rejected their album together due to the songs sounding all the same. Well, this song "Doesn't Really Matter" later surfaced on one of the few unauthorized compilation albums consisting of unreleased tracks recorded by Pop/R&B group Dream in 2008. It seems like it was probably pitched to the girls during the recording sessions of their sophomore "Reality" (2003) which was shelved at the last minute.

 

 

7 hours ago, LibraSnake01 said:

Another Afrodisiac outtake called "Hush", the demo is mislabeled as Keri Hilson but its Candice Nelson singing on there. Brandy talked about Hush in a 2013 interview and mentioned she used to have a copy of it but was eventually lost

 

Thank you for your intel as usual! Added (along with a few other songs). 

 

I'll flesh out the 'hunch' category further moving forward.

Sup, peeps?

Made a lot of changes, and I'll continue to do so now that the TSwift album has dropped and ATRL servers are back to normal.

 

Found this unreleased record snippet from the Never Say Never sessions (titled "Never Go Away" - written by Kelly Price and Stevie J)... and I'm very surprised (1) it was scrapped from the project, and (2) Kelly Price didn't put it on her own debut album when she found out it didn't make the cut for Brandy's.

 

 

It wouldn't surprise me if this song was pitched to Brandy during the Afrodisiac sessions, I can totally hear her on this

 

12 minutes ago, LibraSnake01 said:

It wouldn't surprise me if this song was pitched to Brandy during the Afrodisiac sessions, I can totally hear her on this

 

Definitely. And it was made by the same team* as the rest of her scrapped fourth album? Adding to the "???" Section.

 

(*Candice Nelson, Timbaland, Walter Millsap, Blake English, Big Bert, Nora Payne, Isaac Phillips)

Candy, No No No, Rain oh wow would love to hear any of these from Brandy. I used to wear all versions and mashups of Slow Love out on Youtube when they first leaked 

Between Me & You which was recorded during the early sixth album sessions at Epic Records was later given to UK boy band Blue

 

Almost forgot about this but Brandy was the original featured artist on Harlem World's "I Really Like It" with Mase back in '98 but was replaced by Kelly Price on the final released version. I wonder if this may be due to either label interference from Atlantic not clearing her vocals for the final release or the breakup between Brandy and Mase, they were dating for a brief time after her and Wanya broke up.

Decisions should've been released. It was a great duet, wonder why she never released it 

2 hours ago, LibraSnake01 said:

Between Me & You which was recorded during the early sixth album sessions at Epic Records was later given to UK boy band Blue

 

Nice find! Thank you. So I read a little more about this shelved comeback Blue project that was supposed to come out in 2009 / 2010 on Wikipedia, and it sounds like they not only had a few Ne-Yo / StarGate songs in their back pocket (like this one), but more interestingly had an early version of Bruno Mars' massive hit "Grenade" (then titled "Black & Blue") right before he got his artist record deal, their release plans were shelved, and Bruno Mars recorded it himself. 

Edited October 10, 2025Oct 10 by trainsskyscrapers

2 hours ago, Spicy_TyTy said:

Decisions should've been released. It was a great duet, wonder why she never released it 

I have a feeling it was either on that shelved 2009 Brandy x Epic Records project ("Romeo & Juliet", "Perfect Love", "Louboutins", etc.) that was scrapped when she was dropped, or it was going to the US repackaged edition of Alexandra Burke's Overcome (alongside "Fear of Flying" and "Before It Explodes" feat. Bruno Mars - which ended up going to Jake Zyrus pka Charice) that was never released / shelved.

 

 

17 hours ago, trainsskyscrapers said:

I have a feeling it was either on that shelved 2009 Brandy x Epic Records project ("Romeo & Juliet", "Perfect Love", "Louboutins", etc.) that was scrapped when she was dropped, or it was going to the US repackaged edition of Alexandra Burke's Overcome (alongside "Fear of Flying" and "Before It Explodes" feat. Bruno Mars - which ended up going to Jake Zyrus pka Charice) that was never released / shelved.

 

 

Great detective work 

Her with all of these scrapped albums. She could have easily had three more albums under her belt. And, from what I've heard over the years, the material is just all spectacular.