Brandy Norwood's Husband Turned Out Not to Be Her Spouse - The Time She Lied about Being Married

Brandy Norwood's husband was announced as Robert "Big Bert" Smith, and she was six months pregnant with his baby. As it turned out, she wasn't married.

Singer, songwriter, and actress Brandy Norwood announced her marriage and pregnancy on the Oprah Winfrey Show in 2002. but it was all a lie. The pregnancy was real, but the marriage wasn't.

Fans of the incomparable Brandy were stunned to discover that the singer had told the world a lie, and she told it on national television. Years later, the truth came out, and she revealed the reason behind her deception.

Brandy Norwood was born on February 11, 1979, in Mississippi. Music was part of her life from birth -- her father, Willie Norwood, was a well-known Gospel singer, had played in a soul band in his younger years, and had even opened for Rufus and Chaka Khan.

It was Willie who recognized his daughter's talent, and he included her in his Gospel albums. Brandy's first album, "Brandy," was released in 1994 when she was 15 and sold an incredible 6,000,000 records worldwide.

Her second studio album, "Never Say Never," was released in 1998 and sold 16,000,000 records. The young singer was an overnight sensation, and the eyes of the world were on her. She was beautiful and famous, and her prom date was none other than Kobe Bryant.

By 2002, Brandy had been living under a spotlight for a third of her life, with millions watching and judging everything she did, who she dated, and where she went. There was nowhere to hide, and Brandy had a secret.

Here's Why Brandy Fabricated a False Marriage

The then-23-year-old was pregnant by her producer Robert "Big Bert" Smith, with whom she had fallen in love during the recording of her third studio album "Full Moon." Brandy's family and manager knew there would be no hiding the pregnancy, but they also felt it could destroy her career. She revealed:

“I was scared. I thought that everything that I had worked hard for and everything that I worked to build, the image that I worked so hard to build was threatened. And I felt like having a child out of wedlock would ruin my career.”

According to Smith, he and Brandy's relationship was already over, and he was involved with another woman when they learned that the singer was pregnant. The two then went through an elaborate hoax, pretending to be married, and even participated in a TV special: "Brandy--Special Delivery," documenting their daughter's birth.

Self-acceptance and self-love are the big messages Brandy is eager to pass on to her daughter, and to anyone who will listen.

Who Was Brandy's Supposed Husband?

Smith would later exhibit some bitterness, blaming Sonya Norwood, Brandy's mother, for orchestrating the deception and Brandy for going along with it. But whatever anger may have remained between the former lovers, Smith proved to be a loving and supportive father to their daughter, Sy'Rai.

On her 19th birthday, he posted an adorable black and white photo of himself holding Sy'Rai as a baby, followed by a series of snaps of her as she grew up. He captioned the post:

"Another year around the sun for my baby. Can’t believe it’s 19. Praise the most high for such a wonderful gift. I love you boo boo. ❤️❤️❤️❤️"

Even though Smith has kept his personal life out of the news, he has three other daughters and two sons. Smith was a successful producer in the 90s and 2000s and worked with luminaries like Kelly Rowland, Toni Braxton, Jennifer Lopez, The Spice Girls, and Michael Jackson.

Brandy Norwood Is Now a Proud Single Mom

Despite the difficult beginning, Brandy Norwood has never for a single moment regretted becoming a mother so young, even though her lie about the marriage cost her a relationship with a man she cared about, Brandy confessed:

"It's beautiful to have her around and in my life. I don't know what I'd do without her. I don't even remember what life felt like without her so she's definitely an angel."

Brandy is her daughter's biggest fan and her greatest supporter. When Sy'Rai decided to go on a transforming weight loss journey, Brandy was with her every step. Sy'rai spoke openly about her struggle and the road to positive body image and self-acceptance.

Who Is Brandy Dating Now?

Self-acceptance and self-love are the big messages Brandy is eager to pass on to her daughter and to anyone who will listen. These are lessons that the singer has learned through painful experiences. Brandy

:

“You can’t love anybody unless you love yourself. I’ve really learned that the hard way. I have a love for myself now, to the point, I don’t want to see nobody else right now.”

Brandy isn't dating and not looking for romance, even though she revealed that her mother promised she would one day be blessed. For Brandy, her blessing has already arrived in the person of her daughter Sy'Rai.

Brandy's focus is on nurturing her daughter and her singing talent, just as her father, Willie Norwood, encouraged and nurtured hers. She had come a long way since those difficult years when she was afraid to speak her truth. Today's Brandy is a woman who lives her life with no lies and no compromises.