Toni Braxton – “Un-Break My Heart”

“Un-Break My Heart” is a powerful ballad of raw heartbreak, in which Toni Braxton pleads with a former lover to return and undo the pain he’s caused. The song was written by Diane Warren, renowned for crafting deeply emotional tracks with sweeping choruses and evocative titles that tell a story in just a few words—among them “I Don’t Want to Miss a Thing,” “Why Did You Have to Be,” and “Save Up All Your Tears.” Warren herself was surprised that the phrase “Un-Break My Heart” had never been used as a song title before.

During an appearance on the UK show Songbook, Warren recalled knowing she had a hit as soon as she came up with the title and began developing the song. However, Toni Braxton initially felt otherwise. “Toni Braxton hated that song,” Warren admitted. “She didn’t want to do it. And then after it became a hit, she told me she didn’t want another one like it.”

The track was produced by David Foster, a master of hit-making much like Warren herself. His impressive résumé includes writing or producing classics such as “After the Love Has Gone,” “Through the Fire,” and “You’re the Inspiration.”

“Un-Break My Heart” went on to become a massive success, spending 11 consecutive weeks at No. 1 on the U.S. charts and earning Braxton a Grammy Award for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance. Despite its triumph, legal troubles and a bankruptcy filing prevented Braxton from fully capitalizing on the song’s momentum, and she wouldn’t release another album until The Heat in 2000.

Backing vocals on the track were performed by Shanice Wilson, best known for her 1991 hit “I Love Your Smile.”

Based on its chart performance, “Un-Break My Heart” remains Diane Warren’s most successful song as a songwriter in the United States. It also topped charts in several other countries, including Sweden, Switzerland, and Austria.