Brandy has unveiled the cover and official title of her memoir, Phases, and with it comes clarity about what kind of book this will be: not a victory lap, but a reckoning. Publisher pages now list Phases for March 31, 2026, through Hanover Square Press, an imprint of Harlequin/HarperCollins, with hardcover, ebook, and audiobook formats available for preorder.
For many Gen X readers, Brandy’s story is braided into their own timelines: after-school reruns of Moesha, the signature tone of Full Moon, the glass slipper that made Cinderella look like them on TV. The publisher’s copy frames Phases as a candid account of those chapter breaks and the costs between them, from early church solos in Mississippi to chart runs, TV stardom, and the private valleys that do not trend. The emphasis is on resilience, healing, and making peace with the past, language that suggests testimony, not tidying.
“This memoir is more than a book; it’s a reflection of resilience, hope, and rediscovering myself beyond the fame, the music, and the spotlight. I am so excited to finally share my full story in book form.”
When the book was first announced in January 2025, media coverage and retailer listings pointed to October 7, 2025. That timeline later shifted to spring 2026 as publisher pages updated the entry, and the title Phases surfaced alongside the finished cover. Publishing calendars move for many reasons—production, retail windows, marketing alignment—but the current date grounds the book in a stretch when Brandy is already part of the conversation.
The cultural runway is real. Two lanes of momentum sit right alongside the memoir:
- The Boy Is Mine Tour (Fall 2025). Brandy and Monica’s first co-headlining arena run, produced by Black Promoters Collective, puts the ’90s touchstone back on big stages across the U.S. That live, multi-city nostalgia halo is a natural on-ramp to a reflective book.
- Screen presence, then and now. Brandy’s return to her iconic Cinderella continues, with Disney confirming the next franchise installment, Descendants: Wicked Wonderland, in production for a 2026 release. The arc from 1997’s Rodgers & Hammerstein magic to this new chapter gives Phases an intergenerational frame that extends beyond music
BRANDY & MONICA
Women in Suits Campaign
BRANDY
Woman In Suits
With a career-spanning narrative that covers “stratospheric highs and unimaginable lows,” connecting public breakthroughs to private work, at ~320 pages across multiple formats, it reads like a full ledger rather than a scrapbook.
Brandy has described the project as “honest” and “unfiltered,” language echoed in the announcement coverage and publisher copy. That candor matters in an era where revision can be as common as reflection.
Phases speaks to readers navigating reinvention under watchful eyes—parents, professionals, creatives who once defined themselves by the speed of their ascent and are now learning the quiet craft of staying.
What to watch next
Audiobook narrator confirmation. Expect Brandy to voice it herself; watch the HarperCollins listing for the final credit.
HarperCollinsRetailer variations. Look out for signed editions or retailer-exclusive extras that can drive first-week momentum.
Barnes & NobleTour tie-ins. Readings, on-stage excerpts, or pop-up signings near arena dates would be smart adds if they appear.
Tour InfoThe cover reveal of Phases lands like a quiet thesis: a veteran artist choosing to annotate her own life. If the pages match the promise—clear-eyed about the pressure to be perfect at fifteen, generous about the people who helped, specific about the seasons that hurt—the memoir will operate on two levels. It will satisfy the fan who wants context for the voice they grew up with, and it will serve the adult who needs a working blueprint for longevity, self-definition, and repair. That is a valuable book in any era, but especially now.
Discover more from MidScroll
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
