“Don't be afraid to age” — Toni Braxton addresses viral photo that prompted backlash online

Toni Braxton has finally spoken up about the topless picture she uploaded on Instagram five days ago. The 56-year-old singer disclosed to ET's Kevin Frazier what inspired her to upload the picture, days after it went viral and garnered media attention.

At the Bad Boys: Ride of Die premiere in Los Angeles on May 30, she revealed to ET:

"I was feeling myself. I'm feeling myself, so I thought I'd show it... I wanted people to know that 50s is still s*xy and it's OK and don't be afraid to age. I felt a little some kind of way when I turned 50, but I'm OK. I'm alright about it."

This came after her topless picture went viral and garnered backlash. On Sunday, May 26, the American singer-songwriter shared a photo via her Instagram, which had the Internet buzzing. Toni Braxton posed topless, preparing for summer, and captioned the photo:

"I'm about to take a dip in the pool real quick. What y’all got planned for the holiday weekend?"

---

Toni Braxton talked about Bad Boys and her photo

Toni Braxton was present during the recent Bad Boys premier (Image via Getty)

American singer-songwriter Toni Braxton is also an actor and television personality, with more than 70 million recordings sold worldwide, making her one of the best-selling female artists in history. However, she made headlines after posting a topless photo on Instagram on Sunday, with a caption.

In a recent interview with ET, Toni Braxton discussed the same topic. She explained that since she had been feeling like herself, she thought it was time to show it to the world. She wanted everyone to know that it's okay to be gorgeous in their 50s and urged people to embrace aging. She admitted that although she was down when she turned 50, she is now well.

At the premiere, the singer brought her two boys, Diezel, 21, and Denim, 22, whom she shares with her ex-partner Keri Lewis. The three of them wore matching light-colored suits, reminiscent of the Miami Vice theme. Braxton chose to wear a jacket without a shirt for her outfit, while her boys wore collared shirts underneath their suits.

ET further reported that the ensembles were appropriate for the occasion, as Braxton was thrilled to show her support for the upcoming releases of Will Smith and Martin Lawrence. Speaking about Smith and Lawrence, she said:

"They're fantastic. They're trendsetters. They introduce the good and the bad boys and they made it hot and s*xy. That's my generation. Our generation, good and bad boys, which I love. I'm excited to be a part of that. It's great."

Additionally, Toni Braxton discussed her professional life, mentioning her Las Vegas residency and her involvement in Love and Laughter alongside Cedric the Entertainer. She said:

"I'm having so much fun. Cedric's fantastic. He's even letting me tell jokes and he's singing, so we're having a great time."

---

This is not the first time Toni Braxton has posted a topless photo on a social media platform. She uploaded a similar picture to commemorate her 56th birthday. The almost nude photo was shared by the R&B singer on Saturday, October 7, 2023.

The Un-Break My Heart singer posted a topless photo of herself on Instagram with the caption:

"In my birthday suit."

Despite being diagnosed with lupus in 2008, Braxton did not let the autoimmune disease hinder her daily activities or work.