Toni Braxton and Babyface heat up a photoshoot in the December/January 2014 issue of  Uptown Magazine.

It’s been over 2o years since the Grammy-winning diva and legendary producer worked together on 1992’s “Give U My Heart” from the Boomerang soundtrack, but they reunited earlier this year for a new album of duets entitled ‘Love, Marriage & Divorce’.

[PHOTOS: Babyface Receives Walk of Fame Star! Usher, Toni Braxton & More Attend…]

The album was originally due November 25, but will now arrive just in time for Valentine’s Day on February 4. In the meantime, the single ‘Hurt You,’ has already hit the airwaves and even has an official video.

[WATCH: Toni Braxton & Babyface – “Hurt You” (Official Video)]

In their Uptown Magazine cover spread, the pair speak candidly about the business of making music.  Toni shares how Babyface once described her talents to L.A. Reid as ‘Babyface meets Anita Baker’… she also addresses why she “retired” from music, rumors of her depression & suicidal thoughts, and how she and Babyface came to collaborate on their duets album.

More photos + excerpts below…

 

Toni Braxton on quitting the music business:

“I was in a small place in my life and I was going to retire. It’s not even a question. I said, ‘I’m tired of fighting.’ I was feeling sorry for myself. I was depressed over where my career was going. I was also down with my health.”

Toni Braxton on her depression and whether suicide was ever a thought:

“[I was] not suicidal, but it was a close relative. I’ve got my kids to live for, but I was in a hopeless stage in my life.”

Good music industry comrades like Michael McDonald, Fantasia and Missy “Misdemeanor” Elliott helped calm her down.

“It’s like when you’re going through things and you think you’re the only one. They told me, ‘We’ve all felt that, and we’ve been there but it’s not time.’ It helped me a bit. But Babyface was the most influential of all those people in getting me back to it,”

Babyface on Toni Braxton quitting the music business:

“Toni was kind of just talking about giving up, just not really wanting to record anymore-she was not just having fun at it anymore. I didn’t think that was a very good idea. I talked her into changing her mind … You know, you can get frustrated with the music industry, but I never get frustrated with the music. The music is what drives us to begin with. So I don’t think I ever lost sight of that.”

Babyface on how Love Marriage & Divorce got off to a rough start:

“Working with Toni was a little bit different than working with her years ago, because now, we’re dealing with a grown-up Toni who certainly has her own opinion in how she thinks things should be. So we went through a lot of compromises putting this record together.”

CLICK HERE to read the full interview at Uptown.

Are you anxiously awaiting the return of Toni Braxton & Babyface?

Braxton & Babyface’s ‘Love, Marriage & Divorce’ is scheduled for release February 4th.