Art can be inspired by even the most mundane experiences, and for iconic singer-songwriter Kenneth “Babyface” Edmonds, the idea for his latest creation, “Girls Night Out,” was sparked while running an errand at the drugstore.
“I went to Walgreens and as I was in there, this younger girl says, ‘Are you Babyface?” recalled the 11-time Grammy winner. She went on to tell him, “I didn’t listen to you before, but I watched Verzuz and I really liked a lot of the things. And so, I’m a fan now.’”
That 2020 Verzuz event with New Jack Swing pioneer Teddy Riley — with much of the country in pandemic lockdown — introduced him to a younger generation of R&B lovers not familiar with his legendary catalog. The interest from younger fans spurred him to begin conceptualizing what would become “Girls Night Out,” released last week. It’s his first project since 2015’s “Return of the Tender Lover.”
“This is a very special album to me because it gave me a chance to work the young R&B girls that I think have so much to offer today,” Babyface told iHeartRadio. “I’m so proud and so lucky to be in the studio with each and every one of them.”
Babyface has spent decades penning hits for himself and some of the most iconic R&B acts in the music industry. After writing plenty of songs on his own, the seasoned songwriter was able to personally collaborate with each artist on every song. Once he announced his plans to drop a new album, Babyface dropped the first single “Keeps On Fallin” featuring Ella Mai. Check out the full tracklist below and stream Girls Night Out on iHeartRadio now!
