Babyface at Big Dome Oct. 13

After Engelbert Humperdinck (Sunday, Aug. 19), guess who’s performing next at the Araneta Coliseum — yes, the phenomenal Babyface, set for Oct. 13.

An R ’n B and pop singer, songwriter, guitarist, keyboardist, record producer, record company owner, film producer and entrepreneur, Kenneth “Babyface” Edmonds is responsible for a staggering 119 Top 10 pop hits which include 41 No.1 R ’n B hits, 51 Top 10 pop hits, including 16 No.1 pop hits, amassing sales that exceed 100 million units.

He is behind some of the biggest successes in contemporary

music. He wrote and produced Boyz II Men’s End of the Road and I’ll Make Love To You, both of which established records for the longest stay at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. He wrote, produced and provided backing vocals on Madonna’s 1995 seven-week No. 1 hit Take a Bow and he shared billing with Eric Clapton on the chart-topping Grammy winner Change the World. He produced the Waiting To Exhale soundtrack in 1995, which spawned hits for Whitney Houston, Brandy and Mary J. Blige.

Additionally, he has produced and written music for superstars Toni Braxton, Michael Jackson, Paula Abdul, Bobby Brown, Houston, Brandy, Blige, Tamia, Janet Jackson, Dru Hill, Celine Dion, Mariah Carey, Vanessa Williams, En Vogue, Eric Clapton, Madonna, Aretha Franklin, Pink, Sheena Easton and Phil Collins, among others

Babyface won Producer of the Year for a history-making three years in a row (1995, 1996 and 1997) which still stands as a Grammy record. He likewise founded LaFace Records. Two of the label’s first artists, Toni Braxton and TLC, achieved massive success and sold more than 15 million copies. He was also instrumental in forming the popular late-’90s R ’n B group, Az Yet.

In 1999, a 25-mile (40-km) stretch of Interstate 65 that runs through Indianapolis was renamed Kenneth “Babyface” Edmonds Highway.

Babyface has recently signed a new deal with Island Records to release his new album, Playlist, featuring mostly cover songs including James Taylor’s Fire & Rain, Bob Dylan’s Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door, Dan Fogelberg’s Longer, Jim Croce’s Time In A Bottle and Eric Clapton’s Wonderful Tonight.

“These songs came from memories, and these songs helped shape who I am — and they’re still shaping who I am,” Babyface has been quoted as saying about the “beautifully emotional” Playlist which also carries original materials and is scheduled to be released in September in time for his 11-date Asian tour which starts in Manila on Oct. 13. It will be the first album on the newly re-launched Mercury Records Label.

The Babyface concert in Manila is produced by Renen de Guia’s Ovation Productions and is very much anticipated by R ’n B music lovers; after all, it has been quite a while since another R ’n B singer was in town, Alicia Keys, whose massively successful concert sold out every single seat at the Araneta Coliseum.

(Note: Tickets will be released soon through Ticketnet 911-5555. For sponsorship inquiries and block buying of tickets, call Ovation Productions at 532-8883.)
Ricardo F. Lo
Philippine Star