Kenneth Brian Edmonds (born April 10, 1959), known professionally as Babyface, is an American singer-songwriter and producer.
He started his career playing in various R&B bands, including The Deele, where he met his future partner, L.A. Reid. They formed their own record label - LaFace Records - in 1989, which featured the likes of TLC, Usher, and Toni Braxton. Since then, he has gone to write and produce for numerous other artists, netting himself 11 Grammy Awards, while also maintaining a successful solo career. These days, anime fans likely know him more for being the namesake for Melone's similarly-named Stand in JoJo's Bizarre Adventure.
Solo Discography:
- Lovers (1986)
- Tender Lover (1989)
- For the Cool in You (1993)
- The Day (1996)
- Face2Face (2001)
- Grown & Sexy (2005)
- Playlist (2007)
- Return of the Tender Lover (2015)
Tropes:
- Berserk Button: The remix of "Tender Lover" had Bobby Brown blatantly dissing Babyface to the latter's ex during his rap verse, while simultaneously trying to mack on her. Naturally, Babyface doesn't take it nicely:Babyface: (shouting) L.A.! Get. Bob. Outta here!
Bobby: Ayo, man; come on, man!
Babyface: Get him outta here! L.A., get him out!
Bobby: Let's go.
Babyface: NOW! - Break Up Song: A master of it, as it makes up a good chunk of his discography. "Tender Lover" is an interesting example, as he tells his ex-lover not to spurn another chance at loving someone else just because it didn't work between them.
- Break-Up/Make-Up Scenario: "When Can I See You?" has Babyface still in pain over a past breakup, and more or less begs his ex to get back with him."When can I see you again?
And when can my heart beat again?
When can I see you again?
And when can I breathe once again?" - Genre Shift: Has occasionally stepped out of his R&B-Pop zone, and wrote country and rock-adjacent tracks for himself and other artists.
- New Jack Swing: One of the early pioneering producers of the sound, and produced and wrote hits for Bobby Brown, Karyn White, Michael Jackson, and others.
- Older Than They Look: He ain't called "Babyface" for nothing. Would you believe this man is in his sixties?
