“Love Will Be Waiting at Home”...thanks to Kenneth “Babyface” Edmonds.
No, I’m not just talking about the fact that he wrote this lovely song. Babyface will actually be bringing us love in our homes in the form of one of his most beloved works: the Waiting to Exhale soundtrack.
The Forest Whitaker-helmed 1995 iconic film followed Savannah (Whitney Houston), Robin (Lela Rochon), Bernadine (Angela Bassett), and Gloria (Loretta Devine) as they navigated the trials and tribulations of life and love. Along with the highly entertaining drama, what especially stood out was the bomb soundtrack, written and produced by none other than the legendary Babyface. A soundtrack, when well-done, serves as not only a companion piece to a film but becomes a memorable character in its own right. When you think of the memorable moments in Waiting to Exhale, you think of the songs that played in the background, too. You can’t help it!
Speaking of which, Brandy really was ahead of her time by providing the perfect song for our current self-isolation situation, “Sittin’ Up In My Room.”
Anyway, Babyface has come up with the perfect way to reminisce about the soundtrack we love. The singer-songwriter-record producer appeared on The View on Tuesday to discuss his (and wife Nicole Pantenburg’s) life while healing from COVID-19, the impact of the #TeddyRileyVsBabyface IG battle (fun fact: L.A. Reid, Andre Harrell and Diddy had a hand in convincing him to do it!), and he had a special announcement to make, as well.
Bust out your caftans because Babyface revealed that he will celebrate Mother’s Day by hosting a virtual listening party with a track-by-track replay of the Waiting to Exhale soundtrack, equipped with live commentary for each song. He also announced he’ll be releasing new music.
This year marks 25 years since the release of the iconic film based on the bestselling Terry McMillan novel of the same name and, of course, its soundtrack is celebrating the same anniversary.
“I was just so nervous putting it all together and making sure that everyone was happy with the songs they got, and Forest [Whitaker] was happy with the music he got, and Clive [Davis] was okay with it,” Babyface told Billboard, reflecting on the soundtrack’s 20th anniversary in 2015. “I wasn’t in any mode trying to pat my back on anything. I had a huge responsibility on my shoulders because Waiting to Exhale, the book was huge, and so the film was very important. And then, this was Whitney [Houston]. I was taking it in, but I kind of wasn’t all the way there when it was happening.”
Just like his participation in the IG battle, this will surely bring much-needed joy in our lives. Once again, Babyface is saving the day. Like Savannah’s mama (Starletta Dupois) said, “he’s a good man.” Except, he’s actually a good man for doing this. Bless you, Babyface.
Save the date: May 10. If you want to pre-game, the soundtrack is available to stream on Spotify.
And now, the important question: What y’all wearing to the Waiting to Exhale party?!
You can watch Babyface’s full interview with The View below: