What you should know about legendary Hoosier singer and producer Babyface

Editor's note: This story was originally published in 2021. We are republishing it following his appearance at the 2023 Super Bowl.

Kenneth “Babyface” Edmonds is a 12-time Grammy Award winner and music producer from Indianapolis with 200 top 10 R&B and more than 50 top 10 pop hits. As a producer and songwriter, he’s worked with the likes of Ariana Grande, Aretha Franklin, Beyonce, Janet Jackson, Lil Wayne, Whitney Houston and more.

Here’s everything you need to know about the legendary Hoosier.

More on Babyface:Yes, Indiana native Babyface played his guitar upside down at the Super Bowl. Here's why

Why Babyface?

The nickname “Babyface” is a nod to the fact that Edmonds looks young for his age. Edmonds has said in multiple interviews that Edmonds was given the nickname by funk musician, William Earl "Bootsy" Collins, while playing in his band in the 1980s.

Though he resisted the nickname at first, he embraced it during a 1985 tour after his bandmate, Darnell "Dee" Bristol, called him by his nickname on stage after he sang "Sweet November."

"Suddenly, at the end of the show, I had girls coming up asking where Babyface was," Edmonds told the Cincinnati Enquirer in 2014. "They never asked where Kenny Edmonds was."

Babyface's hits

Edmonds released three consecutive multi-platinum albums: "Tender Lover" (1989), "For the Cool in You" (1993) and "The Day" (1996). His hits include: “When Can I See You,” "Every Time I Close My Eyes" and "For the Cool in You." Throughout his career, he's won multiple Grammys for his music producing, his original R&B music and more.

In 1989, he cofounded LaFace Records with Antonio "L.A." Reid. The record label worked with artists and groups like Usher, OutKast and TLC. He's written and produced songs for many artists, including Madonna’s “Take a Bow,” Ariana Grande's "Baby I," and Boyz II Men’s “I’ll Make Love to You.”

More recently, his 2014 album with Toni Braxton, "Love, Marriage & Divorce," won a Grammy for best R&B album. In 2017, he was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame

Family

Edmonds comes from a musical family. His brothers Melvin and Kevon Edmonds founded After 7, a R&B group, along with Keith Mitchell, in the late '80s. The group has been nominated for both a Grammy and an American Music Award. Babyface has collaborated with the group.

In 2019, Melvin Edmonds died following a short illness. After 7, now composed of Keith Mitchell, Kevon Edmonds and Danny "SkyHigh" McClain, played their first live show since the pandemic began at Indiana Black Expo Summer Celebration in July.

What was he up to during the pandemic?

On his 62nd birthday in April 2020, Edmonds announced on social media that he and his members of his family tested positive for COVID-19.

After he recovered, he appeared on Swizz Beatz & Timbaland's Verzuz Beat Producer Battle series, an Instagram series which invites two musicians go head-to-head, highlighting music in their discographies. Edmonds battled Teddy Riley, another singer, songwriter and music producer.

Edmonds called the matchup a “Celebration of Black Music Excellence.”

On Mother's Day 2020, he played a "A Song for Mama" with Boyz II Men on Saturday Night Live. Each of the band members performed from their studios at home.

Kenneth 'Babyface' Edmonds Highway

Since 1999, Indianapolis residents have been able to drive along a 17 mile stretch of I-65 named after Edmonds. According to IndyStar reporting at the time, Edmonds gave $110,000 to programs which foster the artistic interests of Indiana children during the dedication ceremony.

Beneficiaries included Save the Music, an initiative which helps to restore and support music programs in public schools, and the Youth Video Institute, a television production program for local teens.

Edmonds said he was honored at the time, but wasn’t sure if his name would work as traffic helicopter jargon. “Just being honest, ‘15 minutes backed up on the Kenneth Babyface Edmonds’ just doesn’t have that ring to me,’” he joked.

Besides the highway, Edmonds has also received an honorary doctorate from IU. Recently, artist Israel Solomon selected Edmonds as one of six subjects in a mural honoring Black Hoosier heroes and heroines in Carmel.

Contact IndyStar Pulliam Fellow Serena Puang at spuang@gannett.com. Follow her on twitter @SerenaPuang.

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Babyface: What to know about the legendary Indiana singer, producer