Kenneth Edmonds was born on April 10, 1958, in Indianapolis, Indiana, to Marvin and Barbara Edmonds. Barbara was a pharmaceutical plant manager. Edmonds, who is the fifth of six brothers (including future After 7 band members Melvin and Kevon Edmonds, the latter of whom went on to have a modestly successful solo career), attended North Central High School in Indianapolis, Indiana, and as a shy youth, wrote songs to express his emotions.
When he was in eighth grade, Edmonds's father died of lung cancer, leaving his mother to raise her sons alone. At this stage, Edmonds became determined to have a career in music.
Edmonds later played with funk performer Bootsy Collins, who tagged him "Babyface" because of his cute face while he was still a teen.
He also played in the groups Manchild (which had a 1976 hit "Especially for You" with band member Daryl Simmons), as he was a guitarist for the band. Then, as a keyboardist in the light-funk and R&B group The Deele (which also included drummer Antonio "L.A." Reid, with whom he would later form a successful writing and producing partnership).
One of his first major credits as a songwriter for outside artists came when he wrote the tune "Slow-Jam" for the R&B band Midnight Star in 1983. The tune was on Midnight Star's double-platinum No Parking on the Dance Floor album, and while it never hit the charts, the song is still played on quiet storm shows. Babyface remained in The Deele until 1988, when both he and Reid left the group.
In the late 1980s, he contributed to the creation of new jack swing, writing and producing music for the likes of Bobby Brown, Karyn White, Pebbles, Paula Abdul and Sheena Easton.
In 1989, Edmonds co-founded LaFace Records with Reid. Three of the label's early artists TLC, Usher, and Toni Braxton were successful, the former becoming one of the best selling female groups in music history.
Braxton's eponymous 1993 debut album went on to sell over eight million copies, and earned her the 1994 Grammy Award Best New Artist. TLC's first two albums on LaFace—1992's Ooooooohhh... On the TLC Tip and 1994's CrazySexyCool—combined to sell more than 15 million copies in the U.S. CrazySexyCool won the 1996 Grammy Award for Best R&B album.
Babyface helped form the popular late-90s R&B group Az Yet.
Edmonds works with many successful performers in contemporary music. “I’m Your Baby Tonight,” produced for Whitney Houston, was his first #1 Top 40 hit in the US.
He also 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 #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.
He co-wrote, co-produced, and provided backing vocals on Madonna's 1994 Bedtime Stories, which featured the 7-week #1 hit "Take a Bow," and shared billing with Eric Clapton on the chart-topping Grammy winner "Change the World" from the Phenomenon soundtrack.
He also wrote and produced the #1 hit "Exhale (Shoop Shoop)" for Whitney Houston as well as the rest of the critically acclaimed 10 million selling Waiting to Exhale soundtrack in 1995, which spawned additional hits for Houston, Brandy and Mary J. Blige.
Additionally, Edmonds has produced and written music for many artists including Carole King, Patti LaBelle, Chaka Khan, Aretha Franklin, Madonna, Janet Jackson, Faith Evans, Al Green, Beyoncé, Diana Ross, Sheena Easton, Toni Braxton, Michael Jackson, Michael Bolton, Paula Abdul, Pebbles, Tevin Campbell, Bobby Brown, Whitney Houston, Brandy, Mary J. Blige, Tamia, Shola Ama, 3T, Sisqó, Dru Hill, Fall Out Boy, Céline Dion, Honeyz, Katharine McPhee, Mariah Carey, Vanessa L. Williams, Chanté Moore, En Vogue, Kenny G, Kristinia DeBarge, Lil Wayne, Japanese singer Ken Hirai, P!nk, Marc Nelson, TLC, and Phil Collins among others.
He received three consecutive Grammy Awards for Producer of the Year in 1995–1997.
In 1994, he appeared and performed on an episode of Beverly Hills, 90210 entitled "Mr. Walsh Goes to Washington (Part 2)".
In the mid-1990s, Edmonds and his then wife Tracey Edmonds expanded into the business of motion pictures, setting up Edmonds Entertainment Group and producing films such as Soul Food (1997), Josie and the Pussycats (2001), and also the soundtrack for the film The Prince of Egypt, which included contributions from numerous artists, including Mariah Carey and Whitney Houston.
They are the current executive producers of the hit BET reality series College Hill. Edmonds also worked with David Foster to compose "The Power of the Dream," the official song of the 1996 Summer Olympics, performed by superstar Céline Dion. Linda Thompson provided the lyrics.
Babyface also participated as a duet partner on the Fox reality show Celebrity Duets.
Babyface was in the studio for about two years with Ashanti to produce her album The Declaration.
His album Playlist consists of eight cover songs and two original works. It was released on September 18, 2007. It was the first album on the newly re-launched Mercury Records label.
He worked on the Lil Wayne album Tha Carter III, on the Kanye West-produced "Comfortable." He also worked with R&B singer Monica for her sixth studio album Still Standing.
He has written and produced over 26 #1 R&B (many of which hit the pop charts at either #1 or the top ten) hits throughout his career.
True Colors
Babyface Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Don't be discouraged
Oh I realize
It's hard to take courage
In a world full of people
You can lose sight of it all and the darkness,
Inside you makes you feel so small
Shining through
I see your true colors
And that's why I love you
So don't be afraid to let them show
Your true colors
True colors are beautiful,
Like a rainbow
Show me a smile then,
Don't be unhappy, can't remember when
I last saw you laughing
If this world makes you crazy
And you've taken all you can bear
Just call me up
Because you know I'll be there
And I'll see your true colors
Shining through
I see your true colors
And that's why I love you
So don't be afraid to let them show
Just show your true colors
True colors are beautiful,
Like a rainbow
Such sad eyes
Discouraged now
Realize
When this world makes you crazy
And you've taken all you can bear
Just call me up
Because you know I'll be there
And I'll see your true colors
Shining through
I see your true colors
And that's why I love you
So don't be afraid to let them show
Just show your true colors
True colors, true colors
'Cause there's a shining through
I see your true colors
And that's why I love you
So don't be afraid to let them show
Your true colors, true colors
True colors are beautiful,
Beautiful, like a rainbow
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
Show me your colours
Show me your rainbow
(That's why I love you) Show me your colours
Show me your rainbow
In Babyface's song True Colors, the lyrics speak to someone who is feeling discouraged and overwhelmed in a world full of people. The song encourages them to show their true colors and not be afraid of who they are. The chorus emphasizes this message by celebrating the beauty of true colors like a rainbow. The singer tells the person to not be unhappy and to smile, which shows the importance of positivity and finding joy even in tough situations. The song gives assurance that even when the world seems crazy and unbearable, the singer will always be there for the person and see their true colors shining through.
Line by Line Meaning
You with the sad eyes
Addressing someone with sad eyes.
Don't be discouraged
Don't give up or let go.
Oh, I realize
Acknowledging or understanding the pain.
It's hard to take courage
Being brave is challenging.
In a world full of people
There are many people living in this world.
You can lose sight of it all and the darkness, inside you makes you feel so small
You might lose the reason to live, and the grief would make you feel insignificant.
But I see your true colors
I can see your real emotions.
Shining through
They are bright and luminous.
And that's why I love you
That's the reason I adore you.
So don't be afraid to let them show
Never be scared of revealing your emotions.
Your true colors
The real you.
True colors are beautiful, like a rainbow
Real emotions are magnificent, like a rainbow.
Show me a smile then, don't be unhappy, can't remember when I last saw you laughing
Give me a smile, forget the sadness as I can't recall the last time I saw you laugh.
If this world makes you crazy and you've taken all you can bear, Just call me up because you know I'll be there
When this world drives you insane, and the burden becomes unbearable, call me as I'll be there for support.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
An exclamatory expression of eagerness or enthusiasm.
Show me your colors, Show me your rainbow
Expressing an interest in their real emotions.
(That's why I love you) Show me your colors, Show me your rainbow
Expressing why the person admires them and encouraging to reveal their emotions.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Billy Steinberg, Tom Kelly
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@lutfilubany6823
You with the sad eyes
Don't be discouraged
Oh I realize
It's hard to take courage
In a world full of people
You can lose sight of it all
And the darkness, inside you
Can make you feel so small
But I see your true colors
Shining through
I see your true colors
And that's why I love you
So don't be afraid to let them show
Your true colors
True colors are beautiful,
Like a rainbow
Show me a smile then,
Don't be unhappy, can't remember
When I last saw you laughing
If this world makes you crazy
And you've taken all you can bear
You call me up
Because you know I'll be there
And I'll see your true colors
Shining through
I see your true colors
And that's why I love you
So don't be afraid to let them show
Your true colors
True colors are beautiful,
Like a rainbow
So sad eyes
Discouraged now
Realize
When this world makes you crazy
And you've taken all you can bear
Just call me up
Because you know I'll be there
And I'll see your true colors
Shining through
I see your true colors
And that's why I love you
So don't be afraid to let them show
Your true colors
True colors, true colors
Cos there's a shining through
I see your true colors
And that's why I love you
So don't be afraid to let them show
Your true colors, true colors
True colors are beautiful,
Beautiful, like a rainbow
Show me your colors
Show me your rainbow
Show me your colors
Show me your rainbow
(That's why i love you)
Show me your colors
Show me your rainbow
@crazyfaith77
Who is here in 2024
@LebohangMatoane-yb7fs
We here🎉
@brandonmoore7497
I’m listening to Phil Collins True Colors early February 2024
0:49
@downeast_seabeast
Yup
@__susuvalerie
I'm here😂
@ellanaya6532
Me
@Midnight-dv6vh
Still one of my favorite version phil collins .. 2023🎉🎉🎉
@brandonmoore7497
I’m listening to Phil Collins True Colors mid December 2023 with only 20 days left of 2023 until 2024!
4:26
@ezzoonthebeats8574
It's now 2023 by this 25 years old song still sounds like it's just been released, what a timeless classic 👐🏾
@brandonmoore7497
I’m listening to Phil Collins True Colors mid September 2023