Babyface is a 13-time GRAMMY Award-winning recording artist, songwriter, producer, and one of the most celebrated creative forces in music history. He is the only producer to win the Producer of the Year category four times — three of which were consecutive (1995–1997), a record he holds to this day. Kenny is also co-founder of the legendary record label LaFace, which launched the careers of Usher, Toni Braxton, TLC, Outkast, and P!nk.
From humble beginnings in Indianapolis, Kenny developed his love for music early on, beginning to write songs at age 12. After graduating high school, he signed his first record deal upon joining the band Manchild. In the 1980s, he broke into the music world as guitarist and songwriter for the R&B band The Deele.
Artistry
Babyface has released three consecutive multi-platinum albums: Tender Lover (1989), featuring the #1 hit "Tender Lover"; For the Cool in You (1993), which included "Never Keeping Secrets" and "When Can I See You"; and The Day (1996), featuring "Every Time I Close My Eyes."
He has written and produced hits for Bobby Brown, Boyz II Men, Eric Clapton, Madonna, Beyoncé, Bruno Mars, Ariana Grande, Mary J. Blige, Celine Dion, Aretha Franklin, George Michael, Michael Jackson, Justin Bieber, Phil Collins, Janet Jackson, NSYNC, Chaka Khan, Faith Evans, Jay-Z, Stevie Wonder, John Mayer, Lionel Richie, Michael Bolton, Kenny G, Lil Wayne, Luther Vandross, Barbra Streisand, and countless others.
In 2024, Babyface won his 13th GRAMMY for Best R&B Song for "Snooze" by SZA, and received additional nominations for Best R&B Album (Girls Night Out) and Best Traditional R&B Performance ("Simple" with Coco Jones).
In 2023, his single "As a Matter of Fact" reached #1 on the Billboard Adult R&B Airplay chart — his first #1 solo single in 26 years.
In 2022, Babyface released Girls Night Out, a collaboration project with some of today's brightest female R&B artists, including Ella Mai, Ari Lennox, Kehlani, Queen Naija, Coco Jones, Tiana Major9, Tink, Baby Tate, Muni Long, Amaarae, Sevyn Streeter, Tkay Maidza, Doechii, and Angie Martinez & Lala Anthony. The first single, "Keeps On Fallin'" with Ella Mai, was GRAMMY-nominated for Best Traditional R&B Performance and hit #1 on the Mediabase R&B chart.
In 2014, he collaborated with Toni Braxton on the GRAMMY Award-winning album Love, Marriage & Divorce.
Live Show
Babyface created the soundtrack of a generation — and with it at his fingertips, his live performance takes you back to your first crush, real love, and heartbreak, all while delivering a dynamic show. By popular demand, he performed at the Essence Music Festival of Culture for two consecutive years. In 2025, he joined Uncle Charlie's R&B Cookout Tour, performing for hundreds of thousands of fans.
Babyface is the first-ever residency act at The Palms' Pearl Theater in Las Vegas. His critically acclaimed residency has run from 2024 to the present and received the "Best of Las Vegas" silver award from the Las Vegas Review-Journal.
Awards & Achievements
Babyface has contributed to over 800 million records sold and over a billion streams. He has produced and written 125 Top 10 hits, 45 #1 R&B hits, and 16 #1 pop hits. In addition to his 13 GRAMMYs, he has received 83 GRAMMY nominations, seven BMI Pop Songwriter of the Year trophies, the BMI Icon Award, 52 total BMI Awards, 4 American Music Awards, 5 Soul Train Awards, and 5 NAACP Image Awards. He also produced and co-wrote the Oscar-winning song "When You Believe," performed by Whitney Houston and Mariah Carey.
In 2026, The New York Times named him one of their "30 Greatest Living American Songwriters." In 2025, he received the Activism in the Arts and Distinguished Arts Awards at the National Action Network's Triumph Awards. In 2024, he was inducted into the Apollo Walk of Fame and received the inaugural Legacy Award from The Apollo Theater. He was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2017, received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2013, and in 1999 his home state of Indiana named a highway in his honor.
Philanthropy
Babyface is a passionate philanthropist, supporting the Carousel of Hope (benefiting the Children's Diabetes Foundation and the Barbara Davis Center for Childhood Diabetes), Larry Ruvo's Keep Memory Alive, and Stand Up for Cancer. In 2023, he partnered with the nonprofit Music Will to launch music programs in 20 schools in his hometown of Indianapolis. He has also supported FasterCures, VH1 Save the Music, the United Negro College Fund, the David Foster Foundation, and the Mike Milken Prostate Cancer Foundation.
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