This past Sunday (May 24), the singer returned to Instagram Live as promised for his highly-anticipated Waiting To Exhale soundtrack listening party. When the song “It Like Hurts Like Hell,” sung by the late Queen of Soul, came up on his cue, Babyface shared the story. 

“Five years ago, I performed with Aretha...I sat in her [dressing] room and she told everyone to leave....then she said, ‘You be [sic] writing all these love songs and I want your advice.’ She said, ‘I’m seeing this gentleman and I’m gonna tell you some of the things he’s been doing,” Babyface recalled.

The late Queen of Soul parsed Babyface’s thoughts as to whether it was worth her time to give the gentleman in question a chance. 

“I said, ‘I wouldn’t trust this gentleman,’” he continued. “About a month later I got a call and she said, ‘You were right, ‘Face. He wasn’t the one.’”

Throughout the livestream, the legendary musician treated viewers to many stories about the creation of the soundtrack and the artists he worked with. Babyface revealed that Forest Whitaker, who directed the 1995 film, originally approached Quincy Jones to do the soundtrack. For unknown reasons, Jones ultimately turned down the opportunity but he did pass along Babyface’s name. 

Check out the rest of Babyface’s livestream below to hear what else he had to share about working with Whitney Houston, Mary J. Blige, Brandy, Chaka Khan and more on the Waiting To Exhale soundtrack.