The New York Times Magazine polled more than 250 music insiders and gathered six Times critics to choose the 30 Greatest Living American Songwriters. One artist who made the list was Babyface, the craftsman behind dozens of hits for performers like Whitney Houston, Mary J. Blige, Madonna, Toni Braxton, Boyz II Men, Aretha Franklin and Ariana Grande. The writer Danyel Smith met with him in Las Vegas to talk about how he wrote the love songs that defined the 1990s.
Interview by Danyel Smith
Directed by Joshua Charow
Video Credits
Camera Operator: David Acampora
Sound Mixer: Rado Stefanov
Gaffer: Mike Silverberg
Editor: Abraham Howard
Colorist: Stephen Derluguian
Post Sound Mixer: Bobb Barito
Archival Image Credits
Videos: YouTube
