Babyface doesn’t rest on his laurels with ‘Girls Night Out’

Art can be inspired by even the most mundane experiences, and for iconic singer-songwriter Kenneth “Babyface” Edmonds, the idea for his latest creation, “Girls Night Out,” was sparked while running an errand at the drugstore.

“I went to Walgreens and as I was in there, this younger girl says, ‘Are you Babyface?” recalled the 11-time Grammy winner. She went on to tell him, “I didn’t listen to you before, but I watched Verzuz and I really liked a lot of the things. And so, I’m a fan now.’”

That 2020 Verzuz event with New Jack Swing pioneer Teddy Riley — with much of the country in pandemic lockdown — introduced him to a younger generation of R&B lovers not familiar with his legendary catalog. The interest from younger fans spurred him to begin conceptualizing what would become “Girls Night Out,” released last week. It’s his first project since 2015’s “Return of the Tender Lover.”