Award-winning R&B icon Babyface — or Kenneth Brian Edmonds — brought soulful nostalgia to the Mall of Asia Arena on October 27, marking his long-awaited return to the Philippines since 2007. The night featured timeless hits, heartfelt performances, and a special appearance by Patti Austin.
Austin opened the show with “Do You Love Me?” and “All Behind Us Now,” drawing early sing-alongs from the crowd. She shared stories between songs and delivered signature hits like “Say You Love Me,” “Baby, Come to Me,” and “How Do You Keep the Music Playing.”
The audience sang along to “Through The Test of Time,” followed by a fervent delivery of “If I Believed,” and a rhythmic number of “This Side of Heaven.”
Her set moved effortlessly from the touching “It Might Be You” to the lively “Rhythm of the Street,” ending with a soulful “In My Life.”
Babyface began his set with “For the Cool in You,” supported by a live band and dancers. Fans sang along to “Every Time I Close My Eyes,” “Whip Appeal,” and “Never Keeping Secrets,” as he reminisced about his career and love for performing.
Babyface continued with more romantic pieces, starting with “Sunshine,” which he recalled having written when he was deeply in love. Then, he delivered a snippet of Earth, Wind & Fire’s “Reasons.” He also recalled the first love song he wrote, singing “Here I Go Falling In Love With You,” with his glittered acoustic guitar.
He continued with romantic numbers like “Sunshine” and “Here I Go Falling in Love With You,” followed by hits he wrote or produced for other artists, including “Water Runs Dry” (by Boyz II Men), “Wonderful Tonight” and “Change the World” (Eric Clapton), “Breathe Again” (Toni Braxton), and “You Mean the World to Me” (Madonna), among many others.
A medley of R&B favorites —“Two Occasions,” “Rock Steady,” and “Can’t Stop” — had fans reliving the golden era of ’80s and ’90s soul.
The energy soared with Bobby Brown’s “Every Little Step” and “Roni,” before mellowing with “Can We Talk” and “My My My.” He closed the night with a moving tribute to Whitney Houston, performing “Exhale (Shoop Shoop),” “Count on Me,” and “When You Believe.”
The concert was a masterclass in timeless R&B, proving Babyface’s enduring influence and the emotional power of his music.