News | Entertainment
15 Nov 2025 23:35
NZCity News
NZCity CalculatorReturn to NZCity

  • Start Page
  • Personalise
  • Sport
  • Weather
  • Finance
  • Shopping
  • Jobs
  • Horoscopes
  • Lotto Results
  • Photo Gallery
  • Site Gallery
  • TVNow
  • Dating
  • SearchNZ
  • NZSearch
  • Crime.co.nz
  • RugbyLeague
  • Make Home
  • About NZCity
  • Contact NZCity
  • Your Privacy
  • Advertising
  • Login
  • Join for Free

  •   Home > News > Entertainment

    Aretha Franklin once asked Kenneth 'Babyface' Edmond for relationship advice

    Kenneth, 62, revealed that the late Queen of Soul - who passed away in 2018 at the age of 76 - turned to him for love advice a few years before she died, because she considered him an expert due to the love songs he had written


    Speaking on an Instagram Live celebration for the 25th anniversary of the 'Waiting To Exhale' soundtrack, Babyface - who wrote and produced the record - said: "Five years ago I performed with Aretha .?.?. I sat in her [dressing] room and she told everyone to leave .?.?. then she said, 'You be 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. And I'm trying to decide if I want to date him or not' .?.?. I said, 'I wouldn't trust this gentleman.' About a month later I got a call and she said, 'You were right, Face. He wasn't the one.'"

    Meanwhile, Jennifer Hudson recently wrapped filming on the movie 'Respect' in which she plays Aretha and she called the experience a "dream".

    She wrote on Instagram: "It is officially a wrap on @respectmovie wrap it up , it's done! Too overwhelmed to get into it right now but words can't express how grateful I am to be chosen by the queen herself and to live out yet another dream ! It was my honor, to honor the Queens request ! The one and only Queen of soul #ArethaFranklin #respectMovie (sic)"

    Back in 2017, Jennifer revealed she had met with Aretha to discuss playing her in a film.

    She spilled: "It is my dream role, and she and I have met and there are ... very exciting discussions happening."

    Jennifer had also previously admitted the only other musical movie she would do after 'Dreamgirls' was one portraying Aretha, and she was lucky enough to land such a role after being hand-picked by her for the part.

    Speaking in 2018, she added: "She selected me to play her in her biopic. That's what she said. The queen has spoken.

    "It's been a dream of mine. I've always said, if I ever do another music-based film, I feel like the only thing that could compare to 'Dreamgirls' is to play Aretha Franklin. It is a dream come true for me."

    © 2025 Bang Showbiz, NZCity

     Other Entertainment News
     15 Nov: Tim Westwood has been granted conditional bail
     15 Nov: Vanessa White is pregnant and engaged
     15 Nov: Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson battled depression after the breakdown of his first marriage
     15 Nov: Jon Bon Jovi was "never" at "war" with former Bon Jovi guitarist Richie Sambora
     15 Nov: Jimmy Kimmel's wife has "lost" relationships with her family because of their support for Donald Trump
     15 Nov: Jonathan Bailey isn't looking to have children just yet
     15 Nov: Benedict Cumberbatch's emotions have become "paper thin" since he became a father
     Top Stories

    RUGBY RUGBY
    The All Blacks will have to beat the English fans and a hostile atmosphere, as well as the English tomorrow morning at Twickenham More...


    BUSINESS BUSINESS
    Food price inflation's heading back up again with supply costs increasing at an accelerated pace More...



     Today's News

    Rugby:
    The All Blacks will have to beat the English fans and a hostile atmosphere, as well as the English tomorrow morning at Twickenham 21:56

    Entertainment:
    Tim Westwood has been granted conditional bail 21:42

    Living & Travel:
    Lotto hopefuls across the country are imagining how they'll divvy up the jackpot if their numbers are called 21:16

    Entertainment:
    Vanessa White is pregnant and engaged 21:12

    Entertainment:
    Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson battled depression after the breakdown of his first marriage 20:42

    Entertainment:
    Jon Bon Jovi was "never" at "war" with former Bon Jovi guitarist Richie Sambora 20:12

    Entertainment:
    Jimmy Kimmel's wife has "lost" relationships with her family because of their support for Donald Trump 19:42

    International:
    More than a month into the Israel-Gaza ceasefire, here is what has changed 19:37

    Entertainment:
    Jonathan Bailey isn't looking to have children just yet 19:12

    Basketball:
    The Breakers are hunting back-to-back wins for the first time this Aussie basketball season as they take on the Wildcats in Perth tonight 18:57


     News Search






    Power Search


    © 2025 New Zealand City Ltd