Question about Deb: Did she turned down an offer to work with Babyface?

[Woops]

I've heard that Deb have turned down an offer to work with producer Babyface during her 'electric youth'. Was it true and also any details...

[Dariusz]

First I'm hearing of it, but Babyface would have written a hit record for sure.

[Erica]

I never heard this one before. 


Erica

[Out of the Blue]

I vaguely rememeber something about this.  I don't think she turned it down, it was when she was at Atlantic and they didn't want it.  It was something like that.  They put her with Lamont Dozier instead.

[Shane2]

I remember it the other way round. Atlantic wanted her to work with Babyface for AIP in an attempt to sex up her image.

She said her fans wouldn't relate it.

Thats my memory of it anyway.

[Woops]

^ that could be true since I've heard several interviews with Deb stating that shw wanted to be "The Next Bette Midler, Not The Next Sheena Easton".

Though Easton's music was more A/C (ie "Morning Train") and wasn't suggestive until she started working with Prince in 1984 (ie "Sugar Walls").


Babyface might've given more sales and/or another Top 10 hit, but since Deb have performed Motown covers, have some influences, and fond of the music, it's probably more of an accomplish that she got to work with a legendary producer/songwriter. (Babyface is a legend in his own right, but then he was fairly recent)

[Out of the Blue]

I remember when Sheena worked with Prince that some of her fans didn't like it very much.  They didn't like the new look or sound.  She sang the theme song on "For Your Eyes Only."

Babyface wan't really Deborah's sound.  She worked with Lamont Dozier and they co-produced "Anything is Possible."  It was after her fourth album that Atlantic wanted her to changer her image and sound to alternative and she balked at it.