The Rundown:
Why Whitney initially doubted "Exhale (Shoop Shoop)" — and what it reveals about Babyface's songwriting formula
How the all-women roster was built: the Arista/LaFace pipeline, Whitney's hand in the selection, and who Shanna actually was
The notable omissions — Monica, Mariah Carey, Anita Baker, and En Vogue — and the business reasons behind each one
How Babyface wrote distinctly for each artist, from a teenage Brandy to TLC to Chante Moore, within a single project
DJ Sir Daniel and Jay Ray build a 2027 version of the soundtrack with Muni Long, Jazmine Sullivan, Doechii, Meg Thee Stallion, and a reunited Destiny's Child
Chapters:
00:00 Hook
00:20 Intro Theme
00:38 Intro & The 1995 Renaissance of Black Soundtracks
02:26 Discussing The Film, Forest Whitaker, the Ensemble Cast & Terry McMillan
05:38 Whitney Houston's Moment From Bodyguard to Waiting to Exhale
06:59 Transition
07:05 The Soundtrack Roster Who Made the Cut & How
08:41 How Babyface & Whitney Selected the Artists
10:29 Discussing the Omissions and Why Some May Not Have Made the Cut
13:58 Transition
14:05 On Babyface and Writing in the Voice of Black Women
16:36 The Year Babyface Went Solo & L.A. Reid Stepped Back
17:48 Whitney's Doubt About "Exhale (Shoop Shoop)" & the Power of Simplicity
19:51 Transition
19:58 Queue Points Builds Their Own Soundtrack Featuring Contemporary Artists
22:37 The Sequel That Never Was & Favorite Moments from the Film
24:31 Closing
25:40 Outro Theme
If this conversation is one you want to continue, drop your take in the comments — who would you put on a 2027 version of this soundtrack. Subscribe to Queue Points for weekly deep dives into Black music history.
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