Babyface wrote and produced Whitney Houston’s 1995 single “Exhale (Shoop Shoop).”
The song was recorded for the soundtrack to the film Waiting to Exhale, which starred Houston alongside Angela Bassett, Loretta Devine, and Lela Rochon. Babyface wrote the screenplay and directed the film, then composed “Exhale (Shoop Shoop)” after being inspired by the movie’s themes of friendship, relationships, and learning to let go.
Houston recorded the song as a restrained, mid-tempo R&B and soul ballad. Its repeated “shoop” refrain became its most recognizable feature, even though the lyric is not a conventional narrative chorus. The single was released on November 6, 1995, through Arista Records and served as the soundtrack’s lead single.
“Exhale (Shoop Shoop)” debuted at number one on the Billboard Hot 100, making Houston the third artist in chart history to enter at the top. It later received Grammy nominations, including Record of the Year and Best R&B Song. A common mix-up is crediting David Foster or other Houston collaborators; Babyface alone is credited as both writer and producer.