Child stars rarely stay wholesome and endearing. But there’s a lot that makes Tevin Campbell one-of-a-kind.
He was only 14 years old when his first solo hit charted. These days, there’s kids on The Voice younger than that, but back then, such a thing was unheard of. But Prince Rogers Nelson and Kenneth “Babyface” Edmonds made sure we were listening. Prince dedicated an entire scene in Graffiti Bridge, the sequel to Purple Rain, to Tevin’s first solo single “Round and Round.” The first single from Tevin’s second album was “Can We Talk?” written and produced by Babyface. I’m confident that the weight of those two names in launching a single person’s career isn’t lost on you.
It goes without saying that he could sing. Where most teenage boys’ voices are wrecked through puberty, Tevin kept the incredible range that he debuted with. Grown men were Tevin Campbell fans on the merits of his voice. A guest appearance on The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air as Ashley’s celebrity crush didn’t hurt either. In short, no matter the age or gender, everybody Black was rooting for Tevin Campbell.
Fast forward to 2019 when I guess the world forgot that. Tevin’s fame had diminished over time, and he did take a hiatus from 2003 to 2004, but he never stopped entertaining. He dropped 4 complete albums from 1991 to 1999, appeared on Moesha, the 2005 Broadway production of Hairspray, and the Mo’Nique Show, all while touring abroad. But when Mother Aretha Franklin passed away and there was talk of Tevin performing at her 2018 funeral, folks on the Twittersphere tried to throw shade.
NO. We protect Tevin Campbell at all costs. Celebrities and us regular folks alike came out in droves to tell the world that Tevin Campbell is a treasure. It was one of those rare touching moments that brought the Internet together.
AND THEN IT HAPPENED AGAIN.
In December of last year, R&B singer Tank, who’s very forthcoming about his hearing loss, showed the world that he could still sing Tevin’s “Can We Talk?,” the song that in his opinion is the mark of a “real R&B singer.” In the video’s caption, Tank issued the #CanWeTalkChallenge, and the Internet said ABSOLUTELY. Professional singers, actors, and ordinary TikTokers all joined in, and today, over 27 million people on the Internet’s youngest social network have heard the sweet sounds of a song that’s now become a nearly 30-year-old trend.
SOUND IN COLOR 2022
THE FULL SOUND IN COLOR COLLECTIONS