AP apologizes after reporter abruptly stops interview with Babyface for Chappell Roan
The Associated Press (AP) apologized after two reporters abruptly ended their interview with 12-time Grammy winner Babyface on the 2025 Grammys red carpet for Chappell Roan.
During the red carpet of the 67th Grammy Awards held on Feb. 3 (Philippine time), AP reporters Leslie Ambriz and Krysta Fauria were talking to singer-music producer Kenneth Edmonds, better known as Babyface. While the latter was mid-sentence answering their question, Fauria suddenly shouted, “Chappell! Chappell!” to get the Pink Pony Club singer’s attention.
The 65-year-old 12-time Grammy winner asked if the reporters wanted to talk with Roan instead, before handing them the mic and walking away, as seen on the livestream footage. "I'm so sorry, Babyface," Ambriz said, before greeting Roan.
Fauria later apologized in the livestream, saying, “First I wanted to say that I’m really sorry about interrupting Babyface earlier. Chappell Roan had come up and there was a lot of commotion as there is on these carpets. I’m a big Babyface fan as are we all, so I just wanted to say that.”
The incident has since drawn backlash from social media users, saying that the interaction was “rude” and “disrespectful.”
“13x Grammy Award-winning Kenneth “Babyface” Edmonds? Am I seeing this correctly?” Dionne Warwick wrote on X, before sharing a screenshot of a dictionary meaning of “decorum” to AP.
13x Grammy Award winning Kenneth “Babyface” Edmonds? Am I seeing this correctly? https://t.co/GhFJwi6rXF
— Dionne Warwick (@dionnewarwick) February 3, 2025
“There wasn’t commotion. She was just hella rude,” another one wrote.
Socialite Khloe Kardashian also criticized the incident, saying that a “legend” like Babyface didn’t deserve the treatment.
“This is so disrespectful how Babyface was treated in this interview. Babyface has had such a significant impact on the music industry, in sooo many ways. [It’s] maddening to see a LEGEND not get the respect and attention they deserve. He is a pioneer and deserves so much better than this,” she wrote on X, noting Babyface’s contribution to the industry over the years.
“PS big or small, old or new, you don't treat people like this. At least not in my eyes. There's a way to handle this and this was wrong in my opinion,” she added.
The international news outlet also expressed its apologies after earning backlash from the incident.
“We are deeply sorry for cutting our interview with Babyface short on our YouTube livestream of the Grammys red carpet. We have apologized to him through his representative and to our viewers on the livestream,” it wrote on X.
We are deeply sorry for cutting our interview with Babyface short on our YouTube livestream of the Grammys red carpet. We have apologized to him through his representative and to our viewers on the livestream.
— The Associated Press (@AP) February 3, 2025
For his part, Babyface shrugged off the incident, saying “Music is bigger than any one moment.”
"The best part of the night was reconnecting with old friends, meeting new artists, and feeling all the love in the room," he said in the statement to PEOPLE Magazine.
"That’s what I’ll remember. That’s what it’s really about... Much love to everyone who won and everyone out here making great music,” he added.
Babyface is known for his songs Everytime I Close My Eyes, Whip Appeal, Hurt You, and It’s No Crime, among others.