Babyface Oversees 3LW's First Track With New Member

By archive-Corey-Moss

April 16, 2003 / 7:17 PM

SANTA MONICA, California -- 3LW have recorded their first song with newcomer Jessica Benson.

"J," as she is known to Kiely Williams and Adrienne Bailon (see [article id="1470341"]"3LW Become A Trio Again ... Finally"[/article]), recently joined the girls in logging the title track to the upcoming "If You Were My Girl" soundtrack with legendary producer Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds.

"We really loved working with him," Williams said at Saturday's Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards. "He was an amazing producer. We were like, 'Oh my God, we're working with Babyface!' We were trying to tell our manager, 'No, but this isn't like other people. This is Babyface. He did [Madonna's] 'Take a Bow.' He did 'Change the World.' He did everything. We love him!' So it was amazing working with him. We hope we work with him on our next album."

3LW are looking forward to more studio time with Benson, but first they want to promote last fall's A Girl Can Mack, released just after Naturi Naughton's controversial departure from the group (see [article id="1457117"]"3LW Become 2LW: Naturi Says She's Out Of Group"[/article]).

"We are actually working on a teen club tour," Bailon said. "We will be going around to people's different clubs, you know, just reaching out to our fanbase."

Only a handful of dates have been announced, beginning with a fund-raiser for My Daughter's Keeper in Waldorf, Maryland, on Friday, but more are expected.

Meanwhile, Bailon has landed a reoccurring role as a bully on the Disney Channel's "That's So Raven," starring former "The Cosby Show" star Raven Simone. Bailon and Williams met Simone while filming "Cheetah Girls," which opens in August (see [article id="1457870"]"3LW Holiday Album Due; Members Land Film Roles"[/article]).

"If You Were My Girl," a remake of the 1987 romantic comedy "Can't Buy Me Love," stars Nick Cannon, Christina Milian and Steve Harvey and is due in December.

3LW tour dates, according to the group's Web site:

4/18 - Waldorf, MD @ Club V

4/19 - Landover, MD @ Prince George's Sports and Learning Complex

4/25 - Gary, IN @ Genesis Convention Center

4/26 - New York, NY @ The Roxy

4/29 - Washington, DC @ Collegiate Village Higher Education Expo

5/3 - Atlanta, GA @ Music Midtown Festival

5/6 - New York, NY @ B.B. King's

5/16 - Pittsburgh, PA @ I.C. Lights Amphitheatre

6/13 - Hot Springs, AR @ Timberwood Amphitheater at Magic Springs

6/28 - Rochester, NY @ Roland Williams Celebrity Basketball Week

For more on the new 3LW, check out the feature "3LW: Three Once More."