To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video. Up Next. Working the red carpet can be fun and chaotic regardless of which side of the rope you’re on. There’s the glitz and the glam on one side, and fighting for your life for *that* exclusive on the other. It’s in the latter that I can understand the burning pressure on the two Associated Press reporters to abruptly grab Chappell Roan – one of the hottest popstars on the planet right now – even though they were in the middle of interviewing music producer legend Babyface.

But what do you do in that moment? Is there a right answer? Maybe not but it certainly felt humiliating watching Babyface’s interview being unceremoniously cut short as Chappell was bellowed over. It all unfolded at the Grammy Awards on Sunday; AP reporters Leslie Ambriz and Krysta Fauria were on the red carpet asking Babyface for his thoughts on modern R&B singers incorporating different genres into their music such as pop and hip hop, sounds which have existed within R&B for decades.

Babyface began to answer but quickly got distracted by one of the journalists turning her body away. Just as Babyface started replying, she suddenly raised her hand and shouted: ‘Chappell!’ at the HOT 2 GO! singer who was just behind on the carpet. ‘I’m so sorry Babyface,’ they mumbled as the stunned producer said: ‘Go do that’ and Chappell shuffled on over. It was so disheartening to see the revered music producer slink away as Chappell was ushered in.

On a social level, it’s of course rude to interrupt someone speaking mid-sentence but there’s also a red carpet etiquette to follow, too. I’ve been on many of them where great talent had to slide right past as I spoke to someone else. One occasion that sticks out in my mind was on the red carpet for Jordan Peele’s horror movie Nope in the summer of 2022. After a slow start, things on the red carpet quickly gathered pace as they always do and us journalists were understandably made to take the interviews where we could get them as there wasn’t much time left. I was bang in the middle of interviewing Keke Palmer – a queen in her own right – when Daniel Kaluuya, the other lead star of the film, was ushered right past us around to the next reporter.

I tried everything short of bribery to get the publicist to bring him back my way but was told that they were running out of time and he couldn’t come back down the line. Everything inside of me melted as I realised that, while it was great to nab Palmer, I had missed getting the other major star of the film. However, it was out of my control. It would have been easy to interrupt my interview with Palmer but I didn’t, because that would have been rude.

It’s also safe to say that if I was interviewing Kaluuya and Palmer had walked past, I would have felt the exact same. Aside from the journalistic aspect, as a fan of R&B, I felt gutted for Babyface whose contribution to music is always at risk of being forgotten given so much of his work happens in the background as a writer and producer. However, his discography including songwriting and production credits would make any modern artist weep with envy.

The list of people he’s worked with over the years is phenomenal. Whitney Houston, Michael Jackson, Aretha Franklin, Bobby Brown, Mary J Blige, N*Sync… it goes on. Even if you’ve been living under a rock and don’t know the artists he’s written for, Babyface is the king of the love song. Some of his most recognisable tracks include Boyz II Men’s I’ll Make Love To You and End of the Road, and Mariah Carey’s We Belong Together.

He’s won 13 Grammys and was a co-founder of the influential R&B label LaFace Records alongside music industry giant and former Epic Records boss LA Reid. I say all that to say, Babyface is a legend in his own right and deserved every ounce of respect in that moment. Reporters working red carpets do deserve some grace but it works both ways: respect the artist and they’ll respect you. Got a story?. If you’ve got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the Metro.co.uk entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@metro.co.uk, calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we’d love to hear from you.