A well-placed source of mine just played for me one of the songs on hold for Whitney's next album. If this one song is any indication, those who worry about Whitney experimenting with a radically different style on her upcoming project need not fear. The song, "While You Were Gone," is reminiscent some of her earlier recordings, particularly "Exhale" and "Lover for Life." Nevertheless, this is just one song and it may not reflect the tenor of the entire project; indeed, it may not even make the final cut for the album.

I also urged my friend, who is a filmmaker and die-hard Whitney fan, to approach the golden-voiced diva to record the theme song for his debut feature film. The song, whose title I cannot divulge at the moment, has been previously recorded by two female artists. It is a stunning composition--lyrically and melodically, and would fit our Whitney like a well-worn pair of jeans. Of course, the chances of her agreeing to contribute to a soundtrack are slim, but we can hope. My friend agrees that no singer other than Whitney could do the song justice.

Finally, one of my sources close to Babyface will be asking him whether he is indeed producing the rumored duet between Whitney and Mariah. I have yet to see any solid confirmation of the musical pairing; however, the source claimed that Babyface has been working on some new material for a Disney film. The word is that the material is gospel-influenced and powerful. If this turns out to be music for the duet, it sounds like the song will have Whitney's stamp for sure.