I’m Your Baby Tonight, part of the 33 1/3 series, is forthcoming Nov. 12, 2026.
Praise
“As rich and deep as Whitney Houston’s soprano, Brandon Tensley’s book is more than an excellent analysis of an album. He has written a superb tribute and a beautiful story of music, race, and the dangers of not recognizing the complexity of how talent matures and flourishes, even among those recognized as great. This is an exceedingly smart book for anyone who has ever recalled a song that touched their heart.” — Marcia Chatelain, Pulitzer Prize–winning author of Franchise: The Golden Arches in Black America
“A deep, incisive, and tender analysis of a historically underrated and misunderstood record. With rigor and respect, Brandon Tensley gives both Whitney Houston and I’m Your Baby Tonight the critical treatment they deserve.” — Sophie Gilbert, Pulitzer Prize finalist and author of Girl on Girl: How Pop Culture Turned a Generation of Women Against Themselves
“In I’m Your Baby Tonight, Brandon Tensley gives ‘R&B Whitney’ the respect she deserves and was too long denied. Tensley writes beautifully about the music, the recording industry, the political era, and the miracle of that singular voice and steadfast personality. Most of all, it is a loving tribute to Whitney the performer, Whitney the star who lifted up a chosen family of Black women artists, Whitney who raised money for AIDS research and spoke lovingly of friends lost to the disease at a time when fear was the dominant response, and Whitney who refused to be pushed around and pigeonholed. An utter delight.” — June Thomas, author of A Place of Our Own: Six Spaces That Shaped Queer Women’s Culture
“When it comes to Whitney Houston, the average person—fan, even—fancies themselves someone who knows Whitney and therefore understands Whitney. But along comes Brandon Tensley’s I’m Your Baby Tonight, a book that lovingly tells you, ‘Baby, you might love her, but maybe you don’t understand her.’ In his hands, Whitney is given dimension in ways that will thrill people, including those who think that they already have the full picture of one of America’s definitive icons. This book isn’t an exhumation of a career, but an illustration of a life. Side characters, side quests, and side commentary abound. The book is never dry because Tensley weaves context, humor, and—perhaps the biggest thing—empathy throughout. Whitney remains a hard person to know—who isn’t?—but he makes her far easier to understand. Read.” — Tre Johnson, author of Black Genius: Essays on an American Legacy
