Grammy-award winning artist and producer Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds is taking to the stage to raise funds for Bermuda charities tonight.

Proceeds from a performance at the Fairmont Southampton by the renowned entertainer are to be split between Age Concern, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Bermuda and the Kappa Alpha Psi Pee Wee Soccer Tournament.

The event is being put on by the Kappa Alpha Psi fraternity and will take place in the Poinciana Ballroom.

The audience will include scores of couples hoping to enjoy a weekend of romance as part of Premier Ewart Brown's annual Love Festival.

According to Anthony Hunter, president of the Bermuda chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi, the fundraiser and the Love Festival seemed a natural fit.

"We approached the Love Fest organisers and the Government and said this is what we're doing [as] we knew it might have been attractive to them," he explained. "They purchased tickets from us it's not being financed by them. They assisted in some of the ticket sales."

One hundred percent of the funds with be divided between the three charities, Mr. Hunter said. The event is just one of many organised by the fraternity each year thousands of dollars have been donated to educational awards and causes such as a mentoring programme at the Whitney Institute.

"This effort began in July 2009 and was fully finalised around September, October," he explained. "It's a lot of work. Babyface has pretty much just started touring again. He was down in Jamaica and was a hit."

Mr. Hunter said Babyface was chosen as the event headliner because of his wide appeal.

"We threw out a lot of names...I am a Babyface fan and there's quite a few guys that are Babyface fans in our organisation. When you really, really look at it, he's the king of R&B. Nobody's better than him. I think we picked a good choice."

Babyface will be backed by his own band.

Local acts for the night include Sia Spence, McCartney Darrell, Sloane Wilson and the Wall Street Brand with Robert Edwards.

"We just hope to see a lot of people there. We have done pretty good on the ticket sales. There's not many left," Mr. Hunter added.

l Doors open at 8.15 p.m. and the show is set to begin at 9 p.m. Tickets, $125, can be purchased by calling 705-5088.