His 1992 version, featured on his self-titled debut album, was the original rendition—and it carried all the tender, slow-burning passion you’d expect from a Babyface-penned track.
Yes, that Babyface. The godfather of 90s R&B, Kenneth “Babyface” Edmonds, co-wrote and produced “Wanna Girl”, giving both versions his signature sound: sleek drum programming, dreamy synth layers, and emotional sincerity wrapped in a slow jam's glow. Lorenz, fresh off his spotlight moment singing backup (and stealing hearts) on Mariah Carey’s MTV Unplugged cover of “I’ll Be There”, delivered a performance full of yearning and velvet-smooth vocals.
While Lorenz’s version was the original, it flew under the mainstream radar, partly because his album didn’t receive the commercial push it deserved—despite his obvious talent. A year later, Jeremy Jordan, riding the early 90s pop-R&B crossover wave, re-recorded the song for his debut album Try My Love. His version, more polished and slightly more pop-leaning, reached #28 on the Billboard Hot 100, introducing a wider audience to the romantic plea: “I wanna girl who will care for me... love me completely.”
Jordan’s cover gave the song new life, but it was Lorenz who first whispered it into the night. For true aficionados of the genre, both versions are worth spinning—two interpretations of the same sweet ache, each steeped in the golden glow of early 90s R&B.
Fun fact: A Babyface demo of the track also exists, a holy grail for collectors and fans of the legendary producer’s velvety delivery.
In the end, “Wanna Girl” is a song with a double heartbeat—one soulful and understated, the other a polished pop plea—and both versions keep us swaying to the rhythm of longing.
Trey Lorenz (1992)
Jeremy Jordan (1993)
