Exposé – “When I Looked at Him”:
A Glance That Changed Everything
By the time “When I Looked at Him” hit the airwaves in August 1989, Exposé had already proven they could totally dominate the dance floor. But this single—the second from their second album, What You Don’t Know—showed everyone they could slow things down and still make a huge impact. Written and produced by the group’s founder, Lewis Martineé, the song swapped high-energy freestyle beats for beautiful piano, strings, and a whole lot of vulnerability. It quickly became their sixth consecutive Top 10 hit on the Billboard Hot 100!
A Simple Truth, Felt Deeply
Lead vocals were handled by Jeanette Jurado, whose warm, expressive delivery gave the track its emotional core. The lyrics tell that familiar, wonderful story of a woman who just knows—without a shadow of a doubt—that she’s found “the one.” Her friends might tell her to be careful, but she’s already seen the truth in his eyes: “When I looked at him / And he turned to me / He said you’re more than a friend / To love, to need.” It’s a love song built not on fantasy, but on pure, undeniable clarity.
A Ballad with Staying Power
While Exposé was best known for their uptempo hits like “Point of No Return” and “Come Go with Me,” they had already shown their ballad skills with 1987’s “Seasons Change.” “When I Looked at Him” perfectly followed that tradition—a thoughtful, romantic slow jam that resonated big time with both fans and radio stations. It reached No. 10 on the Billboard Hot 100 and climbed to No. 3 on the Adult Contemporary chart, proving that their softer side was just as powerful.
The single came out with several different versions, including a “Suave Mix” and an acoustic B-side, which helped keep it fresh on radio and in clubs. And while it didn’t chart as high internationally, it still made waves in Canada, the Netherlands, and Belgium.
Enduring Impact
In a catalog brimming with high-energy dance hits, “When I Looked at Him” really stands out for its sincerity and restraint. It’s a song about certainty—about that rare, perfect moment when love doesn’t feel complicated or confusing, just completely right. And more than three decades later, it still feels like a quiet, beautiful revelation.