Critical Reception
Since the beginning of her singing career, Houston has received negative criticism for not having "the soul" in her voice. "Exhale (Shoop Shoop)" received mainly positive reviews from music critics; most of which were positive about Houston's 'soulful' performance and vocal maturity. Jean Rosenbluth of Los Angeles Times praised the song, saying "Houston's elegant 'Exhale (Shoop Shoop)' exude maturity without resorting to the relentlessly big vocals that characterize so many R&B records aiming for adult audiences." Geoffrey Himes of The Washington Post wrote, "Sounding like someone who has just emptied her lungs after holding her breath a long time, Houston brings a surprisingly mature, world-weary tone to the song." Robert Hilburn, pop music critic of Los Angeles Times, noted Babyface's achievement in the song, saying "he brings Houston down to earth, trading her normal vocal exuberance for convincing warmth." Larry Flick of Billboard called the song "a surprisingly understated shuffle-ballad with soul and far more interesting vocal colors than all the shrieking can provide." Rome News-Tribune wrote that "'Exhale' has an easygoing, infectious charm", and that Houston "delivers a soulfully relaxed vocal." Anthony Violenti of The Buffalo News gave the song a positive review, commenting that Houston's vocals were intoxicating. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, in their review of the soundtrack, viewed the song as "easy and understated". Steve Knopper of Newsday wrote that the song was "irresistibly catchy" and irritating at the same time. However, Patricia Smith of The Boston Globe wrote that the "Shoop Shoop"s were "annoying". While reviewing Houston's compilation Whitney: The Greatest Hits (2000), Christine Galera of Orlando Sentinel also expressed her dislike for the song, stating the songs from Waiting to Exhale, including "Exhale (Shoop Shoop)" and "Why Does It Hurt So Bad", were too mellow.
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