He continued to collaborate with other artists during this period. McDonald co-wrote Van Halen's top-20 hit "I'll Wait", from their biggest-selling album "1984". "Yah Mo B There", a duet with James Ingram, won the 27th Annual Grammy for Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals. In 1985, he released his second studio album "No Lookin' Back", which for the first time, he coproduced, as well as wrote or cowrote all of the tracks and featured a minor hit with the title-track, cowritten by Kenny Loggins. By June 1986, the album had met little success, but McDonald then had a huge boost with the release of the single "Sweet Freedom", which appeared on the soundtrack to the Billy Crystal and Gregory Hines film "Running Scared", and was McDonald's last top-10 hit on the "Billboard" Hot 100 chart. The "No Lookin' Back" album was then re-released in some markets with the new hit single included, as well as a few songs remixed. The single "On My Own", a duet with Patti LaBelle, reached number one on the U.S. charts in 1986. Mid that year, he performed as a backing vocalist on the rock band Toto's album "Fahrenheit", appearing on the hit single "I'll Be Over You", and its accompanying video. On August 22, 1986, McDonald appeared in an episode of "The Young and the Restless". Later that year, he provided backing vocals on the Wang Chung song "A Fool and His Money" from their album "Mosaic". In 1987, McDonald did a featured collaboration with Gospel quartet the Winans from their "Decisions" album titled "Love Has No Color".