It seems like that every time we blink, we lose one of our legends each time. In the last three years, we have lost some in quick succession - Michael Jackson, Teddy Pendergrass, Heavy-D, Etta James and now Whitney Houston. Whitney burst onto the music scene in 1983, with her breathtaking good looks, her warm and welcoming smile and her most treasured asset, her voice. Her voice was unmatched and distinct, it had the power to shake the ground and smash windows, it is no wonder that it earned her critical acclaim, hit songs, numerous awards and over 150 million records sold worldwide. She was truly a super –mega star in her own right and possessed the poise and beauty to manage her success.
Despite the fact that her music and career influenced a whole generation (even singers like Alicia Keys, Jennifer Hudson, Beyonce and Christina Aguilera attest to this), over the years her music was more of a second importance while her relationship with her relationship with Bobby Brown took centerstage. Later on, we would then learn about the emotional and physical abuse she suffered from the relationship, her drug addiction and the loss of the voice that we all knew and loved. For a while, it seemed that we would never get our Whitney back. In 2009, she spoke to Oprah and gave us a detailed overview of what she had been going through the years and I think it was amazing to see that she was able go against all odds and release a brand new album, I Look To You. A tour soon followed suit, which was panned by critics because Whitney was not living up to the standard of performances she usually gave in the 80s and 90s, which eventually led to her cancelling some dates and hibernating from the limelight once again.
We began to see her out and about again in 2011, as she was shooting a new movie with Jordin Sparks, and she was working with R.Kelly on music for the soundtrack and it was even rumoured that she was going back into the studio with Alicia Keys who wrote her 2009 hit, Million Dollar Bill. In February 2012, she was in Los Angeles to attend her mentors (Clive Davis) annual pre-grammy party, where it was believed that she was scheduled to perform. The night before her death, she went to a concert of her friend and collaborator, Kelly Price where she gave her last performance of her life. Whitney Houston died on February 11, 2012, she was 48.
We all know her story because she lived it through the headlines and the media, we all think we know her story because of that. I was watching a funeral on E! last night and I must say that it was pretty emotional to see people tell stories about a woman we all thought we knew so well, many said she was funny, many said she was insecure, many said she was crazy and some said she was witty. In the words of r&b singer Ashanti, she always felt like your favourite aunt. Whitney lived a life filled with ups and downs but through it all, she stayed strong and kept her faith in God and even though she leaves family, friends and fans behind, I think we would all remember her for the musical legacy and influence she left behind. RIP Nippy... We Would Always Love You!!!!
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