Whitney Houston was one of the most successful and influential singers of all time, with a remarkable voice that captivated millions of fans around the world. She was also a trailblazer for black female artists, breaking barriers and records in the music industry. She sold over 220 million records worldwide, won eight Grammy Awards, and starred in several blockbuster films. However, she also faced personal struggles and challenges that overshadowed her achievements and led to her tragic death in 2012. This article will explore Whitney Houston’s life, career, legacy, and impact on popular culture.
Early Life and Career Beginnings
Whitney Houston was born on August 9, 1963, in Newark, New Jersey, to a musical family. Her mother was Cissy Houston, a gospel singer and cousin of opera legend Leontyne Price. Her father was John Russell Houston Jr., an entertainment executive. She also had two older half-brothers, Gary and Michael. Whitney grew up singing in church and was exposed to various genres of music, such as soul, R&B, pop, and gospel.
Whitney started her career as a teen model and became one of the first black women to appear on the cover of Seventeen magazine in 1981. She also sang background vocals for artists such as Chaka Khan, Lou Rawls, and Jermaine Jackson. In 1983, she was discovered by Clive Davis, the founder of Arista Records, who signed her to his label and became her mentor. Davis helped shape Whitney’s musical style and image, aiming to make her a crossover star who could appeal to both black and white audiences.
Solo Success and Awards
Whitney released her self-titled debut album in 1985, which became an instant hit. The album produced four number-one singles on the Billboard Hot 100 chart: “Saving All My Love for You”, “How Will I Know”, “Greatest Love of All”, and “You Give Good Love”. The album also won Whitney her first Grammy Award for Best Pop Vocal Performance, Female. Whitney became the first female artist to have three songs in the top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100 chart simultaneously.
Whitney’s second album, Whitney, was released in 1987 and was even more successful than her first. The album debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 chart and sold over 20 million copies worldwide. The album also spawned four number-one singles: “I Wanna Dance with Somebody (Who Loves Me)”, “Didn’t We Almost Have It All”, “So Emotional”, and “Where Do Broken Hearts Go”. Whitney became the first artist to have seven consecutive number-one singles on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.
Whitney’s third album, I’m Your Baby Tonight, was released in 1990 and marked a shift in her musical direction. The album incorporated more R&B and urban elements, as well as collaborations with producers such as Babyface, L.A. Reid, and Teddy Riley. The album produced two number-one singles: the title track and “All the Man That I Need”. The album also showcased Whitney’s versatility as a vocalist, with songs ranging from ballads to dance-pop to soul.
Whitney’s fourth album, The Bodyguard: Original Soundtrack Album, was released in 1992 and became one of the best-selling albums of all time. The album was the soundtrack to Whitney’s film debut as an actress in The Bodyguard, co-starring Kevin Costner. The film was a huge success at the box office, grossing over $400 million worldwide. The soundtrack featured six songs by Whitney, including “I Will Always Love You”, a cover of Dolly Parton’s song that became Whitney’s signature song. The song spent 14 weeks at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and won Whitney two Grammy Awards for Record of the Year and Best Pop Vocal Performance, Female. The soundtrack also won the Grammy Award for Album of the Year and sold over 45 million copies worldwide.
Whitney continued to release successful albums throughout the 1990s and early 2000s, such as The Preacher’s Wife: Original Soundtrack Album (1996), My Love Is Your Love (1998), Whitney: The Greatest Hits (2000), Just Whitney (2002), and One Wish: The Holiday Album (2003). She also starred in more films, such as Waiting to Exhale (1995), The Preacher’s Wife (1996), Cinderella (1997), and Sparkle (2012). She also performed at various events, such as Super Bowl XXV (1991), where she sang a memorable rendition of “The Star-Spangled Banner”; The Concert for a New South Africa (1994), where she sang for Nelson Mandela; and The Oprah Winfrey Show (2009), where she gave her last major interview.
Personal Struggles and Death
Whitney’s personal life was often marred by controversy and turmoil. She married singer Bobby Brown in 1992, after a three-year courtship. The couple had a tumultuous relationship, marked by allegations of domestic violence, drug abuse, and infidelity. They had one daughter, Bobbi Kristina Brown, born in 1993. They also starred in a reality show, Being Bobby Brown, in 2005, which exposed their dysfunctional marriage to the public. They divorced in 2007, after 15 years of marriage.
Whitney’s drug addiction also affected her health and career. She admitted to using cocaine, marijuana, and pills in various interviews. She also suffered from vocal damage, weight loss, erratic behavior, and legal issues. She attempted to make several comebacks, but failed to regain her former glory. She released her final studio album, I Look to You, in 2009, which received mixed reviews and moderate sales. She also checked into rehab several times, but relapsed repeatedly.
Whitney died on February 11, 2012, at the age of 48, in Beverly Hills, California. She was found unconscious in the bathtub of her hotel room at the Beverly Hilton Hotel, where she was preparing to attend a pre-Grammy party. The cause of death was ruled as accidental drowning, with heart disease and cocaine use as contributing factors. Her funeral was held on February 18, 2012, at the New Hope Baptist Church in Newark, New Jersey, where she sang as a child. She was buried next to her father at the Fairview Cemetery in Westfield, New Jersey.
Legacy and Impact
Whitney Houston is widely regarded as one of the greatest singers of all time, with a voice that has been described as “powerful”, “soulful”, “angelic”, and “divine”. She influenced many singers in popular music, such as Mariah Carey, Celine Dion, Beyoncé, Christina Aguilera, Ariana Grande, and Adele. She is also considered a pioneer for black female artists, opening doors for them in the mainstream music industry and breaking racial barriers on MTV and other platforms.
Whitney Houston has received numerous awards and honors for her achievements and contributions to music and culture. She has won eight Grammy Awards out of 26 nominations, making her one of the most awarded female artists in Grammy history. She has also won 16 Billboard Music Awards out of 39 nominations, making her the most awarded female artist in Billboard history. She has also won two Emmy Awards out of four nominations, making her one of the few artists to win the EGOT (Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, Tony) quartet of awards.
Whitney Houston has also set many records and milestones in the music industry. She is the only artist to have seven consecutive number-one singles on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, a record that still stands today. She is also the only female artist to have two albums with more than 20 million copies sold each: Whitney Houston (1985) and The Bodyguard: Original Soundtrack Album (1992). She is also the most awarded female artist of all time by Guinness World Records, with over 600 awards in total.
Whitney Houston’s music and legacy have been celebrated and preserved by various institutions and organizations. She has been inducted into several halls of fame, such as the Grammy Hall of Fame (twice), the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (2020), the Rhythm and Blues Music Hall of Fame (2014), the Georgia Music Hall of Fame (2007), the New Jersey Hall of Fame (2013), and the National Recording Registry at the Library of Congress (2020). She has also been honored with several tributes and documentaries, such as Whitney: Can I Be Me (2017), Whitney (2018), The Whitney Houston Hologram Tour (2020), and Whitney Houston & Bobbi Kristina: Didn’t We Almost Have It All (2021).
Whitney Houston’s music and voice have transcended time and generations, touching millions of hearts and souls around the world. She remains an icon and a legend in the history of music and culture. As Clive Davis said at her funeral: “Whitney is purely and simply one of a kind.”
