With a cluster of number one hits, “I Will Always Love You” and “I Wanna Dance With Somebody”, Houston captivated listeners internationally. She had a soulful, gospel style voice which is almost impossible to copy, the former model was pure magic. Whitney could sing anything and make it sound good. From AT&T to Diet Coke, she was snagged by companies to promote their products.
Beautiful, so talented, and gracious; there are so many reasons that the world loved Whitney Houston. Here are just a few reasons why I will always adore Whitney…
She was REAL.
Houston was the queen of live performances, no auto-tuning necessary thank you. She could dazzle a crowd with her musical runs and never sang the same song the same way.
Her greatest gift was the way she transformed any song into her own. The artist’s rendition of “One Moment in Time” at the Grammy Awards in 1988 and “I Have Nothing/Porgy and Bess” medley at the 1994 American Music Awards brought audiences to their feet.
Straight From The Soul
No matter what song Whitney sang, everyone knew she meant every word. With arms opening and closing and an intensity in her eyes, the singer’s stage presence was strong. With the incredible ability to hit high and low notes she bared her soul in every song.
When I heard Aretha, I could feel her emotional delivery so clearly. It came from down deep within. That’s what I wanted to do. Whitney Houston
She was afraid… but did it anyway.
Whitney expanded her reach to the movie industry. According to Kevin Kostner she was “terrified” to star in a movie. But… she did it anyway and we’re so glad she did. Her role in “The Bodyguard” raised Houston to instant super-stardom, selling out concert halls around the world during “The Bodyguard” tour. The Bodyguard’s CD was the biggest selling soundtrack in history. She continued in films: “Waiting To Exhale”, “The Preacher’s Wife”, and “Cinderella”. A short time after her death in February 2012, her film “Sparkle” came out.
Love for children – her own and others
Houston said that if she hadn’t become a singer, she would have wanted to be a teacher. She started “The Whitney Houston Foundation for Children” helping disadvantaged youth.
Then there was her beloved Bobbi Christina
“They were amazingly close,” journalist Jawn Murray told FOXNews.com of Houston’s relationship with her daughter. Murray interviewed Houston many times during his career.
“They had a relationship that really resembled the relationship that Whitney Houston had with her own mother, Cissy Houston,” Murray said. “Whitney loved her daughter. Bobbi Kristina was her only child and her pride and joy. Because of that, she treasured her.”
Houston was one of the biggest stars on the planet. She set so many records we almost lost count. Selling over 200 million worldwide, multiple diamond and platinum selling albums, even a 2009 Guinness World Record as the most awarded female act of all time, she was definitely in a league of her own. Records notwithstanding, it’s her voice and her heart that I will always remember.
Whitney Houston wowed the world with talent, grace, and beauty. With a voice of an angel, her legacy lives on, artists are still inspired by her music. Such a shame that beneath all that beauty there was a dark – very dark – side to her soul. I always say she was too young to leave but probably a little too troubled to stay.
WE thank you for the music Whitney. I’m featuring this beautiful woman and her angelic voice this Saturday night on my Soul Town show. The voice of an angel and this beautiful lady was taken much too soon, so let’s celebrate her life with some ballads and a couple of uptempo songs from Whitney this Saturday.
I’ll also drop in a track from the UK’s Junior Giscombe and a classic from Gladys Knight this Saturday 6pm to 8pm on Magic Radio 105.4fm in London, across the UK on DAB and also on Magic Soul Summer which you can hear 24 hours a day on the Magic App.
