Her greatest single performance likely took place on a football field, as Whitney Houston is responsible for the most i mpressive, moving national anthem rendition in Super Bowl history. But the iconic singer also sold over 200 million albums worldwide and collected six Grammy Awards. She’s one of the most successful female solo artists of all-time, paving the way for stars of today such as Mariah Carey and Rihanna. Now, in the wake of her tragic passing , we present a video tribute to Whitney and ask readers for their fondest memories of the legend… Whitney Houston – I Will Always Love You (Official Video) Whitney Houston – It’s Not Right but It’s Okay (Official Video) Whitney Houston – I Wanna Dance with Somebody (Official Video) Whitney Houston – How Will I Know (Official Video) WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE WHITNEY HOUSTON SONG?
We break down the stunning sales numbers behind the late diva’s record-setting career. By Gil Kaufman Whitney Houston performs at the 1999 Brit Awards Photo: JMEnternational/ RedFerns There had been other explosive young divas before — Aretha Franklin, Tina Turner — but in the 1980s and early 1990s, Whitney Houston seized the spotlight so fast, so early, so young and so forcefully that she set a bar so high singers are still trying to vault it today. The daughter of gospel great Cissy Houston and cousin of “I Say a Little Prayer” singer Dionne Warwick, Houston was discovered as a teenager and burst into the national consciousness in 1985 with her self-titled debut. The seamless mix of wide-screen ballads and dance-floor-worthy anthems spawned such iconic hits as “You Give Good Love,” “Saving All My Love for You,” “The Greatest Love of All” and “How Will I Know.” A radiant breath of fresh air, Houston rode the music-video wave to stardom, scooping up dozens of awards for her smash first album, including two Grammys and an MTV Video Music Award for Best Female Video for “How Will I Know.” Along with Michael Jackson, Houston helped pave the way for a generation of black artists to exploit the video medium to reach a global audience. She did it by spinning off a string of indelible hits in such an joyful manner that her vocal feats of strength appeared effortless. On the eve of the 54th annual Grammy Awards , Houston was found dead Saturday in Los Angeles at age 48. At press time, the cause of death was still unknown. She had last taken the stage Thursday night at a pre-Grammy event on Thursday night. Just hours before the news broke, friend Kelly Price said stories of Houston’s ongoing struggles were exaggerated. CNN reported Saturday night that Jennifer Hudson would participate in a tribute to Houston at Sunday night’s Grammys. Houston died just hours before the start of the annual pre-Grammy party thrown by legendary music impresario Clive Davis, the mogul who signed Houston to Arista Records after seeing her perform in New York clubs in the early 1980s. Though her hitmaking days were long past, Houston’s influence continues today, from the sound of such avowed acolytes as Mariah Carey, Christina Aguilera and Mary J. Blige to an untold number of singers hoping to stake their claim on such reality singing competitions as “American Idol,” “X Factor” and “The Voice.” Houston’s muscular, gospel-tinged vocal gymnastics and her telegenic spark raised the bar to a level today’s singers — from Rihanna to Adele — are still striving to achieve. By the time her career faltered in the 2000s as she struggled with substance abuse , personal drama and vocal issues, Houston had already blazed an unstoppable trail and was ranked by the Guinness Book of World Records as the most celebrated female vocalist of all time, including 26 Grammy nominations and 6 wins, along with sales of more than 170 million albums, singles and videos. Some of Houston’s career achievements:
Whitney Houston said she was “older and matured” in her final ever interview. Whitney was found dead at 48 and questions surrounds her death. The singer was pronounced dead at the Beverly Hilton hotel in Los Angeles yesterday. But, in an interview to promote her new film Sparkle with Access Hollywood last November, Houston spoke candidly about getting her life back on track. Check out the video:
The remake, in which she plays Jordin Sparks’ mom, wrapped filming before the singer’s untimely death. By Kara Warner Jordin Sparks and Whitney Houston in “Sparkle” Photo: Alicia Gbur/ Stage 6 Films The news of Whitney Houston’s death Saturday has left those who loved her reeling, with a multitude of celebrity fans and friends expressing their grief publicly. Houston’s untimely passing on the eve of the Grammy Awards has shocked everyone, nearly extinguishing the normally festive atmosphere in Los Angeles surrounding the music industry’s biggest night. While fans will unfortunately not have the opportunity to see her sing live again, Houston’s legacy will live on via her final film, “Sparkle,” which is scheduled to be released by Sony in August as planned. A rep for the studio expressed deep sympathy for the loss of the icon to MTV News. “Like all those who knew and loved her, we are shocked and saddened and the world has lost an incomparable talent. Right now our thoughts are with her daughter, her family and her friends.” The film’s producer, Bishop T.D Jakes, also expressed his sadness upon hearing the news: “We are deeply saddened by the tragic and untimely passing of Whitney Houston, whom we were blessed to have just completed work with on the remake of the film ‘Sparkle.’ We ask the world to join us in lifting up Whitney’s family in prayer and ask God for their strength and comfort during this devastatingly difficult time,” Bishop wrote in a statement. “At the apex of her career, Whitney had no peer, with a voice that shaped a generation. She has left behind a musical and film legacy that will endure. … She will be sorely missed by us all.” “Sparkle” is a remake of the 1976 Irene Cara film about three talented young musicians who struggle with addiction. The 2012 version features “American Idol” alum Jordin Sparks as the titular character Sparkle and Houston, who also served as executive producer after having acquired the rights to the film more than a decade ago, as her mother, Emma. Houston’s co-producer on the project, Howard Rosenman, told the Los Angeles Times he was in total shock upon hearing the news. “I have no idea about the impact [of Houston’s death] on ‘Sparkle,’ which I saw last night,” he told the newspaper of screening a rough cut of the recently wrapped film. “[Houston] was unbelievably fantastic in it.” “Sparkle” was Houston’s first movie in 16 years, since her performance alongside Denzel Washington in the 1996 holiday feel-good film “The Preacher’s Wife.” Her most memorable and celebrated role was in the 1992 romantic drama “The Bodyguard.” Share your condolences with Whitney’s family and friends on our Facebook page. Related Videos Whitney Houston: Life And Music Of An Icon Related Photos Whitney Houston: A Life In Photos
Whitney Houston died today at the Beverly Hilton Hotel, and it was a member of the singer’s entourage who discovered Whitney’s body in her room, and then contacted hotel security. 911 was telephoned, and when paramedics arrived arrived they discovered Whitney unconscious. After failing to revive her with CPR, the medics pronounced her dead at 3:55 PM. Reportedly, there are no signs of foul play, but Beverly Hills Police Department are currently conducting a full investigation.
Wiz Khalifa, Ne-Yo, LL Cool J and ‘Sparkle’ co-star Tika Sumpter all pay tribute to the late icon. By Kelley L. Carter Clive Davis and Diddy onstage at the pre-Grammy Gala and Salute to Industry Icons Photo: Kevin Winter/Getty Images Saturday night (February 11) before the Grammys is supposed to be a celebration. Instead, on the red carpet at LL Cool J ‘s pre-Grammy dinner party and Clive Davis’ annual soiree, tribute was paid and tears were shed after the news that Whitney Houston was found dead earlier that day. With the news so fresh in their minds, Houston’s celebrity friends were feeling the loss immensely. “I remember hearing her voice and thinking it was the most amazing and powerful voice I’d heard in my life. To this day, it can’t even be matched,” rapper Wiz Khalifa told MTV News on the Clive Davis red carpet. ” … We’re going to celebrate her life and the great things that she’s done. This is her night.” Inside the Clive Davis party, Houston’s mentor took a moment to share some words about his most famous discovery. “Whitney loved music and loved this night that celebrates music,” he told the crowd of celebrities and industry insiders. “Whitney was a beautiful person with talent beyond compare. She gave so many memorable performances here over the years. Her family asked that we carry on.” Diddy shared his memories of Houston onstage: “If you sat next to Whitney anywhere, you knew she was in for a good time. … She gave you a grandma hug that shook your body.” When Alicia Keys performed at Davis’ party, she spoke of her “kindred sisterhood” with Houston, whom she has collaborated with in the past. “The same man who helped her dreams come true helped my dreams come true,” Keys’ said of sharing mentor Davis with the late singer. Tony Bennett also toasted Whitney, singing in her honor Frank Sinatra’s “Music Never Ends,” which he said “Frank asked me to sing. … Dedicated to Whitney, the greatest singer I ever heard in my life.” “There was nothing she couldn’t do except conquer that demon that we all were aware of,” former late-night talk-show host Arsenio Hall told MTV News at the LL party. “Whitney could sing. Whitney could act. Whitney was incredibly funny. I remember nights hanging out with Whitney and just laughing until your stomach hurts.” LL, who had just come from his final rehearsal before hosting Sunday’s Grammys , said the show will be changed to honor Houston. He didn’t want to divulge specifics, except to say “of course it affects it. How could it not affect it? But we’ll, as a team … everybody involved with the Grammys, we want to give her respect. We’ll do something.” The rapper and actor also talked about Houston’s rich legacy, saying, “She was the pop queen. All the little girls wanted to sing like her. She was just like a member of a lot of people’s families. It’s devastating. … A great artist, great person. We go through so many ups and downs in life, but you just remember that voice.” At the Clive Davis event, singer/songwriter Ne-Yo echoed LL, saying, “Any little girl that wanted … to be a real singer — not a pop star, but a singer — there’s no way that that little girl can say that she wasn’t influenced by Whitney Houston. No possible way.” NBA legend Magic Johnson said he was longtime friends with Houston. He smiled when thinking about her and said he rarely missed a show when she performed in Los Angeles. Johnson said Houston had recently performed “Happy Birthday” for his wife, Cookie. “That’s who she was. She had a good heart. We shared so many moments with her. She thrilled us with being onscreen with her movies and everything. She always wanted to know how my theaters were doing, especially when she had a movie. She’d check and be like, ‘How’d it do at the box office?’ She was a great woman. It’s sad that this had to happen. This is tough for everybody,” Johnson said. Actress Tika Sumpter, who recently worked with Houston in the forthcoming “Sparkle,” was crying and said it was hard to smile on the red carpet. She plays one of Houston’s daughters in the film, alongside Jordin Sparks and Carmen Egojo. Sumpter said she hadn’t spoken with any of her castmembers since learning of Houston’s death earlier that day. “It’s so hard to talk about this right now. I got to work with her. And she’s an awesome woman. I thought of her as a second mom, and she thought of us as her daughters,” she said. “I’m excited for people to see how brilliant she is in it. I’m just happy that I was able to play her daughter.” Join us for a tribute to Whitney Houston with non-stop music videos on MTV Hits and MTV Jams, all day Sunday. Share your condolences with Whitney’s family and friends on our Facebook page. Related Videos Whitney Houston: Life And Music Of An Icon Related Photos 2012 Grammy Awards Pre-Parties Whitney Houston: A Life In Photos Related Artists Whitney Houston Diddy
Iconic diva appeared in celebrated box-office gems including ‘The Bodyguard’ and ‘Waiting to Exhale.’ By Eric Ditzian Whitney Houston and Kevin Costner in “Bodyguard” Photo: Warner Bros. The death of Whitney Houston, who died on Saturday (February 11) at the age of 48, leaves a gaping hole not only in the world of music, but in movies, too. She may have been best known for belting out R&B power ballads, but Whitney Houston also made an impact in Hollywood — a star in hit movies and a musical presence in countless other films. As we mourn her untimely death and honor her career, let’s take a look back at some of Houston’s cinematic achievements. “The Bodyguard” By far Houston’s most celebrated film, this 1992 romantic drama, in which she starred opposite Kevin Costner, became not only a box-office success (more than $400 million at the worldwide box office), but spawned one of the most popular movie soundtracks of all time. The disc won a Grammy for Album of the Year and its first single, “I Will Always Love You,” became one of the best-selling singles ever. “Waiting to Exhale” Three years after the success of “The Bodyguard,” Houston teamed with Angela Basset and Loretta Devine for a film about four friends and their various relationship dramas. Babyface produced the score and Houston performed two songs on the soundtrack, which went platinum seven times. Her “Exhale (Shoop Shoop)” hit #1 on Billboard ‘s Hot 100 chart. MTV Movie Awards Houston appeared three times at the MTV Movie Awards, once in 1993 following “The Bodyguard,” again in 1996 after “Waiting to Exhale,” and finally in 1999. In ’93, she was nominated for three awards, including Breakthrough Performance, but came away empty-handed. In ’96, she performed “Why Does It Hurt So Bad,” a single off the “Exhale” soundtrack. “The Princess Diaries” The singer never appeared in this Disney teen drama, but she produced the film, which is notable for having been Anne Hathaway’s breakout role. The movie grossed almost $170 million and spawned a sequel. “The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement,” which Houston also produced, grossed more than $130 million. “Sparkle” A remake of the 1976 musical, “Sparkle,” loosely based on Motown’s the Supremes, was slated to be revived with Houston as executive-producer and star. “American Idol” winner Jordin Sparks took on the role of Sparkle, with Houston playing her mother (her first movie role since 1996’s “The Preacher’s Wife,” in which she costarred along with Denzel Washington). “Sparkle” was shot in the fall of 2011 and has been slated for an August 17 release. When MTV News reached out to Sony/ Screen Gems after Houston’s death, we received this statement: “Like all those who knew and loved her, we are shocked and saddened and the world has lost an incomparable talent. Right now our thoughts are with her daughter, her family and her friends.” Join us for a tribute to Whitney Houston with non-stop music videos on MTV Hits and MTV Jams, all day Sunday. Share your condolences and memories of Whitney Houston on our Facebook page. Related Videos Whitney Houston: Life And Music Of An Icon Related Photos Whitney Houston: A Life In Photos Related Artists Whitney Houston
‘We would be remiss if we didn’t recognize Whitney’s remarkable contribution to music fans,’ executive producer says of tonight’s show. By Tomika L. Anderson Jennifer Hudson and Whitney Houston at the 2009 Grammy Awards Photo: Kevin Mazur/ WireImage Jennifer Hudson will perform a tribute to Whitney Houston at the 2012 Grammy Awards , Recording Academy President and CEO Neil Portnow confirmed onstage Saturday night at Clive Davis’ pre-Grammy party. The award show’s executive producer, Ken Ehrlich, announced on CNN that Chaka Khan will also join in honoring the late pop icon on Sunday night (February 12). “It’s too fresh in everyone’s memory to do more at this time, but we would be remiss if we didn’t recognize Whitney’s remarkable contribution to music fans in general, and in particular her close ties with the Grammy telecast and her Grammy wins and nominations over the years,” Ehrlich said. “I’m speechless … I’m in shock right now. Just pray for her and the family,” Chaka tweeted upon hearing the news. It is not yet known what other changes might be made to the show night in light of Houston’s passing, but Neil Portnow issuing this statement on the loss of one of the music world’s greatest artists: “Six-time GRAMMY winner Whitney Houston was one of the world’s greatest pop singers of all time who leaves behind a robust musical soundtrack spanning the past three decades. Her powerful voice graced many memorable and award-winning songs. A light has been dimmed in our music community today, and we extend our deepest condolences to her family, friends, fans and all who have been touched by her beautiful voice.” Houston was found dead at 48 on Saturday in a Beverly Hills hotel, and police are still investigating the cause of death. She was best-known for mega-hits like “I Will Always Love You” and “How Will I Know,” but her reach extended to the big screen as well with box-office hits like “The Bodyguard” and “Waiting to Exhale.” Join us for a tribute to Whitney Houston with non-stop music videos on MTV Hits and MTV Jams, all day Sunday. Share your thoughts, memories and comments on our Facebook page. Related Videos Whitney Houston: Life And Music Of An Icon Related Photos Whitney Houston: A Life In Photos Related Artists Whitney Houston Jennifer Hudson
News of singer Whitney Houston’s death spread like wildfire on Twitter since the news broke with a tweet from Associated Press at 4.57 pm. AP’s tweet was retweeted over 10,000 times. After posting the story on our Hot 1079 Facebook fan page, we received nearly 300 likes in under a hour. The first full hour after the news broke saw 2,481,652 tweets and retweets, peaking at 61,227 tweets at 5.23 pm (all times are PST). That is over a thousand tweets a second, not quite as much as during the Superbowl but still a lot. The most retweeted article after the news broke was from MSNBC, with 13 thousand tweets linking to it. Friends, musicians and celebrities tweeted out their condolences, each of them getting retweeted thousands of times: Rapper Lil Wayne has the record, with over 29,000 retweets as of the time of writing this post. Others who were widely retweeted include: Justin Bieber ( 15,000 ), Nicki Minaj ( 8,739 ), Katy Perry ( 8,394 ), Mariah Carey ( 6,305 ) and Christina Aguillera ( 4,321 ). Hundreds of thousands of people mourned her passing away, posting to Twitter links to over 3,000 video recordings of Whitney Houston’s songs. These stats’ are courtesy of Topsy.com. Our Digital Team Dedicating Hotspotatl.com to #WhitneyHouston instagr.am/p/G4_yNVvYbI/ — Hot 1079 Atl Hip Hop (@hot1079atl) February 12, 2012 Whitney Houston Dead At 48 [BREAKING NEWS] ow.ly/9161E Let’s Celebrate her life! ow.ly/916ho — Hot 1079 Atl Hip Hop (@hot1079atl) February 12, 2012 Related: Whitney Houston Dead At 48
Within minutes of news spreading that Whitney Houston had passed away , the Twitterverse was filled with condolences from a wide variety of celebrities. Read on for a collection of their messages… Whitney Houston: Her Final Performance Mariah Carey (@MariahCarey): “Heartbroken and in tears over the shocking death of my friend, the incomparable Ms. Whitney Houston. My heartfelt condolences to Whitney’s family and to all her millions of fans throughout the world. She will never be forgotten as one of the greatest voices to ever grace the earth.” Katy Perry (@KatyPerry): “So devastating. We will always love you Whitney, R.I.P.” Justin Bieber (@JustinBieber): “just heard the news. so crazy. One of the GREATEST VOICES EVER just passed. RIP Whitney Houston. My prayers go out to her friends and family.” Christina Aguilera (@TheRealXTina): “We have lost another legend. Love and prayers to Whitney’s family. She will be missed.” Nicki Minaj (@NickiMinaj): “Jesus Christ, not Whitney Houston. Greatest of all time.” Lea Michele (@MsLeaMichele): “I’m speechless. Such sad news about Whitney Houston.”‘ Serena Williams (@serenawilliams): “Wow just wow. This has ruined my whole day. #Iwillalwaysloveyou. #OneMomentInTime has propelled me to many of my grand slams victories.” LeAnn Rimes (@leannrimes): “Whitney Houston was the first cd I ever bought. She had a God given gift. Hopefully, she’s singing with angels now.” Chloe Moretz (@ChloeGMoretz): “Omg.. whitney houston died..we’ve lost another amazing singer.” Rihanna (@Rihanna): “No words! Just tears #DearWhitney” Matthew Morrison (@Matt_Morrison): “I’m very sad to hear about the passing of Whitney Houston, may she rest in peace.”
