10 Things You Didn’t Know About Whitney Houston
Whitney Houston
When it comes to The Voice, no one came close to Whitney Houston. The 48-year-old singer was the most influential pop icon of our generation. Sadly, Houston passed away on Jan. 11 in her room at the Beverly Hills Hotel, a day before the 54th annual Grammy Awards. When Houston entered our lives in the late '80s, she was the total package: model-esque beauty with a voice that showed no signs of vulnerability.
“I am personally devastated by the loss of someone who has meant so much to me for so many years. Whitney was so full of life,” said Houston's mentor Clive Davis at his annual pre-Grammy party that was held in the same hotel where she died. “She loved music and she loved this night that celebrates music.” Check out PopCrush's list of the 10 Things You Didn't Know About Whitney Houston and remember her voice that blessed us with beautiful music for over three decades.
10 Things You Didn't Know About Whitney Houston
Whitney Houston's death brings somber birthdays for both Brandy and Kelly Rowland.
Whitney Houston tragically died on Feb. 11, which was also the birthdays of both Brandy and Kelly Rowland. Brandy co-starred with Houston in the 1997 made-for-television remake of 'Cinderella' and wanted to portray her mentor in a biopic. “No one could play Whitney Houston like me,” she said. Meanwhile, Rowland cites Houston as her biggest inspiration to start singing. “I am beyond heartbroken,” Rowland wrote on her Twitter account. “Whitney Houston was undoubtedly one of the greatest singers & performers of all time & such a huge influence on me.”
Whitney's father nicknamed her “Nippy.”
Whitney's nickname, Nippy, was given to her by her late father, John Houston, when she was a newborn. Whitney was a fussy baby and kept removing her winter blanket at night. Her father repeatedly kept covering her up and would affectionately say to her, “Nippy, seldom right.”
Whitney was Michael Jackson's girl.
Michael Jackson's tender ballad 'I Just Can't Stop Loving You' (from 'Bad') was originally supposed to be a duet between him and his good friend Whitney Houston. Alas, Houston's label, Arista Records, blocked the collaboration because they feared it would interrupt the promotion of her new album 'Whitney.' Sadly, two of our most beloved pop icons are no longer with us.
Whitney is survived by her siblings.
Whitney Houston leaves behind several relatives to mourn her legacy, including her biological brother Michael Houston, a stepsister named Alana Houston and two stepbrothers named Gary Garland and John Russell Houston III. Michael co-wrote songs with Whitney for the 'Waiting to Exhale' soundtrack.
Whitney was a 'Party' girl.
A young Whitney Houston (age 15) was the lead vocalist on the 1978 disco song called 'Life's a Party' by the New Jersey-based group Michael Zager Band. Even at a young age, Whitney was ready to dance with somebody.
She was also Chaka Khan's background singer.
A young Whitney also sang background vocals on Chaka Khan's 1978 anthem 'I'm Every Woman.' Houston would later cover the song in 1993, which rose to No. 4 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. Ms. Khan appeared alongside a very pregnant Houston in the video for the song.
Whitney really, really loved Bobby Brown.
While some thought her marriage to Bobby Brown was a farce, Houston set the record straight in a 1993 Rolling Stone interview that her love for Brown was very real. “When you love, you love,” Houston said. “I mean, do you stop loving somebody because you have different images? You know, Bobby and I basically come from the same place. You see somebody, and you deal with their image, that's their image. It's part of them, it's not the whole picture. I am not always in a sequined gown. I am nobody's angel. I can get down and dirty. I can get raunchy.” The couple were married from 1992 until 2007 and have one child together, Bobbi Kristina.
Whitney was the Queen of the music charts.
Whitney Houston achieved 11 No. 1s in her illustrious career including 'I Will Always Love You,' which spent 14 weeks atop the Billboard Hot 100 chart. She is the only female artist to have seven consecutive No. 1's in a row, from 1985 through 1988. She's also the only woman to have albums reign at the top of the Billboard 200 chart for multiple weeks. Houston had three: 'The Bodyguard' (20 weeks), 'Whitney Houston' (14) and 'Whitney' (11).
Performing on stage was one of the many joys in Whitney's life.
Unquestionably, Whitney was a consummate performer. While she lived a hectic life outside of music, she found solace in performing in front of a large audience. “I get a lot of pleasure out of singing onstage and the response of the people, I love that,” she said in a 1992 interview. “That's a performer's dream, to stand on stage and to sing and have people enjoy it and take it in and take it home.”
Whitney Houston's last recordings will be featured in 'Sparkle.'
Whitney Houston's last songs will posthumously appear in her final movie 'Sparkle.' According to Billboard, Houston sings the inspirational classic 'Eyes on the Sparrow' and duets with Jordin Sparks on the R. Kelly-penned tune 'Celebrate.' 'Sparkle' is a remake of the 1976 film that starred Irene Cara and Philip Michael Thomas. In the updated version Jordin Sparks plays the title character and Houston will play her mom. The film is scheduled for release on August 17.
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