Whitney Houston Saved My Life
You know her voice.
You’ve jammed with your friends to her vibrant ‘80s hits, “How Will I Know” and “I Wanna Dance With Somebody.”
You’ve stopped dead in your tracks watching her spine-tingling performance of “The Star Spangled Banner” at Super Bowl XXV.
You’ve had your breath taken away listening to the final meteoric chorus of “I Will Always Love You.”
There have been many powerful female voices in music history. But only one woman is known as “The Voice.”
My favorite singer of all time, Whitney Houston.
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I was introduced to Whitney’s catalog when I discovered R&B and hip-hop in middle school. That was a lonely time for me, and I found solace in the music I listened to, especially Whitney’s music. Though most of her songs fell somewhere in the pop category, there were always influences of R&B and gospel that characterized her style. Her mezzo-soprano force of a voice could move from soulful and gritty to angelic and operatic in mere seconds. At the top of her game, absolutely no one could out-sing her.
When I fell in love with Whitney’s music, I fell in love hard. I remember one summer, on a beach trip with my family, I listened to every single album of hers during the twelve-hour car ride. I still wasn’t tired of her by the end of the day. Anytime I was home alone, I would sing along to karaoke versions of songs like “Saving All My Love For You” and “One Moment In Time,” wishing I could belt as effortlessly as she could. Every night, I stayed up late marveling at videos of her live performances. It’s one thing to hear her magnificent voice on the record, but it’s a completely different experience watching her live. She taught me what it means to have stage presence, to command an audience, and to improvise with creativity, freedom, and soul. There are many phenomenal examples of her live magic, but my absolute favorite is the ten-minute medley she performed at the 1994 American Music Awards – at which she took home eight trophies, tying Michael Jackson for the most AMAs received in one night.
Then, on February 11, 2012, Whitney tragically passed away at the age of 48.
I’ll never forget hearing the news on TV the following morning. I was completely shocked and devastated. All day long, radio stations played nothing but her music. That night also happened to be the 54th Annual Grammy Awards. Because of Whitney’s immense impact on the music industry and rich history at the Grammys, the entire evening became a last-minute tribute to her. I still remember host LL Cool J’s touching prayer for her and Jennifer Hudson’s emotional rendition of “I Will Always Love You” during the annual “In Memoriam” portion of the show.
This year marked ten years since Whitney’s passing. Over the past decade, I have seen her legacy revered for her spectacular talent, yet tainted at times by the media’s perception of her personal struggles. It is no secret Whitney dealt with drug addiction, mental health battles, and marital problems during her lifetime. Add in the pressure of being one of the biggest stars in the world at the time, and you can begin to understand how difficult her life truly was. She sacrificed so much for her career and for the entertainment of her fans. As a person who has been deeply impacted by her music, I hope to shed light on the Whitney I love and honor her for all she has done for me.
Whitney Houston not only saved my life, but she changed the course of my life completely. She gave me a shining example of all that a vocalist and a performer should be. She taught me the importance of faith in something greater than myself. Her music has been a source of joy, inspiration, and comfort on my best and worst days. So much of who I am as a singer and a person is because I have been touched by her incredible legacy … and that voice.
Thank you for everything, Whitney. Rest in peace.
Listen below to Whitney Houston’s record-breaking self-titled debut album.
