Whitney Houston’s extraordinary voice brought her immediate success. In twenty-four years of career, the soul singer has sold more than 170 million albums. She died ten years ago, on February 11, 2012, at the age of 48.
For the daughter of Cissy Houston, famous voice of American gospel, immersion in music is not long in coming. At 11, Whitney Houston is already leading the Newark choir before becoming chorister for Chaka Kahn, Lou Rawls and the Neville Brothers. After a parenthesis in modeling, she released her first album in 1985. The success was dazzling: 23 million copies were sold worldwide. She very quickly became “The voice” in the United States.
Until the mid-1990s, Whitney Houston chained the tubes. Her beauty, combined with an impressive voice, marked an entire generation. The African-American singer will also be a source of inspiration for future stars. From Alicia Keys to Christina Aguilera via Beyoncé, all admit to having been influenced by Whitney Houston.
The consecration of Bodyguard
An unforgettable soundtrack, a mythical couple, a love story against a backdrop of detective suspense, all these elements have enabled The Bodyguard, a mix of romantic thriller and musical film, to become a cult film. Imagined in the 1970s by Lawrence Kasdan, whose first screenplay it was, the plot was originally supposed to take shape with Steve McQueen and Diana Ross. But the film project aborts twice, and the script sheets join the closed case file.
This romance between singing star Rachel Marron (Whitney Houston) and ex-Secret Service agent-turned-bodyguard Frank Farmer (Kevin Costner) eventually hit the big screen in 1992. After hearing about the project, Kevin Costner pulls out all the stops to convince his friend Mick Jackson to direct it and introduce Whitney Houston into the cast. A sparkling intuition. The film is a real commercial success and garners more than 410 million dollars in revenue. As for the soundtrack, it has sold more than 42 million copies, thanks to the famous song “I Will Always Love You”, by Dolly Parton. For her first steps in the cinema, Whitney Houston impresses with her acting and shines with her voice. She was then at the peak of her career.
The fall of an icon
The same year, Whitney Houston married singer Bobby Brown and gave birth to their daughter Bobbi Kristina. After several film roles and the release of a new album in 1998, the singer’s career got bogged down.
Her marriage from 1992 to 2007 to Bobby Brown – notorious for his drug and alcohol abuse – arguably represents a pivotal moment in her life. The star has also partly blamed her husband – violent and jealous – for her descent into hell. Her relationship with her husband, unfaithful and violent, plunges Whitney Houston into drug problems. In 2000, the singer was arrested for possession of marijuana in Hawaii. A few months later, she turns out to be unable to attend an Oscar award ceremony. Between her numerous delays, her cancellations of concerts and interviews, the image of Whitney Houston is tarnished.
In 2003, the release of his latest album went almost unnoticed. From then on, the star is only talked about through her marital disputes and her drug problems, widely reported in the tabloids. His emaciated face and his haggard look made the front page of people magazines.
The hope of a return
In debt, she was even forced to sell personal property in 2007. After years of absence, she attempted a comeback in 2009 with I Look To You. To promote her new album, the singer has agreed, after seven years without having given an interview, to return to television sets. On September 14, 2009 the star was the guest of Oprah Winfrey, America’s most popular TV host. For her comeback, Whitney Houston has therefore planned things in a big way. The album is critically acclaimed. Yet the observation seems final: his voice is no longer what it was. And in 2010, the singer, hospitalized, was forced to cancel the tour which was to sign her return.
The unanimous tribute
On February 11, 2012, “The Voice” passed away. Whitney Houston, the singer with 220 million albums sold, the icon of the 1980s and 1990s, was found lifeless in Beverly Hills, in the bathtub of her hotel room. According to the official report, she died of drowning, as a result of cardiovascular disease and cocaine.
The news of his death quickly spread on social networks, where singers, producers and anonymous expressed their sadness. “I have no words ! Just crying,” Rihanna said, while Mariah Carey said, “I’m in tears after the shocking death of my friend.”
Whitney Houston “took up the torch of music that had been defended by Aretha Franklin”, and “brought a much more pop touch. She brought black music to a much wider audience,” said music journalist Olivier Cachin.