Adieu Whitney
The death of one of the most celebrated singers of the modern era has left fans devastated, writes M. Khosla 

THE 1980s was the most momentous for pop songstresses. First came Material Girl Madonna whose physical attraction had fans panting. Then, Janet Jackson took Control followed by Paula Abdul, who Knocked Out music lovers with her footstomping numbers. And then, almost unobtrusively, entered Whitney Houston the young black girl, who was to change the course of music forever in the years to follow. Whitney’s death on February 11, has left fans devastated and silenced the voice of one of the most defining singers of the modern era, who sold more than 170 million albums, bagged six Grammys, 30 Billboard and 22 American Music awards.

“It’s not just my reputation I’ve to protect. I have a lineage which I have to uphold,” said Whitney after the news that she had hit the high spots with her 2009 album.

Impeccable lineage

Indeed Whitney had a lineage. Mother Cissy Houston was a country soul veteran and sang backup on record and on stage for Elvis Presley. Dionne Warwick was her first cousin and Aretha Franklin her godmother. With such an impeccable pedigree, Whitney would have surprised her family if she hadn’t succeeded. 

When Whitney was 11, she had released her debut album Guide Me, O Thou Great Jehovah for the Baptist church. When she was 16, she formed a musical partnership with her nearlegendary mother and started doing backup vocals for Chaka Khan and Lou Rawls. 

To support herself, Whitney also became a part-time model and a very successful one at that. She appeared on the covers of Vogue, Cosmopolitan and Seventeen while still in school.

The album of The Bodyguard sold a record 28 million copies

Total creativity

But more than anything, it was music. “When I was very young, I had started becoming obsessed with music. Whenever I heard Aretha (Franklin) sing, I could feel her emotional delivery so clearly. I was brought up in an atmosphere of total creativity.” That creativity finally blossomed when Arista Records signed her for an album. The eponymously titled, Whitney Houston, a subtle blend of pop, rhythm and blues, was released in 1985. It not just became a worldwide hit selling more than 17 million copies, it also became the first by a woman to go platinum six times over. It won her a Grammy and entered at No. 1 in the Billboard charts making her the first black singer in the history of music to achieve the feat.

Her vintage, soulful voice, coupled with sophisticated pop sounds, became a sensation and as her run of No.1 hits started rolling out, Whitney comfortably established herself as the reigning deity of pop music. She said in an interview, “People reacted to my style positively because the world was getting a little tired of trendiness and wanted some good, old-fashioned singing.” She made musical magic again in 1987 with Whitney which got her a Grammy and eight American Music Industry awards. Whitney’s third album, I’m Your Baby Tonight put her in the category of the 10 all-time great singing stars. In March 1992, she signed up for the lead role in The Bodyguard against Kevin Costner which turned out to be one of the biggest hits of the year. The album sold a record 28 million copies worldwide and included such memorable hits as, I’m Every Woman and I’ll Always Love You.

Mismatched marriage and drugs 

Her marriage to singer Bobby Brown was not to turn out to be the best decision of her life. The stormy relationship ended in 2007 when she divorced him.

But more than marriage, it was drug abuse that was to put her on the downhill track through much of the new millennium. Though, just before her 2009 album, I Look to You, she declared herself drug free, she returned to a drug rehabilitation centre in 2011 and many suspect that it could be one of the major causes of her untimely death at 48.

Despite her troubled later life, Whitney knew she had achieved the dizzy heights of musical success that put her in league with the greatest singers the world has ever known. Indeed, when music history is written, Whitney’s name would come right on top as a phenomenal singing star. — NF