Houston singer biography her family. Whitney Houston - biography, information, personal life

The cause of her death was hidden for a long time in the interests of the investigation. However, recently it was made public, but not everything is so simple.

Fulton County Medical Examiners, located in US state Atlanta, released a statement on the results of the autopsy last Friday. According to these data, Bobbi Kristina died due to drug and alcohol use, drowning in water and pneumonia caused by this.

“The underlying cause of death is the condition that triggered the rapid development of events leading to death, in this case immersion in water associated with drug poisoning,” the statement said.

Popular

Experts have noted that it is impossible to determine whether Bobbi Kristina's death was accidental or intentional. "Death was apparently not due to natural causes, but the medical examiner was unable to determine whether the death was due to intentional or accidental causes, so he determined that the nature of the death was not established," the statement said.

The investigation into the cause of the girl's death is ongoing. Relatives of Christina believe that boyfriend Nick Gordon is to blame for her death. Lawyers young man made an official statement in which they reminded that Nick had lost the love of his life.

“Nick Gordon’s life has been talked about a lot since January 2015 when he lost the love of his life. In addition, he was banned from visiting Bobbi Kristina in the hospital during the last six months of her life. Nick has been publicly humiliated for the last year, and all the while the DA's office has been trying to make a killer out of him, all the while ignoring hard evidence that Bobbi Kristina Brown's death was a tragic accident. The D.A.'s office tried to prevent the release of Christina's autopsy results instead of letting the public know. true reason her death. The truth is that Nick was trying to save Christine's life. The truth is that Nick has been cooperating with law enforcement since day one. The truth is that no one has ever loved Christina as much as Nick, and no one has suffered as a result of her death more than he, ”Justjared.com quoted the statement as saying.

Recall that Bobbi Kristina was found unconscious at home. The girl was lying face down in a tub filled with water. Found her boyfriend Nick Gordon, who called the police and an ambulance.

Before the doctors arrived, Nick performed artificial respiration on the girl, which saved her life. In the Atlanta clinic, where the girl was taken, she was diagnosed with cerebral edema and was put into an artificial coma. The main versions of what happened were an accident or a suicide attempt.

Popular American pop singer and actress Whitney Elizabeth Houston was born on August 9, 1963 in Newark, New Jersey, USA. Her mother, Emily Drinkard ( stage name Sissi), was a famous gospel singer (Gospel chants), cousin Dionne Warwick is also a professional singer. As a child, Whitney sang in the church choir, and in her youth she was a successful fashion model.

In 1983, Houston signed a recording contract with Arista Records. One of her first singles, Hold Me, went straight to the US Top 50. Whitney spent the next year working on her self-titled debut album. The disc was released in March 1985. The success of this album was ensured by the singles You Give Good Love and Saving All My Love For You. The singles How Will I Know and Greatest Love Of All also rose to the top of the charts. The album sold over 12 million copies in the US and several million copies sold worldwide.

In June 1987, the singer released her second Whitney album. It became the first album in history by a female artist to debut at number one on the Billboard 200 in the US and the UK. The first four singles from the album - I Wanna Dance with Somebody (Who Loves Me), Didn "t We Almost Have It All, So Emotional and Where Do Broken Hearts Go - reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100. The Whitney album was certified 9x platinum certified in America and has sold approximately 20 million copies worldwide.

The third studio album, I "m Your Baby Tonight, was released in November 1990. The album reached number three on the Billboard 200 and was certified 4x platinum in the US, with 10 million copies sold worldwide.

In 1992, Whitney made her debut in big cinema in the movie The Bodyguard. The film's soundtrack included six new Houston songs, five of which were released as singles, including the wildly successful I Will Always Love You.

Dolly Patron's cover of I Will Always Love You topped the US charts for 14 weeks and the UK charts for nine.

For most of the 1990s, Whitney was engaged in her own acting career. She starred and sang in the films "Waiting for a Respite" (1995) and "The Priest's Wife" (1996). Houston also starred in episodes of several TV series and films, including in the role of herself.

In 1998, she released another album, My Love Is Your Love. Stars such as Missy Elliott, Dianne Warren and Wycliff Jean took part in the recording of this album. With this album, Whitney tried to regain her lost glory as the first pop diva, who passed to Mariah Carey and Celine Dion. And although the single When You Believe, performed as a duet with Carey and released on the soundtrack to the cartoon "The Prince of Egypt", became a worldwide hit, the album sold poorly. Luck returned to the singer with the release of the single Heartbreak Hotel, which reached the second line of the national chart. In 2001, another Whitney album, Love Whitney, was released, and a year later, the Just Whitney disc.

On September 1, 2009, the singer released new album, marking their return to the stage after a seven-year hiatus.

In December 2009, she performed with.

In May 2011, Houston was undergoing outpatient treatment.

On the night of February 12, 2012 Whitney Houston in Los Angeles. The singer was buried on February 18 in her hometown Newark.

In April, the Beverly Hills police announced the end of the investigation into the death of Whitney Houston, concluding that her.

Whitney Houston's vocal style has had a major impact on the music industry. She brought elements of gospel singing into popular music and developed a virtuoso singing style.

Since the start of her career as a singer in 1985, her album recordings, singles and videos have sold general circulation over 170 million copies.

The singer was the owner of more than 400 different music awards and awards. Among them are six Grammy Awards, 21 American Music Awards, two Emmy Awards, 15 Billboard Music Awards, six People's Choice Awards and many others.

In November 2012, Houston was posthumously awarded the MTV Europe Music Awards for his contributions to pop music.

The most famous single of the singer - the composition I Will Always Love You, according to the decision of the experts of the VH1 channel, was awarded the eighth line in the rating of "100 best songs of the last 25 years" and the first line among the hundred greatest love songs of all millennia.

In August 2012, director Salima Akil was released on the big screen in the United States with Whitney Houston as one of the main characters. Filming of the picture was completed three months before the sudden death of the singer.

The material was prepared on the basis of information from RIA Novosti and open sources

Whitney Elizabeth Houston (Eng. Whitney Elizabeth Houston, August 9, 1963, Newark - February 11, 2012, Beverly Hills) - American pop, soul and rhythm and blues singer, actress, producer, fashion model. One of the most commercially successful performers in the history of world music. Known for its musical achievements, vocal abilities and scandalous personal life. The status of a superstar was fixed for Houston after the release of the film The Bodyguard in 1992, in which she played one of the main roles (along with Kevin Costner) and performed the main musical parts. The ballad "I Will Always Love You" (Russian I will always love you) from the movie was a huge success, becoming not only a worldwide hit and the best-selling single among female singers in the history of music, but also a "hymn of love". Winner of 415 awards, including 6 Grammy Awards, 30 Billboard Music Awards, 22 American Music Awards, 7 Soul Train Music Awards, 16 NAACP Image Awards, 1 Emmy, BET Lifetime Achievement Award and many other awards and honors recording and entertainment industry. According to the Guinness Book of Records, Houston is the artist with the most awards. According to her record label, the total number of records sold is 170 million copies. According to the Recording Industry Association of America, Houston is the fourth most commercially successful female artist in the United States, with 55 million certified records in that country. Rolling Stone magazine included Houston in the "100 Greatest Vocalists" list at number 34 overall.

She died on February 11, 2012 in a hotel room at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills on the eve of the 54th Grammy ceremony. The singer was found unconscious in the bathroom of her hotel room by her aunt Mary Jones. They tried to bring her back to life with the help of cardiopulmonary resuscitation, but to no avail - death was registered at 15:55 US Pacific Coast time. The police immediately ruled out the version of the violent nature of death. The 54th Grammy ceremony was dedicated to Houston. On March 23, 2012, the results of a police investigation were made public, which showed that the causes of the singer's death were drowning, atherosclerotic heart disease and cocaine use. The death is presented as an "accident" and investigators have "no suspicion of injury or violence." According to representatives of the investigation, the examination showed that the singer was a chronic cocaine addict. Other drugs found in her blood included marijuana, a sedative (muscle relaxant), and an anti-allergic drug.

Amazing ... great ... inimitable ... she was, is and will forever remain a favorite singer for millions of people. The voice of an era that left this world so early. More than one generation of star vocalists has grown up on her songs, but none of them can compare with this amazing woman. Her name has become a household name in the world of music, synonymous with perfect vocals. For 35 years she has inspired people with her already legendary songs. On February 12, 2012, legend, singer, actress and model Whitney Elizabeth Houston passed away.

The future queen of R&B was born on August 9, 1963 in the family of John Huston and Emily Huston (better known as Cissy Houston - Grammy winner and one of the most successful gospel singers). As they say now, Houston was born "with a golden spoon in her mouth." Her cousins ​​are famed soul singers Dionne and Dee Dee Warwick. Her godmother was Aretha Franklin herself. It is not surprising that already at the age of 11, Whitney became the main soloist in the church choir. In addition to the work of her star relatives, Whitney adored the work of Chaka Khan and Roberta Flack. As a teenager, Houston traveled all over America as her mother's backing vocalist. At one of the performances, Whitney was noticed by a photographer who admired her natural beauty. As a model, Houston has achieved great success, becoming one of the first black women to grace the covers of such prestigious magazines as Seventeen, Glamour, Cosmopolitan.

Whitney could easily become a fashion icon like Naomi Campbell or Claudia Slate, but her main passion has always been music. That is why, when the influential record label “Artista” appeared on the horizon of the singer, Whitney did not hesitate to leave the modeling business and started working on her debut album.

The first disc of Whitney Houston, which received the same name, was released on March 14, 1985. He instantly soared to the top of all the charts. The success of the album shocked even the singer's management (about 30 million copies of the Whitney Houston album have been sold to date). Three songs from this magnificent disc at once managed to take first places in the Billboard Hot 100. The very first disc of the aspiring singer elevates her to the rank of class “A” stars. Subsequent Grammy Award for Best female vocals"Only secured this status for the singer.

Just 2 years later (June 2, 1987) the second album of the singer called “Whitney” was released. Debuting at number one on the Billboard 200, the album topped the chart for 11 weeks. Four of the album's six singles reached the top of the Billboard Singles Chart ("I Wanna Dance With Somebody", "Didn't We Almost Have It All", "So Emotional", "Where Do Broken Hearts Go").

To date, Houston's second album has sold over 25 million copies. He brought another Grammy award for "Best Female Vocal" to the star's treasury of awards.

The third album of the singer appeared on the shelves of music stores on November 6, 1990. “I’m Your Baby Tonight” is notable for the fact that it was after its release that Whitney more and more often began to be called an R&B (not to be confused with R’n’B) performer. This long play gave us many hits, including:

"I'm Your Baby Tonight"

“All the Man I Need”

“My Name Is Not Susan”

In 1992, The Bodyguard was released, in which the 29-year-old star played the main role. Whitney's partner in the film was Oscar winner Kevin Costner. The film was doomed to success, however, a touching melodrama about the love of a pop star and her bodyguard exceeded the wildest expectations, collecting almost $ 500 million at the box office. Not a small share of the film's success was brought by a first-class soundtrack, most of the songs on which Houston performed.

"The Bodyguard: Original Soundtrack Album" sold an incredible 45 million copies worldwide, making it one of the best-selling albums of all time. music industry. We heard five undeniable hits that brought Houston long-awaited international fame and success.

“I Will Always Love You”

"I'm Every Woman"

“I Have Nothing”

"Run to You"

Queen of the Night

In the same 1992, Whitney marries R&B singer Bobby Brown, with whom they had a close "friendship" for 3 years after they met at the Soul Train Music Awards 89. Bobby has always been known for his passion for drinking, drugs and assault. Therefore, their wedding was immediately dubbed big mistake. However, blinded by love, Whitney did not want to listen to moralizing, she was completely immersed in a relationship with a failed singer who left three children with his first wife.

A couple of Whitney and Bobby very quickly established themselves as the main brawlers of Hollywood. The incessant newspaper headlines about their next quarrel gradually began to push Houston's work into the background. It was a sick love, or rather that kind of it, in which lovers cannot be together, starting more and more new scandals, but they also cannot exist without each other. The birth of her first child, the eternal vicissitudes in relations with her husband seriously slowed down Whitney's career, therefore her next album was released only 6 years after The Bodyguard.

Despite all the negativity that the press poured over Houston in the mid-90s, the star's "comeback" was very, very significant event. The album "My Love Is Your Love" received numerous awards (including the main award in music world- "Grammy"). The album has sold 13 million copies. The first single of this record was Whitney's duet with her "sworn friend" Mariah Carey. The song "When You Believe" put an end to the rivalry between the two divas.

The second big hit from "My Love Is Your Love" was "It's Not Right, But It's Ok". The dance version of this song hit #1 on the Billboard Dance Club Songs.

But as it turned out, Whitney's image problems were just beginning to gain momentum. In January 2000, security guards at the Hawaiian airport found marijuana in the singer's luggage. The star was charged with possession and transportation of drugs. After several trials, Whitney was acquitted, however, ordered to pay a fine of $4,000. In an interview with Diana Sawyer, when asked if the singer uses crack, Whitney replied that she was too rich to take cocaine.

On June 25, 2000, the duet of Whitney Houston and Enrique Iglesias “Could I Have This Kiss Forever” appears on the radio. The song became a landmark event for both artists.

Despite the low positions in the charts, this composition is still popular as one of the most romantic ballads of the 2000s.

At the end of 2002, Whitney released the album "Just Whitney". The first single of the disc, the song "Whatchulookinat" only manages to get to the 96th position of the Billboard Hot 100. The next three singles also did not bring commercial success to the album "Just Whitney". The album's total sales barely exceeded the 3 million mark. The singer's fans blamed the singer's label for the failure of the album; the allegedly incorrectly chosen lead single "ruined" the entire album. According to the singer's fans, the first single was supposed to be a track called "Unshamed".

In 2004, following her husband, Whitney was sent for compulsory treatment to a clinic for drug addicts. However, the inappropriate behavior that the star demonstrated in the reality show “Being Bobby Brown” was one of the reasons for her return to the same clinic.

Long years of calm dragged on. Whitney rarely attended television shows, almost never performed live. Fans almost lost their last hope for the return of their idol, when suddenly in 2008 there was information that Whitney had recorded a new record and was ready to return to show business.

The album “I Look to You” became the miracle that the singer's fans could not believe. Suddenly prettier, rejuvenated, Whitney began to appear again on the radio. The touching “I Look to You” was chosen as the first single.

In an interview, Whitney said that the album “I Look to You” is dedicated to her mother.

The second single "Million Dollar Bill" was released on August 18, 2009. The song peaked at number one on the Billboard Dance chart. The final single of the album was the song "I Didn't Know My Own Strength", which many fans call "prophetic".

"Call You Tonight"

Salute

It was in these songs that they heard the “old Whit”: strong, wayward, uncompromising. Although Houston's voice has undergone a noticeable change, she still sounded amazing on every one of the 11 songs on her latest album.

The news of the death of an artist of Whitney's stature always takes the public by surprise. So this time, nothing foreshadowed the tragedy. In her last days, the star showed unprecedented activity, visiting various events. Perhaps that is why the news of Whitney's death was not even taken seriously at first. However, when the information was confirmed, Twitter exploded with messages. Many world stars expressed their condolences to the family of the singer and, first of all, Whitney's daughter, Bobbi-Kristina.

Christina Aguilera:

“We have lost another legend. Prayers of love for the Whitney family. I will miss her."

Nicki Minaj:

“Jesus Christ, not Whitney Houston. The greatest in history…”

Leah Michele (Glee):

"I have no words. Terrible news about Whitney Houston."

"No words, only tears... sweet Whitney..."

Katy Perry:

“I am devastated. We will always love you Whitney rest in peace."

“What terrible news about Whitney Houston. Sending all my love to Bobbi-Christine."

Jennifer Lopez:

“What a loss. She was one of the greatest voices of our time. I pray for her family. Rest in peace, Whitney!"

Bruno Mars:

"Terrible news... I feel bad... Nobody sang like Whitney."

“Whitney was the reason so many of us do what we do. "A few stolen moments is all we share." Rest in peace…"

Erike Iglesias:

“Today I pray for Whitney and her family. Working with her was an experience that I will cherish for the rest of my life!”

Missy Elliott:

“Thank you for the time we were able to work together. Your voice has changed the WORLD! And during this difficult time, I pray for the Houston family ... "

Maria Carey:

“My heart is broken and I am in tears at the shocking death of my friend, the incomparable Miss Whitney Houston. My sincere condolences to the Whitney family and to her millions of fans around the world. She will always be remembered as one of the greatest voices to grace the Earth with her presence."

The editorial board of Apelzin joins all expressed condolences. Whitney will forever be in our hearts. An artist is not forgotten as long as his music plays. And if this statement is true, then Whitney Houston is immortal.

Whitney Houston

Whitney Elizabeth Houston. Born August 9, 1963 in Newark - died February 11, 2012 in Beverly Hills. American pop, soul and rhythm and blues singer, actress, producer, fashion model.

Father - John Huston. Mother is Sissy.

She was the youngest of three children in the family. During her childhood and adolescence, she attended Baptist and Pentecostal churches.

Houston's mother, Sissy, and her cousin Dionne Warwick are famous figures in the world of rhythm and blues, soul and gospel music. Such an environment could not but affect the choice life path and career Houston. At the age of eleven, she began to lead the junior gospel choir of the New Hope Baptist Church in New York.

She and her half-brother Gary Garland-Houston were raped as teenagers. cousin- Dee Dee Warwick, famous soul singer. At the time of the crime, Whitney was between seven and nine years old, and Warwick (real name - Delia Warrick) was 19 years older than her. The scandalous information about sexual abuse appeared when neither Whitney Houston herself nor her cousin were already alive. What happened in childhood left an indelible imprint on the rest of Whitney's life. On this subject in 2018 was filmed by British director Kevin MacDonald.

In his youth, Houston gets acquainted with the artistic atmosphere. She travels a lot with her mother, makes her first attempts as a singer, performs as a backing vocalist for Chaka Khan, and also starred in commercials for teenagers.

By the early 1980s, Houston already had two record deals. However, a more serious offer comes to her in 1983, when a representative of Arista Records notices her performance with her mother in one of the nightclubs in New York and recommends Whitney to the head of the record label, Clive Davis. Davis is quite impressed. Later, he offers the young performer a contract, which she concludes with his company.

Also in 1983, she made her debut on the then popular TV show Merv Griffin's Show with the song "Home".

In February 1985, the self-titled debut album was released. Whitney Houston. Initially, it sold modestly. But after the release of the second single after "Someone for Me", "You Give Good Love", which reached number three on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 and number one on other R&B charts, the album begins to move up the sales and popularity charts.

Houston begins to perform in many popular evening shows, previously usually closed to black performers. Subsequent singles - the romantic ballad "Saving All My Love for You", the dance track "How Will I Know", which opened the singer to the MTV audience, and "The Greatest Love of All" - reached the first places in pop and rhythm and blues. -charts, securing the status of a performer for the general public for the young singer.

In 1986, a year after its release, Whitney Houston's album topped the Billboard 200 and stayed at that position for 14 consecutive weeks. The album became an international commercial success, surpassing 13 million copies sold in the US alone, and became the highest-selling debut album by a female artist.

The album itself was collected positive reviews critics and praise for Houston. Rolling Stone magazine called her "one of the most exciting new voices in recent years." In the same year, the singer embarked on her first tour, The Greatest Love Tour, and received her first Grammy award in the Best Pop Female category for the song "Saving All My Love for You", as well as Emmy awards, American Music Awards and MTV Video Music Awards.

Debut Houston is currently on the rosters best albums"of all time": Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Albums of All Time and The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame's Definitive 200.

Second album Whitney, was released in June 1987. It became the first album in history by a female artist to debut at number one on the Billboard 200 in the US and the UK.

Houston won her second Grammy in 1988 in the same category for "I Wanna Dance with Somebody" and toured The Moment of Truth Tour worldwide. In the same year, she recorded the song "One Moment in Time" for NBC for the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul which peaked at number 5 on the US national chart and topped the charts in the UK and Germany.

Despite the worldwide success of Whitney Houston's first two albums, many African-American critics commented that her music was "too white" and therefore sold well.

Third studio album I'm Your Baby Tonight was released in November 1990. Such figures as Babyface, L.A. Reid, Luther Vandross and Stevie Wonder were involved in the work on it. The album demonstrated the singer's ability to perform both hard rhythmic compositions and soulful ballads and dance tracks well. The album peaked at number three on the Billboard 200 and was certified 4x platinum in the US with 10 million copies sold worldwide. Although this album sold less commercially than the previous two, it received critical praise. The same Rolling Stone called it "the best and most complete album" by Whitney Houston.

Houston performed "The Star Spangled Banner" before the NFL Championship Finals in January 1991. Ten years later, the song was re-released after the September 11, 2001 attacks.

In November 1992, Houston made her successful debut as an actress in the film "Bodyguard" featuring Kevin Costner. Houston recorded six songs for the film. The main track is a cover version of Dolly Parton's country song "I Will Always Love You".

Whitney Houston in The Bodyguard

In December 1995, the soundtrack to the film "Waiting to Exhale" was released, produced by Babyface. Houston turned down Babyface's offer to record an entire album for the film, wishing it was an album with different vocalists in tune with the message. strong women from the movie. So, the soundtrack included songs by Toni Braxton, Aretha Franklin, Brandi and Mary J. Blige. Houston herself recorded three songs, including the hit "Exhale (Shoop Shoop)".

Whitney Houston - I Will Always Love You

In late 1996, Houston, along with the choir of Atlanta's Greater Rising Star Church, recorded the following gospel soundtrack for The Preacher's Wife. A couple of popular songs "I Believe in You and Me" and "Step by Step" came out of this album. The soundtrack became the best-selling gospel album. This work received positive reviews, some of them noted the emotional depth and phenomenal voice of Whitney.

In 1997, Houston performed the Classic Whitney concert in Washington DC, which was broadcast on HBO. In addition to well-known hits, she performed classical compositions of such famous singers as Aretha Franklin, Billie Holiday and Diana Ross. Later that year, she starred as the Fairy in Cinderella with young singer Brandy. Houston performed two songs for the film, "Impossible" and "There Is Music in You".

In November 1998, the fourth (not counting the previous three soundtracks) studio album Houston was released. My Love Is Your Love. Initially, the album was conceived as a collection of the best songs, but subsequently enough new material accumulated for a full-fledged new album. The album was recorded and mixed in just six weeks.

In 1999, Whitney took part in the Divas Live '99 concert in Las Vegas along with Tina Turner, Cher and Mary J. Blige. In the same year, she made the world tour My Love Is Your Love Tour. For the song "It's Not Right But It's OK" in 2000, Whitney received a Grammy in the nomination "Best Rhythm and Blues Singer".

In the spring of 2000, Whitney: The Greatest Hits was released. The album included the old ballads, instead of the well-known fast songs, their house and remix versions were included, as well as four new songs, including three duets with famous performers: "Could I Have This Kiss Forever" with Enrique Iglesias, "Same Script, Different Cast" with Deborah Cox and "If I Told You That" with George Michael. A DVD of the same name was also released. The original photographs for this edition were taken by renowned and controversial photographer and filmmaker David LaChapelle.

That same year, Houston performed at a television concert celebrating the 25th anniversary of Arista Records. Houston also became the first recipient of the BET Lifetime Achievement Award for her contributions to black music. In August 2001, Houston signed new contract$100 million for six new albums with Sony BMG, which became the largest in the history of the music industry at that time, breaking the record of Mariah Carey (whose $80 million contract with EMI was terminated).

In late 2002, at the peak of his drug addiction rumors, Houston released his fifth studio album, Just Whitney. Music critics were not satisfied with the presented songs, noting that these songs are only "signs of life, but not enough for resurrection" (The San Francisco Chronicle). It was a work that was performed for the first time without the participation of Clive Davis. The album became a commercial failure for Whitney.

Whitney Houston - Love that Man

In late 2003, Houston released his first Christmas album One Wish: The Holiday Album. Reviews have been controversial, ranging from remarks about deviations in her voice (Slant Magazine) to "meteoric crescendos" in her music (The New York Times). The album became Houston's biggest selling album.

In 2004, Houston toured Europe with Soul Divas Tour with Natalie Cole and Dionne Warwick, as well as an international tour of the Middle East, Russia and Asia. In September, she made a surprise appearance at the World Music Awards and dedicated this performance to her mentor and friend Clive Davis. The audience gave her a standing ovation.

At the end of the summer of 2009, after a six-year lull, constantly accompanied by rumors and statements about the recording of new material, the singer's seventh studio album, entitled I look to you. Houston again returns under the wing of his mentor Clive Davis, under whose leadership most of the singer's albums were recorded. Veterans such as Diane Warren, David Foster, R. Kelly, as well as young writers and performers such as Alicia Keys, Swizz Beatz, Danja, Jonta Austin, Akon and others also worked on "I Look to You".

The album debuted at number one on the US Billboard 200 with 305,000 first week sales. I Look to You repeated the success of the 1992 The Bodyguard soundtrack and the 1987 Whitney studio album, reaching the top of the US main chart. In December 2009, it was announced that the album had been certified platinum, and in January 2010 the album was certified double platinum. However, despite the long-awaited and commercial success of the disc, neither the album itself, nor its authors, nor any of the compositions, nor Houston herself received a single Grammy nomination, which turned out to be a big disappointment and surprised many.

On January 16, 2010, Houston received the BET Awards for Career Achievement and for the success of I Look to You. On January 26, 2010, the anniversary reissue was released. debut album Whitney Houston, Whitney Houston - The Deluxe Anniversary Edition, which is twenty-five years old.

Whitney Houston - I Have Nothing

Whitney Houston Achievements:

One of the most commercially successful performers in the history of world music. Known for her musical accomplishments, vocal abilities and scandalous personal life.

The status of a superstar was fixed for Houston after the release of the film The Bodyguard in 1992, in which she played one of the main roles (along with Kevin Costner) and performed the main musical parts. The ballad "I Will Always Love You" from the movie was a huge success, becoming not only a worldwide hit and the best-selling single among female singers in the history of music, but also a "hymn of love".

Winner of over 400 awards including 7 Grammy Awards, 31 Billboard Music Awards, 22 American Music Awards, 7 Soul Train Music Awards, 16 NAACP Image Awards, Emmy Award, BET Lifetime Achievement Award and many more awards and honors from the recording and entertainment industry.

According to the Guinness Book of Records, by 2009, Houston was the artist with the most awards (The Most Awarded Female Artist of All Time).

According to her record label, the total number of records sold is 170 million copies.

According to the Recording Industry Association of America, Houston is the fourth most commercially successful female artist in the United States, with 55 million certified records in that country.

Rolling Stone magazine included Houston in the list of the 100 Greatest Performers at number 34 overall.

Court proceedings of Whitney Houston with her father and stepmother

In 2002, Houston was involved in a legal conflict with her father, John Huston, who was once her manager. John Houston Enterprise president and family friend Kevin Skinner sued Whitney Houston for breach of contract and $100 million in damages, but lost. Skinner alleged that Houston owed his company previously unpaid compensation for helping to negotiate her $100 million contract with Arista Records, as well as for dealing with her legal problems. The singer's spokeswoman stated that her 81-year-old father, who was ill at the time, was not directly involved in this lawsuit, but Skinner argued otherwise.

Houston's father passed away in February 2003, but the singer did not attend his funeral. In an interview with Oprah Winfrey, Houston herself said that due to the importunity of reporters, another quiet farewell ceremony was organized for her and her family on the eve of the funeral.

The court case was dismissed on April 5, 2004, after Skinner did not take part in pre-trial proceedings.

In May 2008, Whitney's stepmother, Barbara Huston, filed a lawsuit against her stepdaughter for allegedly mishandling the inheritance of her father, who died in 2003 at the age of 82. Barbara Huston stated that she claimed part of the inheritance by right, but Whitney disposes of it solely and does not pay the mortgage. Houston inherited $1 million in life insurance to pay for her father's mortgage and other funds. Whitney herself denied all claims. On the contrary, the singer filed a counterclaim against her stepmother, demanding the return of a debt of $ 1.6 million to her.

Drug addiction and the death of Whitney Houston

On January 11, 2000, at the Hawaiian airport, security guards found marijuana in Houston and Brown's luggage, but the couple flew off before officers could arrive. She and Brown were later charged with drug possession, which Houston later disputed. She was ordered to pay 2.1 thousand pounds sterling (4.2 thousand dollars) in support of the youth anti-drug program in lieu of community service.

However, rumors of drug use have not disappeared. Two months later, her impresario Clive Davis was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Houston was scheduled to perform at an event honoring the event, but she canceled those plans ten minutes before the show began.

A little later, Houston was supposed to perform at the Oscars, but was suspended by music director and longtime friend Bart Bacharach. Although her press secretary cited a throat problem as the reason for canceling the performance, many spoke of drug problems. Later it was reported that Houston's voice was trembling, she seemed aloof, her attitude was casual, almost defiant. During the performance of the planned song " Over the Rainbow" she began to sing another song, "American Pie".

At an interview with Jane Magazine, Houston was rumored to arrive late, appear uncomposed, unable to even open her eyes, and play an imaginary piano. Later that year, Houston's executive assistant and best friend Robin Crawford resigned from the Houston management company.

The following year, Houston appeared at a concert in honor of the 30th anniversary of his career - Michael Jackson: 30th Anniversary Special. She looked shockingly thin, which again raised a wave of rumors about drug use, anorexia and bulimia. Her press secretary said that Whitney was under stress due to family problems, and for this reason she did not eat. At the same show, the singer was supposed to perform again, but refused without explanation. A little later, rumors appeared in the media that the singer died from an overdose. The Houston Company quickly denied these rumors.

In late 2002, Houston was interviewed by Diane Sawyer on her ABC Prime Time program. During a prime-time television interview, Houston answered questions and spoke about her controversial public and private life. Sawyer's questions focused on rumors of drug use, the singer's health, and her long-suffering marriage to Brown. So, when asked if she uses crack, Houston said, “First of all, let's get one thing clear. Crack is cheap. I make too much money to smoke crack. Let's get this clear. OK? We don't use crack. We don't use it. Crack is a crash (English crack is wack)”. Her statement will be dishonest. Houston, however, admitted to using various drugs at parties. When asked if her husband had ever beaten her, she replied: “No, he never beat me, no. I beat him. In anger".

Whitney Houston - drugs

Houston entered drug treatment clinic to be reinstated in March 2004, but the following year she appeared on Brown's reality series Being Bobby Brown, exhibiting even more unruly behavior. In March 2005, Houston entered the same clinic, successfully completing a rehabilitation course. While there were rumors of Houston's drug addiction, her label insisted otherwise.

In recent years, Whitney Houston has been repeatedly treated for alcohol and drug addiction, she was sick a lot. In 2010, her world tour was canceled due to poor health.

Whitney Houston died on February 11, 2012 in a hotel room at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills. on the eve of the 54th Grammy ceremony. The singer was found unconscious in the bathroom of her hotel room by her aunt Mary Jones. They tried to bring her back to life with the help of cardiopulmonary resuscitation, but to no avail - death was registered at 15:55 US Pacific Coast time.

The police immediately ruled out the version of the violent nature of death.

The 54th Grammy ceremony was dedicated to Houston.

On February 18, in Newark, the singer's hometown, a farewell ceremony was held, called by relatives "Home Going". The ceremony, limited to 1,500 people, was held at the New Hope Baptist Church, in whose gospel choir Houston began singing at age 11. Speeches and song performances included Dionne Warwick, Kevin Costner, Stevie Wonder, Tyler Perry, R. Kelly, Alisha Keys, Clive Davis, CC Winans and BB Winans, sister Patricia Huston and the singer's bodyguard Ray Watson. Also at the ceremony, Aretha Franklin was originally scheduled to perform, but she was unable to attend due to health problems.

Bobby Brown, the singer's ex-husband, left the ceremony shortly after it began. At the end of the ceremony, the chrome-plated coffin with the body of the late singer was carried out to the sound of her most famous song - "I Will Always Love You". The ceremony, which lasted about four hours instead of the planned two, was broadcast on the Internet. By order of the state governor, all national flags were flown at half-staff in New Jersey that day, a last honor usually bestowed only on deceased statesmen.

On February 19, 2012, Whitney Houston was buried at Fairview Cemetery in Westfield, located a few kilometers from Newark. Houston's coffin was buried next to the grave of her father, John Russell Houston (September 13, 1920 - February 2, 2003). The performer repeatedly expressed this desire during her lifetime.

On March 23, 2012, the results of a police investigation were made public, which showed that the causes of the singer's death were drowning, atherosclerotic heart disease and cocaine use. The death is presented as an "accident" and investigators have "no suspicion of injury or violence." According to representatives of the investigation, the examination showed that the singer was a chronic cocaine addict. Other drugs found in her blood included marijuana, a sedative (muscle relaxant), and an anti-allergic drug.

Whitney Houston Height: 168 centimeters.

Whitney Houston's personal life:

In the 1980s, Whitney Houston had romantic relationship with soccer player Randall Cunningham.

She also had an affair with her longtime friend and assistant Robin Crawford, although she constantly denied lesbian rumors.

In 1989, Houston met New Edition singer Bobby Brown at the Soul Train Music Awards. After three years The courtship couple married on July 18, 1992. Brown by that time already had disagreements with the law and three children from different women. Despite this, on March 4, 1993 - after a miscarriage the year before - Houston gave birth to a daughter, Bobbi Kristina Houston-Brown (1993-2015).

In the 2000s, Brown had no less problems. Around the couple there were rumors about the drug addiction of both. In December 2003, after reports that Brown had punched Houston during their altercation, he was arrested and charged.

After a long history of scandals, adultery, drug and alcohol abuse, arrests and family problems, Houston filed for divorce in the fall of 2006.

In February 2007, Houston petitioned the court to expedite the divorce, which took place on April 24, giving Houston full custody of their daughter.

On April 26, 2007, Brown filed an appeal against the court's decision, seeking separation of child custody and spousal support from Houston. The statement also indicated that financial and emotional issues prevented Brown from properly responding to Houston's divorce petition. On January 4, 2008, Brown did not appear at the court hearing at the appointed time, as a result of which the judge canceled his appeal, upholding the decision on the full guardianship of Houston over her daughter. In addition, Brown found himself without a lawyer after his lawyers refused to work with him due to "communication failures."

The singer herself said about her marriage to Bobby Brown: “Many people began to worry about me - I really was unhappy in marriage. I lost myself because I tried to please all the time. I tried to prove to the world that they were wrong when they said that this marriage won't last six minutes. I was very determined. And when you lose yourself, you start to lose the true concept of love. Instead, you make a statement. My statement went like this: "You guys are not winning. We got married, we wanted to create family, we love and adore each other. And I won't let you talk about us like that." He was also determined. We fought for it, and everything else was kind of lost. And then we started doing other things in marriage (drugs And when there is so much happening around you, it is very difficult to stay on the right path.

At first, it was only soft drugs, and then, after the film "The Bodyguard" and after I gave birth to Christina, strong ones also went into action - cocaine, marijuana. Bobby also liked to drink, while I didn't really gravitate towards strong drinks. Alcoholism is a terrible thing. You either become a harmless alcoholic or you become aggressive. He was very aggressive. He changed completely, although he was always afraid to hit me, because my family warned him: “Remember - we warned you only once.” So he tried to just leave. And at that time I became a little girl who would not tell anyone anything. Emotionally, he often hurt me, but physically - never. I grew up with two boys and always knew how to hit back. I would fight to the last...

Once he gave me a slap in the face, and for this he received three times on the head from me. I said, "You've gone too far." The worst happened on his birthday. We went to Atlanta - I gave him a party at the club. He drank all evening, a lot. And for some reason, everything I did to make him happy backfired on me. It was more than strange. It is today that I understand that alcoholics offend precisely those people whom they love. And when we got home (he will hate me for what I tell), he spat in my face. And all because I loved him so much. And my daughter, going down the stairs to the first floor, saw it. There was a lot of tension - there was so much hatred for me in his eyes. I couldn't understand it because I was brought up very differently."

The only daughter died suddenly at the age of 22 in July 2015.

Bobbi Kristina Brown was in a coma after boyfriend Nick Gordon discovered her January 31 in a bathtub at her home in Roswell, Georgia. The family reported that she had been diagnosed with permanent brain damage. At first, Bobbi Kristina was in various hospitals, then she was transferred to a hospice due to deteriorating health. Bobbi Kristina's court-appointed guardian filed a $10 million lawsuit against Gordon.

The document claims that on the day when the girl was injured, which led to a coma, she quarreled with Gordon. According to the plaintiff, Brown "suffered life-threatening injuries" as a result of Gordon's behavior. According to the guardian, Gordon began beating Bobbi Kristina in order to get the significant funds that she inherited from her mother. The lawsuit also alleges that while Brown was in a coma, Gordon stole more than $11,000 from her bank account.

The police considered an accident, a suicide attempt and attempted murder as the main versions of what happened. In February 2015, Gordon was banned from visiting Bobbi Kristina in the hospital.

Gordon was adopted son Whitney Houston, then he started dating her daughter. After the death of the singer in 2012, the couple began to call each other husband and wife, although Bobbi Kristina and Gordon were never officially married.

Filmography of Whitney Houston :

1984 - Give me a break! (Gimme a Break!) - Rita
1985 - Silver Spoons (Silver Spoons) - cameo
1992 - The Bodyguard - Rachel Marron
1995 - Waiting to Exhale - Savannah Jackson
1996 - The Preacher's Wife - Julia Bigz
1997 - Cinderella (Rodgers & Hammerstein's Cinderella) - Fairy
2003 - Boston Society (Boston Public) - cameo
2012 - Sparkle - Emma

Produced by Whitney Houston:

1997 - Cinderella (Rodgers & Hammerstein's Cinderella)
2001 - The Princess Diaries
2003 - Cheetah Girls (The Cheetah Girls)
2004 - The Princess Diaries 2: How to become a queen (The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement)
2006 - Cheetah Girls in Barcelona (The Cheetah Girls 2)

Discography of Whitney Houston:

1985 - Whitney Houston
1987 - Whitney
1990 - I'm Your Baby Tonight
1998 - My Love Is Your Love
2002 - Just Whitney
2003 - One Wish - The Holiday Album
2009 - I Look to You

The most famous songs of Whitney Houston:

1985 - "You Give Good Love"
1985 - "Saving All My Love for You"
1986 - "How Will I Know"
1986 - "The Greatest Love of All"
1987 - "I Wanna Dance with Somebody (Who Loves Me)"
1987 - "Didn't We Almost Have It All"
1987 - "So Emotional"
1988 - "Where Do Broken Hearts Go"
1988 - "Love Will Save the Day"
1988 - "One Moment in Time"
1990 - "I'm Your Baby Tonight"
1990 - "All the Man that I Need"
1992 - "I Will Always Love You"
1993 - "I'm Every Woman"
1993 - "I Have Nothing"
1993 - "Run to You"
1993 - "Queen of the Night"
1995 - "Exhale (Shoop Shoop)"
1998 - "When You Believe"
1999 - "Heartbreak Hotel"
1999 - "It's Not Right But It's OK"
1999 - "My Love Is Your Love"
2000 - "I Learned from the Best"
2002 - "Whatchulookinat"
2003 - "One of Those Days"
2003 - "Try It on My Own"
2003 - "Love that Man"
2009 - "Million Dollar Bill"