Whitney Houston in photos: the life and death of a Diva

A woman with one of the most powerful voices in the world, Whitney Houston built an enviable career. Her death on February 11, 2012, was an irreparable loss to music.

Through the biopic 'Whitney Houston: I Wanna Dance with Somebody,' released on December 21, 2022, the star's memory has been kept alive. The actress playing the role of the singer is Naomi Ackie.

Born on August 9, 1963, in Newark, New Jersey, Whitney Houston was immersed in the music world from a very early age. Her mother, Cissy Houston is a renowned R&B singer and cousin of singer Dionne Warwick. Whitney began to follow in her footsteps by joining the Newark Baptist Church choir.

Her true career as a backing vocalist began in his teens. She sang for bands such as Jermaine Jackson, Neville Brothers, Lou Rawls, and Michael Zager Band. At that time, she was also discovered as a model. In 1981, she graced the covers of major magazines such as Cosmopolitan, Glamour, Seventeen, and Vogue.

Her debut was on television, where she made a few guest appearances on series such as 'Gimme a Break!' (1984) and 'Silver Spoons' (1985). In the latter, she played herself.

In 1983, her talent was discovered by the Arista label, with which she signed her first contract. The debut album, called 'Whitney Houston', was released two years later and included hits like 'How Will I Know', 'Saving All My Love for You,' and 'Greatest Love of All'. For the next two years, she dedicated herself to touring to promote it.

The album was an absolute success and broke all records, with 25 million copies sold worldwide. In addition, it has been certified 13 times as a diamond album.

At that time, Michael Jackson had already popularized black pop music, which made the singer's path easier. Whitney Houston represented the R&B revival of the 80s, following in the footsteps of Aretha Franklin but with a more poppy style.

The intensity with which she sang quickly made her a star. As a testament to her international success, she was asked to write a song for the Summer Olympics in Seoul, 'One Moment in Time.'

In 1987, her second album, called 'Whitney', was number 1 in sales and highly praised by critics. It includes the famous single, 'I Wanna Dance with Somebody (Who Loves Me).' Over 20 million copies have been sold worldwide.

The video for the iconic hit also became a symbol of the 1980s. It set trends for colorful makeup, costumes, and scenery. They all made the young Whitney the biggest star of this era. In this clip, dressed in pink, she shines like never before!

In addition to music, Whitney became involved in several philanthropic projects, particularly with children and AIDS patients. In 1989, she founded the Whitney Houston Foundation For Children Inc. to help homeless and sick children in vulnerable situations.

In 1990, Whitney Houston released her third album, 'I'm Your Baby Tonight' (1990). Despite being less successful than the previous two, it represented the beginning of her collaboration with producer Babyface. From there, her work took on an Urban/Soul tone.

In the same year, 1990, she moved into a luxurious mansion in Mendham, New Jersey. Regarding her love life, she reportedly went out with Jermaine Jackson, Eddie Murphy, and the football player, Randall Cunningham.

In 1992, she formalized her relationship with hip-hop singer Bobby Brown. They got married in a ceremony attended by 800 guests.

Although it was only recently revealed, there were indications that the singer had a lasting relationship with her friend Robyn Crawford, who she met in the 1980s. The facts were confirmed by Robyn herself after Whitney's death.

The singer's parents, very religious, were opposed to this relationship, which is why the topic was never discussed in public. In the movie 'I Wanna Dance with Somebody,' the bisexuality of Whitney Houston is discussed, and actress Naomi Ackie was very proud of that.

Whitney Houston and Bobby Brown were reported to have several difficulties. Still, in 1993, Whitney had a baby girl with him, Bobbi Kristina Brown.

Much later, her daughter would meet an unfortunate end. She died in 2015, aged just 22. It was a sad coincidence that both Whitney Houston and her daughter would die an early death.

After the birth of her daughter, Whitney put her music career aside to dedicate herself to film. In 1992, she starred in 'The Bodyguard', alongside Kevin Costner.

The film was an international success and the soundtrack, with the famous song 'I Will Always Love You', went down in history.

Her acting career quickly took off. In addition to 'Waiting to Exhale', in 1995, Whitney also made 'The Preacher's Wife', in 1996. Obviously, she sang on the soundtracks of both films.

In 1998, she returned to music with the release of the album 'My Love Is Your Love' (1998). On the album, we find the song of the same name and other highly successful singles, such as 'It's Not Right but It's Okay' and 'If I told you that.' The return was successful, mainly in Europe, where it sold more than 4 million records.

Whitney Houston sang the ultimate Diva duet with Mariah Carey: 'When You Believe.' It was part of the soundtrack of the animated film, 'The Prince of Egypt.' The song won her an Academy Award for Best Original Song in 1999.

The first compilation of her songs was released in 2000: 'Whitney, The Greatest Hits'. The album sold over 10 million copies worldwide. In the song 'If I told you that', released in 1998, the iconic George Michael sang together with the diva.

The singer's fall began in the 2000s. In the midst of a tumultuous life, little by little, she fell into addiction. At some point, Houston was arrested at a Hawaii airport for possession of illegal substances.

In 2001, she participated in Michael Jackson's 30th solo career concert. On the occasion, she sang 'Wanna Be Startin' Somethin' with Usher and Mýa. Whitney's performance worried fans and the press: she appeared thin and insecure on stage. Her subsequent albums 'Just Whitney' in 2002 and 'One Wish: The Holiday Album' in 2003 were only moderately successful.

In 2006, after divorcing her husband, Whitney Houston released the compilation 'The Ultimate Collection.' Further on, in 2009, came the album 'I Look to You.' The album occupied first place in the United States and in several European countries. Although she had health problems that affected her vocal cords, Whitney Houston still decided to go on a world tour.

In 2010, she reissued her first album with bonus tracks: 'Whitney Houston, The Deluxe Anniversary.' Also, given the sales success of her previous compilations, she released 'The Essential Whitney Houston,' with yet another hit. It seemed to go on forever.

However, in 2012, while attending the 54th Grammy Awards, Whitney Houston was found unconscious in the bathtub of the Beverly Hills Hilton Hotel in California. Despite the intervention of paramedics, the singer died a few hours later, shocking the whole world.

According to the autopsy, she suffered from a cardiovascular disease, which was aggravated by the ingestion of illicit substances. The report indicated that she had drowned in the bathtub.

Many questions remained about Whitney Houston's unhappy end and her problems with addiction. In 2018, the documentary 'Whitney' by Kevin MacDonald suggested that the addictions were caused by a past of abuse.

The biopic 'I Wanna Dance with Somebody' delves slightly into the problems in Whitney Houston's later life. Apart from that, the late Diva lives on in a positive light. Since 2021, a hologram of the singer entertains music lovers in Las Vegas. Through her music, she continues to be among us.