Whitney Houston

Whitney Houston, Jordin Sparks Sparkle On 'Celebrate' Duet

21 May 2012 13:09:55 EDT

A day after Sparks performs moving Billboard Awards tribute to the late icon, their duet from 'Sparkle' film debuts.
By Jocelyn Vena

Whitney Houston sparkles on her last-ever recording, the feel-good "Sparkle" soundtrack number "Celebrate."

Recorded with co-star Jordin Sparks and produced by R. Kelly, the song serves as the lead single for the late Houston's last-ever film.

The track pays homage to Motown thanks to Kelly's uplifting production, which focuses more on Houston and Sparks' vocals and harmonies than on any studio magic. The instrumentation, including a vintage-sounding bass, highlights the lyrics, where Houston and Sparks sing, "It's time to celebrate/ Come on and celebrate/ I want to celebrate/ I celebrate you, I celebrate me."

On the song, Houston sings in the deeper register she had been using in the last few years, but it works well alongside Sparks' lighter tone. As the track fades out and Houston sings about celebrating life, Sparks is heard saying, "We love you, Whitney."

"Celebrate" premiered on Ryan Seacrest's website on Monday (May 21), a day after Sparks appeared at the Billboard Music Awards to pay tribute to her co-star by performing Houston's legendary "Bodyguard" single "I Will Always Love You."

"I put myself completely, 100 percent onstage every time I perform," Sparks told MTV News of giving "everything" for her Houston tribute. "It's just very special. I feel very honored to be able to honor Whitney in this way and to sing one of her songs. I've actually never performed this song before ever. It's one of the songs I've always been like, 'Leave that alone,' so it's nerve-racking for me," she admitted.

"Sparkle" is set to open on August 17. A remake of the 1976 Irene Cara film, it follows three talented young Harlem sisters whose musical aspirations are affected when one begins to struggle with drug addiction. The 2012 version features "American Idol" alum Sparks as the titular character and Houston, who also served as executive producer, as her mother, Emma. It's the last movie the singer filmed before she died in February, the same night she was slated to make an appearance at mentor Clive Davis' Grammy fete.

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Whitney Houston Tribute Had Jordin Sparks Feeling The 'Pressure'

21 May 2012 06:53:20 EDT

'I just want to be able to speak through the music,' she says of her Billboard Music Awards performance of 'I Will Always Love You.'
By Kara Warner

LAS VEGAS — This year's Billboard Music Awards definitely packed a punch with explosive live performances. From Justin Bieber's swaggie "Boyfriend" to Carly Rae Jepsen's pop confection "Call Me Maybe" and Carrie Underwood's appropriately wind-heavy production of new single "Blown Away," the lucky audience members were treated to an evening of unforgettable showstoppers.

In the midst of the upbeat displays, however, there were also two poignant performances in honor of music legends Whitney Houston and Donna Summer, performed by Jordin Sparks and John Legend and Natasha Bedingfield, respectively.

When MTV News caught up with Sparks on the white carpet ahead of her portion of the tribute, the "American Idol" champ revealed that she had put her heart and soul into preparing her rendition of Houston's iconic version of "I Will Always Love You."

"I put myself completely, 100 percent onstage every time I perform," Sparks said of giving "everything" for her Houston tribute. "It's just very special. I feel very honored to be able to honor Whitney in this way and to sing one of her songs. I've actually never performed this song before ever. It's one of the songs I've always been like, 'Leave that alone,' so it's nerve-racking for me," she admitted. "It's a lot of pressure I'm putting on myself, because I want to do it amazingly, but at the same time, whatever happens, I just want to be able to speak through the music."

Sparks worked with and got to know Houston while filming the movie "Sparkle," which arrives in theaters this fall and is Houston's final appearance onscreen. Sparks was scheduled to attend Clive Davis' Grammy party with Houston on the night she died, and the "Idol" winner was in total "shock" upon hearing the tragic news.

What did you think of Sparks' tribute to Houston? Let us know in the comments.

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Billboard Music Awards Remember Whitney Houston, Robin Gibb

20 May 2012 23:09:10 EDT

Show also pays tribute to late legends Adam Yauch and Donna Summer.
By Jocelyn Vena

While the Billboard Music Awards were full of upbeat moments, thanks to highly charged performances from Justin Bieber, Katy Perry and more chart-toppers, the show also was somber at times, paying tribute to some of the music industry's brightest stars who died in the months before Sunday's (May 20) broadcast.

While Whitney Houston had the glitziest of the tributes, other late legends from all musical genres also mourned at the show. Right before the broadcast, the tragic news of Bee Gee Robin Gibb's death broke. The pop star died at the age of 62 after a lengthy battle with cancer. While his tribute was short, it was also very sweet, with "Modern Family" star and host Julie Bowen saying, "His voice and the music of the Bee Gees will live on forever."

Just two days before Gibb passed, the Queen of Disco, Donna Summer, died after her own battle with cancer; she was 63. British pop songstress Natasha Bedingfield recalled Summer's influence over her own music. "Donna Summer was a remarkable woman who brought so much light to so many. If we can remember her through her music, this can never really be the last dance," she said before launching into a rendition of Summer's dance-floor anthem "Last Dance."

Whitney Houston's tear-filled tribute was handled by many. Three-and-a-half months after Houston's untimely death in February, comedian Whoopi Goldberg said in her introduction, "I adored Whitney Houston. What all performers want and need and should get is love, and many of us here loved Whitney, and even if you're one of those who didn't show the love to Whitney, now is your chance, because tonight, that's what we're doing: We're going to be giving Whitney the greatest love of all."

Then, John Legend sat at his piano to perform Houston emotional, uplifting ballad, "Greatest Love of All." Jordin Sparks — Houston's co-star in her final film, "Sparkle" — handled Houston's legend-making "I Will Always Love You." Dressed in a flowing blue and black gown, the singer belted out the track, while Whitney's daughter, Bobbi Kristina, sat in the audience crying.

As the song wrapped, Whitney's sister-in-law Pat Houston and daughter accepted the Millennium Award in her honor. "This is truly an honor. We thank you, Billboard; we thank you, Whoopi, Jordin; we love you, John. But tonight, the one person that should be accepting this award is the one person that Whitney loved most."

"I just really want to say thank you to everyone who supported us through it all," Bobbi Kristina added. "Thank you so much for showing that much love, 'cause she deserved it. There will never be another one, ever. I thank you so much."

The outpouring of love and emotion didn't end there. Adam Yauch, MCA from the Beastie Boys, who died May 4 from his own battle with cancer, also was remembered. Top New Artist winner Wiz Khalifa said during his acceptance speech that the Beasties took hip-hop to new levels. "I just want to thank the Beastie Boys, and we will never forget MCA."

Later on, Cee Lo Green and Goodie Mobb may have been there to perform their own track, "Fight to Win," but afterward, Cee Lo told the room to get their asses up for their own spirited homage to MCA with "(You Gotta) Fight for Your Right (To Party)."

Share your condolences for the four late musical legends in the comments below.

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Bobby Brown Says Goodbye To Whitney Houston On New Song

17 May 2012 13:50:17 EDT

Houston's ex-husband debuts 'Don't Let Me Die' during a visit to the 'The Tonight Show With Jay Leno.'
By Nadeska Alexis

Since Whitney Houston passed away in February, her ex-husband, Bobby Brown, has only opened up about her death in one interview on the "Today" show, but during a Wednesday night appearance on the "Tonight Show With Jay Leno," the R&B singer paid tribute to Houston with a new song.

"Don't Let Me Die" finds Brown musing on mistakes he made during his relationship with Houston. "I didn't realize that every breath I took was from you," he sang, dressed in black, "You were my air."

The new song will be featured on Brown's upcoming album The Masterpiece, set to debut on June 5. It will be his first album since 1997's Forever. "I guess I [messed] up pretty bad/ I didn't know who you were/ I didn't know what we had," Brown continued to sing. "Now I'm stuck living in the past/ Trying to get the pieces back/ But I guess now you're gone."

Brown's tumultuous marriage to Houston was well-documented on their reality TV series "Being Bobby Brown," which showed the couple's difficult battle with drugs. When Houston died, she left behind 19-year-old daughter Bobbi Kristina, who reportedly has a strained relationship with her dad.

During his visit to the "Today" show in April, Brown defended himself against constant accusations that he was responsible for Houston's drug use, saying she was using drugs before they met in 1991. "I smoked weed, I drank the beer, but no, I wasn't the one that got Whitney on drugs at all," Brown told "Today" host Matt Lauer."It's just, it's just unexplainable, how one could [say that I] got her addicted to drugs. I'm not the reason she's gone."

Houston's family — including daughter Bobbi Kristina, brother Gary Houston and sister-in-law Patricia Houston — are set to appear in an upcoming Lifetime reality series.

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Whitney Houston's Family To Star On Reality Show

11 May 2012 14:53:18 EDT

'The Houston Family Chronicles,' which will feature Bobbi Kristina Brown and Cissy Houston, premieres on Lifetime later this year.
By John Mitchell

A new reality series featuring the family of late pop superstar Whitney Houston will premiere on Lifetime later this year, the network announced in a statement Friday (May 11).

Titled "The Houston Family Chronicles," the show will feature Houston's daughter, Bobbi Kristina Brown, and mother Cissy Houston, though the focus will be on "The Bodyguard" superstar's brother Gary Houston and sister-in-law and manager Pat Houston, as well as their daughter, Rayah.

Houston's cousin Dionne Warwick and Bobbie Kristina's godmother, gospel legend CeCe Winans, will also appear in the series.

According to Lifetime, the reality show will focus on Pat and Gary "as they take on their greatest challenge, supporting and guiding Bobbi Kristina as she faces the world alone, without the one person she relied on the most, her mother."

Whitney Houston died on February 11 of this year at the Beverly Hilton Hotel. The L.A. County coroner ruled that accidental drowning was the official cause of Houston's death, adding that cocaine use and heart disease were contributing factors. The report indicated traces of cocaine were found in Houston's system at the time of death along with Xanax, Flexeril, marijuana and Benadryl, though officials said these substances played no role in her untimely passing.

"The tragic loss of Whitney Houston left a void in the hearts of people all over the world, but certainly none more so than her beloved family," Rob Sharenow, executive vice president of programming at Lifetime Networks, said in a statement. "In this series, the multi-generations of the Houston family will bravely reveal their lives as they bond together to heal, love, and grow."

Lifetime has ordered 10 hour-long episodes of "The Houston Family Chronicles" and will premiere the show at a yet-undetermined time later this year. According to Pat Houston, the show had been in the works well before Whitney's death.

"I have been working with Simmons-Shelley [production company] over the past few years developing a project suitable for myself and our family," Pat Houston said. "The unexpected passing of Whitney certainly affects the direction of the show. However, it is my hope that others will be enlightened as they watch our family heal and move forward."

Will you watch "The Houston Family Chronicles"? Let us know in the comments below.

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Whitney Houston To Be Honored By VH1's 'Divas'

09 May 2012 08:13:23 EDT

December show will pay homage to singer, who appeared on 'Divas' three times.
By Gil Kaufman

The next installment of the "VH1 Divas" franchise will pay tribute to one of the all-time divas: Whitney Houston. According to Billboard, when the special is taped in Los Angeles in December, Houston's longtime musical director, Ricky Minor, will serve as executive producer of the event.

Houston appeared on "Divas" three times, in 1999, 2002 and 2003 and the tribute has already gotten the green-light from Houston's family and her label, Sony. No performers have been announced yet for the show.

"We all felt that if any show could pay tribute to Whitney's music, it would be 'Divas,'" VH1 president Tom Calderone said. "December felt like enough time where it wouldn't be sad anymore, you'd want to celebrate her music." Houston died  on February 11 from what the coroner determined was an accidental drowning  with the "effects of atherosclerotic heart disease and cocaine use" as contributing factors.

In the months since, a number of shows have paid homage to the "I Will Always Love You" singer, including the Grammy Awards , "Glee" and "American Idol." 

Since its 1998 debut, "Divas" has been one of VH1's most-watched and beloved franchises, with memorable performances from the likes of Mariah Carey, Adele, Kelly Clarkson, Mary J. Blige, Celine Dion, Cher, Beyonce, Aretha Franklin, Shakira, Miley Cyrus and Diana Ross.

The past two years have focused mostly on modern-generation performers, including Nicki Minaj, Sugarland, Grace Potter, Keri Hilson, Paramore, Katy Perry, Jennifer Hudson, Jessie J and Florence Welch.

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Bobby Brown Didn't Get Whitney Houston 'Addicted' To Drugs

30 Apr 2012 17:34:02 EDT

'I'm not the reason she's gone,' singer's ex-husband tells Matt Lauer in upcoming 'Today' show chat.
By Kara Warner

Their relationship may have been tumultuous and their struggles with substance abuse well-documented, but Bobby Brown insists that he is not the reason ex-wife Whitney Houston started doing drugs, a habit that she battled right up until her death in February.

"I'm not the one that got Whitney on drugs, at all," Brown told "Today" host Matt Lauer in an interview set to air on Wednesday and Thursday. "I'm not the reason she's gone."

Brown admitted that when he learned of his ex's death, he was saddened to hear she had started using cocaine again.

"I was hurt ... because, you know, me being off of narcotics for the last seven years — I felt that she was, you know, I didn't know she was struggling with it still. But at the same time, you know — listen, it's a hard fight," he said.

Regarding his involvement in Houston's drug use, Brown said that drugs were a part of Houston's life before they met in 1991. "I smoked weed, I drank the beer, but no, I wasn't the one that got Whitney on drugs at all," he insisted. "It's just, it's just unexplainable, how one could [say that I] got her addicted to drugs. I'm not the reason she's gone."

The New Edition member said that Houston seemed to have "a glow about her" the last time he saw her over dinner at a restaurant with their daughter, Bobbi Kristina, which was about a week before she died.

"She just looked like she was in a good place," he said.

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Michael Jackson, Amy Winehouse Top Fans' Hologram Wish-Lists

27 Apr 2012 18:46:23 EDT

Departed artists like Whitney Houston, Queen's Freddie Mercury and John Lennon also get mentions from fans in Times Square.
By Kate Callahan

NEW YORK — After the Tupac hologram performance at Coachella made such a huge splash, the team behind the projection system floated the possibility this week of an Elvis hologram to perform with Justin Bieber. Even '90s girl group TLC is rumored to be considering a virtual version of the late Left Eye on their upcoming tour.

With all that talk, MTV News hit Times Square to ask fans which departed artists they would most like to see perform in hologram form. While some of those interviewed wanted to see other rappers like the Notorious B.I.G. or Nate Dogg, one fan thought Whitney Houston should get the honors.

"I love her, I grew up singing her [songs], just walking around the house when I was seven or eight," Shayana of Houston said.

Brits Amy Winehouse and John Lennon of the Beatles were also popular picks, and a few rock fans mentioned Queen's flamboyant frontman. "It would have to be Freddie Mercury because Queen were one of the all-time greatest bands and he was a showman," said a fan named Rob.

Blane Mader would like to see a hologram of another great showman, Michael Jackson.

"It's a really cliché answer, but in my time I've never seen him and it would just be something awesome to watch," Mader said of the King of Pop.

Members of the Jackson 5 recently announced that they would love to have a virtual Michael on their upcoming Unity Tour. "Wouldn't that be wonderful? As a matter of fact, we had that idea two years ago for Michael's Cirque du Soleil show," Michael's brother Jackie Jackson told E! News.

Share your wish-list for future hologram performers in the comments below!

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Whitney Houston 'Prepared' Monica For Her Life In Music

24 Apr 2012 19:23:45 EDT

'My great-grandchildren will know exactly who Whitney Houston is,' 31-year-old New Life singer tells MTV News.
By Rob Markman

Monica and the late Whitney Houston shared a special bond. Not only did the fallen pop icon influence Monica, she also mentored her from a very young age.

"Losing somebody that you idolize is one thing, but losing a friend is another thing," Monica told MTV News during an April 10 interview. "I look back over many, many years of my life, and Whitney wasn't the type of person that would call and ask if I was OK; she would actually fly to me. She would come looking for me, she would sit with me.

"She prepared me and always reminded me to never lose sight of who I was, and I think she could be a testament to that because of what she experienced," she continued. "It's hard on a daily basis, especially when I'm thinking about her."

It's been almost three months since Houston passed away after accidentally drowning in a bathtub in her Los Angeles hotel room. While the wounds are still fresh, Monica marches on. The 31-year-old singer just dropped her seventh solo album, New Life, and has been singing Houston's songs since the very beginning of her career.

In March, Monica partnered with Brandy in Atlanta, and together they sang touching Whitney covers. It was far from the first time they paid homage to her. "I guess I get through the tributes for Nippy because I knew how much she enjoyed them," Monica explained. "I didn't just start doing tributes to her: I was signed at 11 years old singing 'The Greatest Love of All.' "

While on the road with Trey Songz during his 2010 Passion, Pain & Pleasure Tour, Monica would honor her idol every night, and Houston was alive to see it. "I would put on a gown and do a full-out salute to her from top to bottom and sing," she said. "She got a kick out of that."

Though Whitney's death has been difficult for Monica, the spirited singer takes comfort in knowing that her friend and teacher left a legacy that will transcend generations. "I really appreciate the fact that for almost three decades she gave us music that will last," she said. "My grandchildren will know exactly who she is; my great-grandchildren will know exactly who Whitney Houston is."

Share your favorite Whitney Houston memory in the comments below.

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Whitney Houston Death Probe Finds No Foul Play

12 Apr 2012 08:53:47 EDT

Police close their investigation into the singer's death after concluding it was accidental.
By Gil Kaufman

Police investigators have concluded their probe into the death of Whitney Houston and concluded that she died  of accidental drowning. According to CNN, the probe by the Beverly Hills Police Department was officially closed after investigators found "no evidence of foul play." In a statement from the department, police said, "Based on the findings of our investigation and our review of the coroner's report, we have determined that this is not a criminal matter."

The Los Angeles County coroner released its autopsy report last week in which it determined that Houston's February 11 death was an accidental drowning  with the "effects of atherosclerotic heart disease and cocaine use" as contributing factors. The conclusion of the police investigation was followed by the release of the 911 emergency call about the incident, in which a hotel security officer told the 911 operator that the woman who called for help from Houston's room was "irate and pretty much out of it." The security officer did not identify Houston in the call.

"I need paramedics, apparently I've got a 46-year-old female, found in the bathroom," he told the 911 operator. "That's all I've got right now, but they're requesting paramedics." The autopsy report said that Houston's assistant found the singer, who was actually 48 years old, face down in a bathtub of "extremely hot water."

"I'm not sure if she fell, or if she was in the bathroom with the water," the security officer said in the call, adding, "apparently she wasn't breathing." When asked if the guard could get the 911 operator into the room to give CPR instructions, the security officer said, "No, because she [the woman who called from Houston's room] kept hanging up on us."

The coroner's report did not detail exactly what happened to cause Houston's death, but addiction medicine specialist Dr. Drew Pinsky told CNN he had a theory. Pinsky examined the autopsy report and suggested that Houston might have suffered a seizure brought on by the use of cocaine, possibly combined with a withdrawal from alcohol and a prescription sedative. Police did find an empty bottle of the anti-anxiety drug Xanax in Houston's room, as well as empty beer bottles, but alcohol was not detected in her body and the level of the sedative in her blood was low.

"To me, a sudden drop-off in the Xanax level, a drop-off in your alcohol consumption, add cocaine, that's a recipe for a seizure," Pinsky said. "Somebody who's now upside down in a bathtub could easily seize and drown."

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