Whitney Houston makes triumphant comeback at party




BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. – A stunning-looking and strong-sounding Whitney Houston made a triumphant return to the stage at a pre-Grammy party honoring her mentor, music mogul Clive Davis.

"I've got it, I've got it!" Houston, looking glamorous in a skintight leopard dress, sang early Sunday morning as she belted a line from one of her classic hits, "I'm Every Woman." But more than a lyric, it summarized to the crowd of A-list superstars and top industry execs that the superstar — whose drug use and erratic behavior had caused a shocking fall from grace just a few years ago — was back in top form.

"We all crossed our fingers that her beautiful story would end (happily)," said Jamie Foxx, who stood at the front of the stage and took video of Houston like he was just another fan in the crowd. "This is a new beginning."

Houston's mini-concert put an exclamation point on a night that included a rousing performance by Kelly Clarkson, an unlikely but magical duet between Jennifer Hudson and Barry Manilow and a rambling monologue by Kanye West.

"I have to bow in the presence of greats right now," West said as he looked out into the crowd, which at one point included Sir Paul McCartney, Prince, Diddy, Rihanna, the Jonas Brothers, Taylor Swift, Quincy Jones, and other luminaries.

"I'm just humbled by your greatness, and also Clive," West told the audience.

Davis, the music mogul who founded labels, signed greats ranging from Houston to Bruce Springsteen to Janis Joplin, and resuscitated the careers of veterans like Rod Stewart and Carlos Santana, was honored by the Recording Academy as an industry icon on Saturday, hours before Sunday's Grammys. For nearly three decades, Davis' pre-Grammy party and concert had become one of the industry's most coveted invites; this year, the Recording Academy took the event over and honored Davis instead.

But while Davis got an award, he still held court like it was his own party, acting as the evening's host as he introduced performers like Stewart, the Kings of Leon and Leona Lewis.

Diddy got the often staid crowd on their feet with a moving rendition of his tribute to the slain Notorious B.I.G., "I'll Be Missing You," with Biggie's widow, singer Faith Evans, and a gospel choir.

Clarkson got one of the evening's biggest ovations with her performance of her new single, "My Life Would Suck Without You" and the Joplin gem "Piece of My Heart."

But Hudson was perhaps the night's biggest star — until Houston hit the stage. Starting with the Super Bowl last Sunday, Hudson has been raising her profile after spending months in seclusion following the slayings of her mother, brother and nephew last October.

A smiling Hudson performed her hit "Spotlight," which earned her one of her four Grammy nominations, and got a standing ovation from the crowd. But she raised the bar with a pairing with Barry Manilow, injecting one of his signature songs, "Weekend in New England," with a lacking ingredient — soul.

Afterward, the Oscar-winner joined the audience (and friend Fantasia), stood in the front and danced and sang as Houston performed. Houston started off with "I Will Always Love You," but didn't hit the high, sustaining notes that made the song such a dramatic, stirring hit. Instead, she kept her voice at medium power, deciding to croon rather than soar.

But as she got into hits like "It's Not Right, But It's O.K.," her voice appeared to get stronger — and louder, and while she never replicated the vocal gymnastics of some of her past work, delivered a mesmerizing performance nonetheless.

The 45-year-old, one of the best-selling artists of all time and among the greatest singers, hasn't made an album since 2002. Then she was sinking due to drug use and a tumultuous personal life — a far cry from the princess image she cultivated since her debut in the 1980s.

But the singer is expected to release an album sometime this year, and unlike other reported returns, this comeback seems to be the real deal.

"She was on it, she was happy — she's back," said Foxx. "Everybody else watch out."

The Grammys air on Sunday on CBS.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/a...avis_party


That´s nice to hear. I hope that means we have something to look forward to cause I´d love to hear some great new music from her.

Good for her. At one point I really thought those drugs were going to kill her. Glad to see her coming back slow and steady.

That's what I heard! Good for her! Jamie Foxx...where's the video, man? Is she performing on the Grammys, does anyone know?

Oh yeah...poor VainAndy, somebody console him.

I've seen video of this. More of the same talk-singing we've heard for the past decade. Her voice is shot, guys. They may want to gloss it over because Clive Davis is banking on her this year, but she's never singing like that again.

HatrinaHaterwitz said:

Oh lord, I forgot about VainAndy. He's going to need blood pressure medication when he sees this thread .

VoicesCarry said:

Where'd you see the video? I'd like to see it. I'll make my up my mind if her voice is shot.

Ottensen said:

HatrinaHaterwitz said:

http://www.youtube.com/wa...w7xJD4AXzI
http://www.youtube.com/wa...d9fWwpRsMM

She may as well have been giving a speech.
[Edited 2/8/09 12:02pm]

Did I MISS the singing???

SCNDLS said:

Exactly.

i just realised i can never look at whitney with a straight face anymore, damn you debra

VoicesCarry said:

oh no...poor whitney...

Maybe this is all there is this sing-talk style that she does.

I don't need to see a video to know that article is PR bullshit. I saw the title of this thread and knew it was bullshit. Whitney, like MJ, cannot sing live anymore and she will never get it back. It's gone for good.

I saw the video and she looks and sounds amazing. Keep in mind that she is 45 and been through hell and back. This sing-talk style you guys keep referring was appropriate and she was working really well with the band. She was on key and actually used alot of her range especially her lower register that I love. So stop trying to pretend that cause she has aged that it is a "bad" thing. It was inevitable, be happy for her dammit!!

Kim69 said:

Yeah plus she ain't gonna sound like she did at 25 or 35. She sounded better here than she did at Kakhazstan. What the fuck was going on during THAT performance? Whitney's getting older anyways. No one expects her cousin Dionne to sing like she did when she was in her 20s either.

That being said, Andy's gonna come in here and just go off jokingly on her as usual.

I'm bumping this for him.
[Edited 2/8/09 15:01pm]

Kim69 said:

It is not the ravages of age but the ravages of drug abuse that have yielded this. Let's not kid ourselves.

Yeah, I don't think anybody's talking about age here.

Why did they say this:
"a strong-sounding Whitney Houston made a triumphant return to the stage".
Her voice isn't the same anymore.
But good for her that she's not giving up at least.

HatrinaHaterwitz said:

Don't worry. VA will kill this thread very shortly. It's only a matter of time!

dag said:

fixed.

altho macca is overrated imo.

TonyVanDam said:

WE need Youtube videos here, and Vainandy

paisleypark4 said:

I posted them, paisley.

VoicesCarry said:

Thanks for the vids.

I've heard her do better and I've heard her do worse so I'm cool with it and she looked great! That's a big plus!

God, I'm sick of the PR spin about her being back on form. Total bullshit. he does look really good...but she's another one who's ruined her voice. Her voice sounds rough and she's lost her tone. And don't give me this bullshit about her being older - your voice normally becomes richer as you get older. And she obviously has problems hitting the higher notes, as well as being able to hold a note. What a shame.

Mong said:

U just picking on her. And the same isnt said about Mariah, her voice has definitley went through a change, just like Johnny Cash and Elvis' did as he got older. Of course everybody knows that she had did some harsh things in the past 8 years, but you got to give her credit for sounding maybe not just as good as 17, but still undoubtably Whitney; and no one else.

Whitney was at the Grammys giving the R&B Album Grammy to Jennifer Hudson. Now if that ain't a coincidence, I don't know what is, lol.

VoicesCarry said:

Thank you...reality check.

Wow! She looked kinda..... gone at the Grammys tonight.