One of the most iconic performers of the 20th century, Whitney Houston’s legacy will remain as long as music can be played. With the release of the new biopic, Whitney Houston: I Wanna Dance With Somebody, fans new and old are getting a closer look at the life, career and struggles of a generational talent gone too soon.
From her early days singing in church, to her star-making Super Bowl rendition of “The Star-Spangled Banner,” to major movie roles and even more successful soundtracks, Whitney was a superstar in every sense of the word. However, her personal life was plagued by complicated relationships and substance abuse, the latter of which lead to her death in 2012 at just 48 years old.
Naomi Ackie stars as Whitney in the Houston family-approved biopic, and she told ET that having the support of Whitney’s family and friends was instrumental in doing justice to the singer’s story.
“Reading what Clive [Davis] had written, what Pat [Houston] had written, it was so heartwarming,” she added. “And to get to see them in so many different parts of the process, they were always so supportive. Always willing to share anything to help me tell the story properly. I’m eternally grateful for them, and really quite touched by their involvement and how much they wanted this part of her story to be told.”
Read on for a look at the life and legacy of one of the greatest performers of all time.
The Early Years
Whitney was born on August 9, 1963, in Newark, New Jersey, to John Russell Houston Jr. and Emily “Cissy” Houston (née Drinkard). She was surrounded by music from an early age — Cissy was a gospel singer who later joined a popular session vocal group called the The Sweet Inspirations, who performed on songs with stars like Elvis Presley, Dusty Springfield, Jimi Hendrix, Van Morrison and more. Darlene Love was Whitney’s godmother, Dionne and Dee Dee Warwick were first cousins, and Aretha Franklin was considered an honorary aunt.
Whitney started out singing in church at the age of five, and also learned to play the piano. She was a soloist by age 11, and by 14, had started singing backup for her mother at cabaret clubs in New York City. She also started modeling, becoming one of the first women of color to cover a fashion magazine when she appeared on the cover of Seventeen.
She continued performing and recording throughout high school — with Cissy insisting she turn down offers from record labels until her education was complete — but her big moment came when Arista Records head Clive Davis came to see her perform and was instantly impressed, signing her to a worldwide deal on April 10, 1983.
Clive Davis and Whitney Houston in 1984.
Making It Big
Whitney’s first major hit was a duet with Teddy Pendergrass, “Hold Me,” which became a Top 5 R&B hit prior to the release of her self-titled debut album. Whitney Houston, released on Feb. 14, 1985, went platinum 13 times over and included mega hits like “Saving All My Love for You,” “Greatest Love of All” and “How Will I Know.”
She followed it up with 1987’s Whitney, which was certified Diamond and made Whitney the first female act to achieve four No. 1 hits from one album: “I Wanna Dance with Somebody (Who Loves Me)”, “Didn’t We Almost Have It All”, “So Emotional” and “Where Do Broken Hearts Go.”
The success of her first two albums established Whitney as a global superstar — with seven consecutive Billboard No. 1 hits breaking a record previously shared by The Beatles and The Bee Gees. Then, she stepped onto one of the biggest stages of her career in January 1991, when she performed a rendition of “The Star-Spangled Banner” before Super Bowl XXV amid the Persian Gulf War. Whitney’s recording of the national anthem peaked at No. 20 on the Hot 100 and became the most successful recording of the song.
Over the course of her career, Whitney released five more albums — I’m Your Baby Tonight, My Love Is Your Love, Just Whitney, One Wish: The Holiday Album, and I Look to You — and two soundtrack albums, all of which were certified diamond, multi-platinum or platinum. She was the top-selling female R&B artist of the 20th century, and has sold more physical singles than any other female solo artist in history.
She also garnered dozens of awards during her career, including two Emmy Awards, eight GRAMMYs (including two GRAMMY Hall of Fame honors), 14 World Music Awards, 16 Billboard Music Awards and 22 American Music Awards.
The Silver Screen
In addition to her music career, Whitney also found success in the movies. Her first film role came in 1992’s The Bodyguard. The romantic drama — in which Houston played a famous singer with a stalker who falls in love with her bodyguard, played by Kevin Costner — received mixed reviews, but it was massively successful at the box office, earning $410 million worldwide.