My major is choir. I chose this figure because she inspired me, not with her behavior, but with her talents. Whitney Houston was an important figure because she was an amazing talented lady. Her life wasn’t perfect; she went through many personal and family issues. She was going the right direction until things got bad. Whitney was born in Newark, New Jersey on August 9, 1963. People say that it was meant for her to be a singer because people in her family were legendary figures in American gospel and soul music. Whitney started singing at the church, her mother Cissy Houston was the choir minister.
The church was named New Hope Baptist Church. At the age of fifteen she started going with her mom and was aiming for a record deal. (http://www. biography. com/people/whitney-houston-9344818) Four years later she was discovered in a nightclub by Artista Records. She was signed immediately; she changed from gospel to pop music. She released her first album called Whitney Houston in 1985 and it immediately became a smash hit. By 1992 she was at the top of the world, until it started to crash a while after she married Bobby Brown. Whitney Houston married Bobby Brown.
The marriage had been going happily and loving until things went downhill. After a few years they both battled in painful abuse and abnormal behavior. Even though she had personal problems, she continued on with her wonderful career. During this time, Whitney switched over to acting. Starring in her first movie The Bodyguard. She made a huge hit with that movie, while she did a cover of Dolly Parton’s 1974 “I will always love you. ” It broke fourteen weeks at the top of the U. S. charts, also nominated for three Grammy’s. Whitney was shown for her great acting, she also starred in The Preacher’s Wife and Waiting to Exhale.
Both movies had big soundtrack hits. In 1998, Whitney’s family issued a full-length album My Love is Your Love, her first in eight years. Artist like Babyface, David Foster, Missy Eliot, Wyclef Jean, Lauren Hill, and Q-Tip were included in her album, but her album still didn’t do too well. It sold a few copies. However, when Whitney did a duet for the animated film The Prince of Egypt with Mariah Carey, it went successful. They produced a single, “When You Believe” which won an academy award. (http:/www. starpulse. com/Music/Houston. _Whitney/Biography/) Unfortunately, Whitney went back in the tabloids.
Her terrible marriage struggled with illegal drugs and health issues, almost messing up her career. In early 2000 she was arrested in Hawaii when airline authorities found Marijuana in her luggage. Later the charges were dismissed. People began to see things going on in her personal life as she dropped out of the Academy Awards due to sore throat. Later, Artista tried to get her back up by signing a 100 million dollar contracting and throwing out an album of all her greatest hit.
Then she came out with a holiday album called One Wish. Whitney was becoming her normal self again, until she and Bobby became more public. http://www. thebiographychannel. co. uk/biographies/whitney-houston. html) In 2004, Whitney and Bobby came out with a reality show called Being Bobby Brown. The show displayed their personal lives. It was very violent and crucial. The married couple was always high off of drugs and abusing each other. Whitney wanted to repair her marriage, so she tried. Of course, like any mother would do, Cissy (Whitney’s mother) stepped in. Her mother walked in with a sheriff and said “I have a court injunction here. You do it my way, or we’re not going to do this at all. You’re going on TV, and you’re going to retire.
And say you’re going to give this up because it’s not worth It. ” as what was said on Oprah in 2009. Whitney listened to her mother and took a break from her career. She eventually divorced Bobby in 2007, having sole custody of their child Bobbi Kristina Houston Brown. (http://www. whitneyhouston. com/us/biography) Whitney seemed to be pulling herself together. She set for an album to come out in 2007 featuring, Alicia Keys, Swizz Beatz, R. Kelly, Akon, and Dianne Warren. Instead, it got pushed back to September 2009. The name of the album was I Look to You.
It became her number one hit album since the Bodyguard soundtrack. She toured the world in 2010 for the album. Then she started to talk about beginning another album, but in the summer of 2011, she was admitted into rehab for continuous drug and alcohol use. (http://www. imdb. com/name/nm0001365/bio) Rumors were said that Whitney had financial problems, so she had to fix her career up. In fall 2011 she filmed the role in a remake of the 1976 musical Sparkle, along starring Jordin Sparks. This musical film was about an all-girl group similar to the Supremes. The movie is expected to come out at the end of 2012.
Right after filming the movie, Whitney was going to appear as a judge on Simon Cowell’s new show The X Factor. Sadly Whitney did not live to star on this hit show. Whitney Houston was pronounced dead on February 11, 2012, in Los Angeles. The reason of her death has yet to be proven. Rumors are said that she died on overdose in drugs and alcohol. Whitney was seen days before her death, including the Pre Grammy Award parties. Without her, the world has lost one of its most legendary, amazing artist. She will always be remembered. (http://www. tvguide. com/celebrities/whitney-houston/179002)
