This weekend I was saddened and shocked to hear of Whitney Houston’s passing. What I really loved and appreciated about Ms. Houston, aside from her amazing vocals, was her style and presence. With her debut in the mid-1980’s, she showed a generation of young women what elegance looked like. I remember so well, standing with my friends and seeing that album cover for the first time. Whitney looked like a queen from a distant land. She was regal and yet something about her was familiar.
There probably wasn’t a High School prom, dance, or homecoming that didn’t have someone attempt to sing The Greatest Love Of All. Whitney struck a delicate balance between youthful sophistication and free-spirited fun. When we saw videos like How Will I Know and I Want To Dance With Somebody, she showed so many of us that we too could rock that ever-so-popular pretty-in-pink look and dance like no one was watching.
She made us comfortable with giving our sneakers a break and our jean jackets some options! Every note that she sang, echoed possibility. When you heard her voice, whether you could sing or not, you felt you could soar! Her voice lifted us and her style made us want to grow. That is why we have never stopped rooting for her and cheering her on. Her legacy will forever be celebrated.
Farewell, Ms. Houston.
HOW WILL I KNOW
I WANT TO DANCE WITH SOMEBODY
THE GREATEST LOVE OF ALL
I’M EVERY WOMAN
