Little-known facts about Whitney Houston. Whitney Houston's birthday: interesting facts about the singer Whitney Houston: biography

1. The singer began her career in the church choir, at the age of 11 she sang the hymn “Guide Me, Lord” (Guide Me, O Thou Great Jehovah).

2. Her favorite subject at school was history.

3. As a child, she dreamed of becoming a teacher or a veterinarian.

4. In the early 80s, Whitney worked as a model. And she became the first African-American girl to appear on the cover of the youth magazine Seventeen.

5. The singer received her first Grammy statuette in 1986 for the song Saving All My Love for You.

6. Surprisingly, Whitney starred in only a few films: The Bodyguard (1992), Waiting to Exhale (1995), The Priest's Wife (1996), Sparkle (2012). However, this does not prevent fans from perceiving Houston not only as a singer, but also as an actress.

7. The soundtrack to the film "The Bodyguard" became the best-selling soundtrack of all time (43 million copies). I wonder what song I will always Love You from this film is still the most popular wedding song in the US, but it is also the most popular funeral song in England.

8. In 1987, Michael Jackson invited Houston to record the song I Just Can't Stop Loving You, but the girl refused the singer.

9. was head over heels in love with the singer. In the late 80s, in an interview, he said: “She is gorgeous! sexier women I have not seen in my life."

10. While dating actor Eddie Murphy, Whitney met singer Bobby Brown backstage at the Soul Train Music Awards. The spark ran right away, the girl invited Bobby to her 26th birthday. And off we go...

11. Whitney loved a lot purple. At her wedding to Bobby Brown in 1992, the singer dressed all the bridesmaids in dresses of this color. She divorced her husband after 14 years of high-profile scandals.

12. On March 4, 1993, Whitney gave birth to her only and long-awaited daughter, Bobbi Kristina Houston Brown. The girl survived her mother by only 3 years.

13. Whitney's favorite actress was Jessica Lange, and her actors were Robbie Williams, Robert De Niro and Al Pacino.

14. Throughout her career, Whitney Houston has won 7 Grammys, 31 Billbord Awards, 22 American Music Awards, and more. According to the Guinness Book of Records, the singer has received more than 400 awards and has become one of the most successful performers in the world of music.

15. The singer had a favorite number - "7". They say that it was 7 million that Whitney requested for her performance at the wedding of the daughter of the Sultan of Brunei. According to rumors, she was given a blank check. The singer, not at a loss, wrote a number with six zeros.

16. Houston has repeatedly admitted that she loves to vacuum.

17. Her last public appearance was on February 9, 2012. Then Whitney sang one of her favorite songs - "Jesus loves me." And on February 11, she was found dead in the bathroom of the Beverly Hills Hotel.

18. The singer's daughter, Bobbi Kristina, was also found unconscious in the bathroom. The girl spent 6 months in a coma, she was disconnected from the devices on February 11, the same day when her mother died.

Whitney Houston went down in history as a music record holder and one of best singers in the world. On February 12, the 48-year-old singer was found dead at the Beverly Hilton Hotel. Focus presents 10 little-known facts from the life of the queen of soul.

Nippy Whitney Houston was nicknamed by her father, John Huston, when she was a child. This name was given to the character of popular American cartoons, who constantly got into unpleasant stories.
She first began performing at the age of 11 in a church choir. Soon, in the church where she sang, people began to come not so much to services as to listen young talent.

- Until 1985, the future superstar was a popular model, she often appeared on the covers and pages of magazines like Seventeen, Glamor and Madamoiselle. Houston has also been photographed for advertising posters for various companies, including Max Factor.

Her first album, Whitney Houston, released in 1985, became the most successful female debut album in music history - it sold 13 million copies in the US alone in a year, staying at the top of the prestigious Billboard chart for 14 consecutive weeks.

- In 1991, the singer was elected to the board of directors of the American Red Cross charity, and in 1989 she created her own charitable foundation, The Whitney Houston Foundation For Children (WHFC), which took care of homeless children. The organization financed the construction of city parks and playgrounds, and annual Christmas parties were held. When Houston got married in 1992,
asked all guests to donate to WHFC instead of gifts.

- Whitney Houston's main hit I Will Always Love You, which provided her with eternal fame, was written in 1974 by country singer Dolly Parton. The song was intended to be re-recorded by the king of rock and roll Elvis Presley, but at the same time he also wanted to buy half of the rights to the composition. However, Parton turned him down. Later, after a hit performed by Houston in The Bodyguard, Parton earned $6 million on the rights alone. The soundtrack to The Bodyguard is the best-selling soundtrack of all time with 43 million copies.

– When she first read the script for The Bodyguard, Whitney Houston flatly refused to star in it, arguing that the heroine of the film is a “hysteric” and that she would never behave like that. The director and producer of the film, Kevin Costner, hardly persuaded her to play the main role.

- The composition I Will Always Love You in 2002 was made the anthem of his election campaign by Saddam Hussein.

- In 1993, 20-year-old Helen Stevens, an ardent admirer of the singer's work, was arrested in London and sent to prison for a week. She played the song I Will Always Love You so loudly that the neighbors could hear it even through the double brick wall and soundproofing. Since, after the first court order, the girl did not deviate from her musical passions, she was taken into custody.

- In 2002, in a television interview, Whitney Houston admitted that she uses marijuana, cocaine, alcohol and psychoactive medications. However, already in April 2010, the singer called the rumors about her return to addiction "nonsense". In May 2011, she became a member of the rehabilitation program.

Today, August 9, Whitney Houston would have celebrated her 50th birthday, but unfortunately, she passed away a year ago. But the songs of pop, soul and rhythm and blues artist will forever remain in world music. Authoritative magazine " Rolling Stones called her voice one of the most delightful-sounding. In addition to the fact that Houston was a singer, she also made a wonderful duet with Kevin Costner in the movie. The film "The Bodyguard" is still one of the most beautiful stories love in cinema.

1. Whitney is the most award-winning singer in the world. This achievement is recorded in the Guinness Book of Records. Her debut album was released in 1985 on Valentine's Day.

2. When Houston was not yet known as a singer, she worked as a fashion model. Curiously, from the point of view modern industry her fashion parameters were far from ideal (86-66-86), but her amazing charisma corrected the situation.

3. The favorite number of the singer was the number "7". It was 7 million that Whitney requested for her performance at the wedding of the daughter of the Sultan of Brunei. They say that she was simply given a blank check and Houston, not at a loss, wrote a number with six zeros.

4. Whitney Houston often helped those in need, for example, when the singer got married, she asked the guests not to give her anything, but instead of a gift, transfer money to her charitable foundation. The Whitney Houston Children's Foundation was founded in 1989. He was involved in the issuance of grants in the field of education, sports, arts and health. Assistance was provided to sick children. And that's just one Charitable organization in which Whitney participated.

5. Houston admitted that she loves to vacuum. Sometimes during this activity she learned songs.

6. The singer planned that after her death internal organs will be given to scientific research. It remains a mystery whether her will was fulfilled. Her death was due to a heart attack.

7. The song "I Will Always Love You" from the movie "The Bodyguard" is still the best-selling single among performers in the history of music.

Whitney Houston (August 9, 1963 - February 11, 2012) went down in history as one of the world's best singers. According to many, she became best voice America ever born. Houston's two-decade career was marked by the recording of iconic singles with virtuoso performances that will forever be sewn into the fabric of American and world culture. That is why when the singer was found dead in her Beverly Hilton hotel room on February 11, 2012, the public outcry was so great. Such talents are too rare and the feeling that we will never hear her voice live has become too painful.

Below are ten interesting facts from the life of the queen of soul, the owner of a unique voice of 5 octaves, Whitney Houston.

10 Drugs

In 2002, Whitney Houston, in a television interview with Oprah Winphy, admitted that she used drugs, alcohol, and psychotropic drugs. Soon the singer called this addiction a big "stupidity". In the spring of 2011, Whitney was included in the rehabilitation program.

9 Fan Houston

In 1993 in London, an ardent Houston fan, 20-year-old Helen Stevens, was imprisoned for a week for haunting her neighbors with the loudly played song I Will Always Love You, which bothered them even through soundproofing.

8 Anthem

In 2002, Saddam Hussein made "I Will Always Love You" his campaign anthem.

7 "Bodyguard"

It is curious that when she first read the script for the film "The Bodyguard", Houston categorically refused to shoot in it, saying that the heroine of the picture is "hysterical" and that she would never behave like that. Kevin Costner, director and producer of the film, had great difficulty in convincing Whitney to play the part.

6 Choir soloist

At the age of 11, Whitney became a soloist in the choir at the church. After that, people began to come to church not so much to attend the service as to listen to the young talent.

5 I Will Always Love You Soundtrack

Whitney Houston's hit I Will Always Love You, which gave her lifelong fame, was written by country singer Dolly Parton in 1974. Elvis Presley intended to re-record this song, wanting to buy half of the rights, but Parton refused him. After the hit was performed by Whitney Houston in the film "The Bodyguard", Parton earned $ 6 million on the rights alone. This soundtrack became the best-selling of all soundtracks - 43 million copies.

4 WHFC Charity Foundation

In 1989, Houston created her charitable foundation, WHFC. The collected funds of the organization were used to build city parks and playgrounds, and held Christmas evenings every year. Getting married in 1992, the singer asked all her guests to donate to WHFC instead of gifts.

3 First album

Her first album, released in 1985, became the most successful debut female album in the history of music - in just a year in America, it sold 13 million copies and stayed at the top of the prestigious chart for 14 weeks in a row.

2 Model

The future superstar until 1985 was a model and often appeared on the covers and pages of fashion magazines Seventeen, Glamour, and also starred for advertising posters for various companies, including Max Factor.

1 Nickname Nippy

The nickname Nippy Whitney was given to her by her father John Huston as a child. This is the name of a character from the famous American cartoon, who often got involved in unpleasant stories.

On August 9, the popular singer and actress Whitney Houston would have turned 50 years old. Fans remember her leading role in the movie "The Bodyguard" and numerous musical compositions, among which the most famous was the ballad "I will always love you" ("I Will Always Love You"). On the anniversary of Whitney Houston, we decided to remember the most Interesting Facts from her life.

Fact #1: Started her career in the church

The influence of genes is great. Therefore, the mother of little Whitney would be very surprised if she declared her unwillingness to sing, because she was born in a family of musicians. The mother of the singer herself was a member vocal group, and from birth, Whitney joined the vocals. At first it was church singing. The first solo performance of the young Whitney in the church was the composition "O You, Great Jehovah."

Whitney Houston on the cover of a magazine

Fact #2: Became the first color model

In the early 1980s, Whitney Houston made a splash in modeling business. She was one of the first women of color to have her photographs published by famous glossy publications - Glamor and Cosmopolitan. As a result, it turned out to be one of the most sought-after models of that time.

Whitney Houston with her mother Cissy Houston. 2010 Photo: Getty Images/Fotobank

Fact number 3: I preferred school studies to recording large-circulation records

Offers to record records began to come to Whitney Houston from the age of 13. But at that time, her mother made the decision for her daughter. She refused the agents, as her girl must first finish high school. And after 2 years in one of the nightclubs in New York, where 15-year-old Whitney performed with her mother as her backing vocalist, future star noticed a representative of one of the record companies in America. Jerry Griffith was impressed with the girl's voice and convinced her to sign the contract. This was the start of a professional creative way Houston.

Whitney Houston performing in Berlin. 1998 Photo: Splash News/All Over Press

Fact number 4: was the "discovery of the year", but performed with the stars as an opening act

Whitney Houston's debut album was released in February 1985. Many reputable music critics called her the discovery of the year and one of the most exciting new voices. But, despite the laudatory reviews, Houston could not yet collect the halls on her own, but performed as an opening act for more famous performers. For example, she "turned on" the audience during the American tour of Jeffrey Osborne.