Profile
Photos
Comments
Whitney Houston Makes Triumphant Comback at Party
Filed at 8:11 a.m. ET
BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. (AP) -- 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 begining.''
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 Houston 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 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.''