If you don’t live under a rock, you’ve probably heard world-renowned singer and actress, 48-year-old Whitney Houston, died February 11, 2012. This was a shock to not only her family, friends, and fans, but the entire world. Even if you didn’t like Whitney, (I mean, come on, what’s not to like), you had to have felt sorry for her. According to several reliable sources, Whitney had been drinking large quantities of alcohol in the Beverly Hilton Hotel bar that afternoon. The night before she was seen at a Pre-Grammy party, where she also drank a lot and performed. Her last performance was “Yes, Jesus Loves Me”, which was sung at her Grammy duet partner, Kelly Price’s party. Whitney, as stated before, was drinking, and many believe her voice sounded “sloppy” during the performance. Contrary to their belief, I think she was fabulous.

Her death shocked the world. On February 11, Houston was found submerged in a bathtub at 3:30 pm, and she was pronounced dead at 3:55. Her death was ruled an accident, as their were a prevalence of medications, such as Valium and Xanax. No illegal drugs were found in her system. Whitney’s memorial service was invitation-only, at the New Hope Baptist Church in Newark, her hometown.

Whitney, even in the after life, will remain a legend. In 2009, Guinness Book of World Records named her the most awarded female solo artist of all time. She has won six Grammys, but was nominated twenty-six times. Some of these award titles were Album of The Year (1994), Best Female R&B Vocal Performance (2000), and three awards for Best Female Pop Solo Performance (1986, 1988, and 1994). Her most successful year was 1994, when she left the Grammys with three awards, which were all from the album The Bodyguard! She has also received 30 Billboard Music Awards, 22 American Music Awards, and six People’s Choice Awards. Houston has one 83 major music awards, and was nominated over 123 times. Whitney’s bestselling album, self-titled Whitney Houston, was released in 1985. It sold 25 million copies worldwide, making it one of the most sold albums ever made. It features pop songs such as “All at Once” and “Greatest Love of All” that became instant classics. Her most famous and well known song, however, is arguably “I Will Always Love You” from the album, The Bodyguard. Whitney was also a talented actress, playing notable roles in movies like The Bodyguard and The Preacher’s Wife, for which she received the 1997 NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture. Whitney Houston was an incredible talent, and will be missed dearly by the world.

~Julia Champagne