Music Magazine The Story of Whitney Houston First Edition Back Issue

On 23 June 1983, music mogul Clive Davis introduced his latest signee to the world on The Merv Griffin Show. A young 19-year-old woman stunned audiences with a moving and soulful rendition of ‘Home’ from the musical The Wiz. “You won’t forget that name,” exclaimed Griffin, “Whitney Houston!” Following the release of her debut album two years later, Whitney quickly rose to fame and became one the defining artists of the 80s. Her unique and powerful vocal abilities – often attempted but rarely matched – earned her the honorific nickname of ‘The Voice’. Whitney became one of the best-selling artists of all time, setting and smashing music industry records along the way. In the following decade, her incredible talent led to a step into acting, but few people could have anticipated the phenomenal success that The Bodyguard and its record-breaking soundtrack would bring, making Whitney a household name around the world. But with such dizzying highs came devastating lows. The pop princess’ struggles behind the scenes made headlines, her personal issues laid brutally bare. Whitney was determined to put her troubles behind her, with a hotly anticipated comeback launching in 2009. However, after what would sadly be her final album and tour, the world was shaken by the news of her tragic death in February 2012, at the age of just 48. In this edition, we mark ten years since Whitney’s untimely passing and reflect on her enduring legacy – both as one of the greatest vocalists in history, and as one of music’s brightest stars.