Whitney Elizabeth Houston, known by her stage name Whitney Houston, was an American singer, actress, and model. Her incredible talent, music, and voice made her one of the best-selling music artists of all time, with hits like “I Will Always Love You” and “I Wanna Dance with Somebody.”
Due to her vocal range, power, and agility, she was also nicknamed ‘The Voice.” She was a multi-talented singer who used to sing in a variety of styles, including pop, R&B, gospel, and classical.
A Short Biography of Whitney Houston (The Voice)
Today, with the help of Whitney Houston’s Story, you will learn about the journey of her life, her success, and her struggles. As a singer, she made a profound impact on the music industry and pop culture. She was also named the second-greatest singer of all time by the Rolling Stones in 2023.
Whitney Houston’s real name, DOB, and age
She was born in 9 August, 1963, in New Jersey, U.S. She was born at Newark Beth Israel Hospital. Her birth name was Whitney Elizabeth Houston. She was 48 years old at the time he died.
Parents
Whitney Houston was the daughter of Emily “Cissy” Houston and John Russell Houston Jr. Her mother, Emily, was a Grammy Award-winning gospel singer.
Her mother was also one of the founding members of a R&B girl group called The Sweet Inspirations. Her father, ‘John’, was a former Army serviceman. Her ancestry was African American.
Height and Weight
Whitney Houston’s height was approximately 5 feet 8 inches (173 cm or 1.73 m), and her weight varied throughout her life; her reported weight is around 64 kg (141 pounds).
Whitney Houston Education
She attended Franklin Elementary School until the 6th grade and later moved to Mount Saint Dominic Academy (a Catholic girls’ high school in Caldwell, New Jersey). She graduated from Mount Saint Dominic Academy. She did not receive a college education.
Whitney Houston Career
Houston started her music journey at a young age. Her mother taught her the initial lessons of singing and music. As a child, she started singing in the church choir and learned to play the piano at 5.
She made her first solo performance at the age of 12. During high school, she performed as a background vocalist. She joined a statewide talent show in 1977, where she got second place. She was 14 years old at that time.
In 1978, Houston performed at Manhattan’s Town Hall, where she received her first standing ovation. Her professional music career started in the early 1980s, when she was signed to Arista Records.
On February 14, 1985, she released her self-titled debut album, “Whitney Houston,” which sold over 10 million copies worldwide and earned diamond certification. In 1986, her album topped the Billboard 200 chart for nearly 14 weeks.
The album came with three No. 1 singles on the Billboard Hot 100: “Saving All My Love for You,” “How Will I Know,” and “Greatest Love of All.” Not only did her album top the Billboard 200 chart, but it also topped the charts in other countries, including Canada, Australia, Norway, and Sweden.
Till now, her first album has sold around 20 million copies and got 14× Platinum certification by the RIAAA. After the immense success of her first solo album, Whitney Houston released her second album, “Whitney,” in 1987.
Her 2nd album became more successful than her debut, selling over 25 million copies worldwide. Her album reached No. 1 on the Billboard Top 200 Album Chart on June 27, 1987, and spent 11 weeks at the top position.
Her 2nd album had four No. 1 singles on the Billboard Hot 100: “I Wanna Dance with Somebody (Who Loves Me),” “Didn’t We Almost Have It All,” “So Emotional,” and “Where Do Broken Hearts Go?”
She continued to release successful albums throughout the 1990s; she released her third album, “I’m Your Baby Tonight,” on 6 November, 1990. Her fourth album was “My Love Is Your Love”, which was released on November 17, 1998.”
Whitney Houston was active in the music industry from 1977 to 2012. During her career, she released seven studio albums, 3 sound tracks, 8 compilation albums, 7 EPs and 5 Box sets. Her career was at its peak during the 1990s, but it started to decline in the early 2000s due to personal struggles with addiction and financial difficulties.
However, she made a comeback in 2009 with the release of her 7th and final album, “I Look to You.” The album was a commercial success, selling over 3 million copies worldwide, and became her 4th chart-topping album.
Whitney Houston Albums with Total Sales Worldwide
Until now, Whitney records have sold over 220 million globally, making her one of the best-selling music artists of all time. Here is a list of albums released by Whitney Houston.
| S.N | Album Name | Release Date | Sale |
|---|---|---|---|
| First | Whitney Houston | 14 February, 1985 | over 20 million copies |
| Second | Whitney | 2 June, 1987 | over 25 million copies |
| Third | I’m Your Baby Tonight | 6 November, 1990 | over 10 million copies |
| Fourth | My Love Is Your Love | 17 November, 1998 | over 10 million copies |
| Fifth | Just Whitney | 27 November, 2002 | over 2.5 million copies |
| Sixth | One Wish: The Holiday Album | 18 November, 2003 | over 750,000 copies |
| Seventh | I Look to You | 28 August, 2009 | over 2.5 million copies |
Filmy Career
Apart from her music, she also worked in many films. Her most famous acting role was in “The Bodyguard,” where she starred alongside Kevin Costner. She played the character of Rachel Marron, a famous singer who hires a bodyguard to protect her.
The film was a commercial success and featured Houston’s iconic rendition of “I Will Always Love You” on its soundtrack. In 1995, she played the role of Savannah Jackson in a film called “Waiting to Exhale.”
In 1996, she appeared in “The Preacher’s Wife” (1996). Where she played the character Julia Biggs, the wife of a struggling preacher.
During her career, Whitney Houston acted in 4 feature films, 1 TV film, and 7 TV episodes. She also appeared in 17 commercials for various products, including Coca-Cola, Pepsi-Cola, and AT&T.
List of Whitney Houston feature films and TV films:
- The Bodyguard (1992)
- Waiting to Exhale (1995)
- The Preacher’s Wife (1996)
- Sparkle (2012)
- Cinderella (1997) (TV film)
Marriage
Whitney Houston married once in her life. She married singer Bobby Brown in 1992. Her marriage life was a bad part of her life, marked by infidelity, domestic violence, and drug use. They divorced in 2007. Her marriage to Brown was a major source of stress for her, and it had a negative impact on her career.
Children
Whitney Houston had one child, a daughter named ‘Bobbi Kristina Brown’, with her ex-husband Bobby Brown. She died on July 26, 2015.
Whitney Houston Net Worth
She was one of the most successful singers, but due to her personal life issues, including a lavish lifestyle, drugs, and alcohol, she lost most of her wealth.
At the time of her death, she had a wealth of negative 20 million dollars. After her death, Houston’s state rebounded and is now estimated to be worth around $14 million.
Death
On 11 February, 2012, Houston was found dead in her hotel room in Beverly Hills, California. At the time, she was 48 years old. As per reports, the reason for her death was accidental drowning.
Awards and achievements
Houston was one of the most awarded singers of her era. She won many awards throughout her career, including 22 American Music Awards, 16 Billboard Music Awards, 55 Cash Box Year-End, 6 Grammy Awards, and 28 Guinness World Records.
I hope this short biography of Whitney Houston will give you a proper understanding of her life and career. Share this short biography with your friends, and stay connected with us for more such life stories.
FAQs
Ans- She passed away on February 11, 2012, at the age of 48.
Ans- She had only one daughter, whose name was Bobbi Kristina Brown.
Ans- As per reports, the reason for her death was accidental drowning, with heart disease and cocaine use as contributing factors.