Brace yourselves, people: The Whitney Houston musical comeback is nigh. Or so sayeth Clive Davis, head of J Records, who tells MTV News that he and the troubled diva have already picked out six songs that she’ll record for her next studio album. Apparently, Houston has no plans to get into the songwriting game — although I have to say, the first two minutes of this hot new remix of "I’m Not Doing This With Him Today" sounds like a hit to me — nor will she "be doing anything that her producers say could be musically groundbreaking." Granted, that’s a pretty odd choice of words to hype an upcoming release, but then again it’s not like anyone’s expecting Whitney to experiment with techno or country or rock. (No, "Queen of the Night" doesn’t count.)
The more important question here, as far as I’m concerned, isn’t what Whitney’s going to sing, but whether or not folks will still line up to buy it. In a post-Being Bobby Brown world, Houston is kind of like the crazy lady on the subway — it’s hard to take your eyes off her, and yet, the overriding urge is to avoid eye contact and hope she moves to the next car. So riddle me this: Are you interested in hearing new Whitney Houston music? (In other words, will yoooooooooou, allll-waaays love herrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr?) Or is she her career headed for the heartbreak hotel?
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As a longtime fan, I can honestly tell you that Miss Houston has alot of work to do resucitating her image before she can even think about selling albums. Another season of Being Bobby Brown should definitely be out of the plans if she intends to sell records again; aside from the drug scandal, that show did nothing but replace the image America held of Whitney – that of a classy lady and styled songstress – and replace it with a neurotic, annoying, trashy shrew. I’ll keep my fingers crossed and hope that her talent can help her rise above the current mess she’s in. But I wouldn’t count on a comeback like Mariah’s.
I have to agree with Brad. It is sad but that image will be hard to overcome. I do miss her voice and she has so much talent but she will need to gag and bind Bobby in a closet or it won’t make much difference how good the album is. Would I buy it? Hard to say without actually hearing it, she is long past the point in her career when people would buy an album just because it is hers. There would have to be some amazing songs to get me out there.
As long as she can still sing great songs I’ll be in line for her cd. She can make a big come back but she really needs to get serious about her career again and not take it for granted.
If it’s good music… I’m there…
(C’mon, she’s Whitney! “I just wanna dance with somebody” remember? I mean it’s not like we’re talking about Britney)
Without a doubt, Whitney is the best female vocalist alive today, but I will never buy another Whitney album. Hearing her try and be hip for the “kids” is just painful…
Ah, hell to the no! Maybe if she recorded an album in her bathroom/crack den…that might be fun. But seriously, I will still go buy anything she does because the woman has the best singing voice of my generation. The new Judy Garland, if you will…with all the baggage that goes along with that label.
WhitWhit may be crazy but you can’t argue with that voice. Yeah, I’ll buy it. In a world where a Paris Hilton cd is in the Billboard Top 10? Come on now…
Hell to the No.
Perfect title for Whitney’s new CD.
As long as she remembers that crack is whack during the recording process, she might be able to come up with something.
If not, I hope for more “Being Bobby Brown,” because that would amuse me greatly.
Yah know, I am no longer a fan of Houston’s (I graduated from high school eons ago), but if she has cleaned up her act offstage, I think she could make a pretty viable comeback. Mariah did it; Whitney probably could too.
Obviously the material has to be there. Any more schlock like “Where Do Broken Hearts Go” or “The Greatest Love Of All” and her career will be toast.
She has always had an incredible voice, and has influenced some of today’s (admittingly overemotive) singers like Christina Aguilera.
Compared to what female pop stars are hitting the charts nowadays (Jessica?! Ashlee?! Pussycat and Cheetah Girls??!! PARIS HILTON???!!!), Whitney’s voice would be a welcome return to the days when a voice – not T&A – mattered.
Actually, Whitney has broken new musical ground before. My Love is Your Love is one of the best R&B albums of the ’90s, and was as emotionally and technically rich as the much more praised Miseducation of Lauryn Hill. If she teams up with the likes of Hill, Wyclef Jean and Missy Elliott again, I’ll definitely want to hear it.
I used to have a poster of her hanging on my bedroom wall as a kid, so it pains me to say this: Whitney is a washed up has-been. I still cherish her older CDs, but I’m not especially interested in following, watching, nor listening to any train wrecks. And that’s essentially what she’s become.
Oh yeah, and also she can have as the first single off her new album, “Do You Like These Sunglasses” along with the dance with Bobby in the video!
This queen is waiting for a Whitney comeback! If she is already hooking up with Clive that means they are going to do some good stuff together. I want to hear vocal range gymnastics from this woman. But I do remember hearing her voice recently and it sounds as though she’s worn it out.
If not, Christina Ag has already replaced Whitney’s vocal range with Back to Basics. Track 6 & 9 on the second disc are Whitneyesc
Whitney is our generation’s Judy Garland, big voice, terrible personal life, and yes has the possibility of making a huge comeback if she realizes that God gave her a talent that should not be wasted. Clive Davis may not give her groundbreaking material but he will give her songs that showcase her best like when he introduced her to the public over 20 years ago.I won’t buy it..I never liked sappy pop, But I’ll be rooting for her.
Nope. I’m just not in a “Whitney” kind of place anymore.
Even if she makes a comeback, I won’t be buying her album. I don’t want my money going to her drug use.
Whether we refer to her as a has-been or washed-up, something we can ALL agree on is, that at one point, Whitney did have a phenominal voice. The question is, after all these years of the drugs and basically being a wife to Bobby Brown, DOES SHE STLL HAVE THAT VOICE? Thats the biggest question & depending upon the answer basically answers whether ANY of us will purchase new music from Miss Houston.
Also, side note to Clive, the first single doesn’t need to be ground breaking, but it can’t be BORING either, a la Janet & Nelly’s “Call On Me”. Whitney’s first single off the last album, the boastful aggressive “Whatchulookinat” basically set the tone for that album, please do not let her make the same mistake again.
Whitney’s motto may be “Crack is whack”, but at this point, I’d rather see Carrot Top sing upside down while being beat up by midgets, than see her on stage trying to persuade us to believe that she’s not high. It’s just sad.
Yes, I will buy it.
I love me some Whitney!
I’d buy Whitney singing the phone book. She’s a diva who has been in this industry longer than most of the teen queens out there today. Show her some respect!
I’d pick Whitney over Christina Aguilera any day. Mariah is still the queen though.
whitney who?
I want to believe that Whitney has cleaned up her act and taken care of her instrument and can make a strong comeback but I’m not holding my breath. It would be great if she did a subtle unfussy set of standards like Gladys Knight (a class act if there ever was one). Or just stuck to adult contemporary style pop and not tried to be young and relevant. Sometimes knowing your limitations is good. I hope it delivers but if not I still have the 80’s albums on iTunes.
I’ll make a deal with you, Whitney: dump that leech of a husband, get into rehab, and this time make it stick, get your voice back in shape, and then I’ll buy your albums.
Whitney looks fantastic in the picture, but is it recent? I hope she has cleaned up her act. She has wasted far too many years on a drug that has brought her down.
So many blame Bobby for her drug use, but, as the saying goes:”Birds of a feather flock together.” She was more like Bobby than any of us knew. She should have gotten rid of Bobby Brown when he was cheating on her and having children outside of his marriage.
just downloaded queen of the night. god i forgot how much i loved that song!!!!
i could care less about her personal life, if the music is good, that’s all i need.
I’ve never been a fan of Whitney’s, but she does have an incredible voice, and I like her personally, so I’m rooting for her. But I think she’s been gone too long to make an impact on top 40/TRL; today’s kids think of her the same way they do Michael Jackson; a freak who used to be popular. SoOrt of the same way I felt about Elizabeth Taylor when I was growing up. And I still have doubts if she’s cleaned up her act. I hope to GOd she has; no one wants to see that ‘Crack is wack’ interview done again.
When I think of tragic legends of the past, I think Whitney’s life most resembles that of another of our beloved entertainers, Billie Holiday, rather than Judy Garland. The difference is that the power of media was no where near that of today’s painful scrutiny of the stars. I hope and pray that Whitney can rise above her present conditions and prove to everyone that she will not be another tragic statistic like past legends. Whitney gave us all some of the best moments in music history and we all owe her a debt of gratitude for allowing us into her professional life. As painful as it appears, her personal life is none of our business and instead of further tearing her down, we all need to try to lift her up and encourage her with the hope of Sam Cook’s legendary tune… A change is gonna come! All my best to you, Whitney!!!!!!!