Whitney Houston - The Voice (1963 - 2012)

Whitney Houston was The Voice.

In her 2009 interview with Oprah Winfrey, Oprah cited an article that likened Houston's mistreatment of her voice from drug use as mistreating and abusing 'a national treasure'.

No statement rings more true about the voice of Whitney Houston.

In no other moment did that statement resonate more than last Saturday.

The day the Voice died.

On February 11th at approximately 3:00pm (Pacific time), news spread across the globe that Whitney Houston - one of the most successful and influential female vocalists in music history - had died. She was forty-eight years old.

It triggered a wave of grief and mourning. Everyone around the world stopped what they were doing to absorb the jarring knowledge.

Whitney was gone. The Voice had been silenced.

If you are reading this post, hoping for gossip or details regarding her death or her music career, you've come to the wrong blog-site. This post is not meant to regurgitate facts on her career, drug addiction and recent passing. It is to pay tribute to and acknowledge one simple truth:

That Whitney Houston was The Voice.

That Voice was an instrument steeped in soul and gospel music. A pristine and powerful musical weapon that was forged in the church and refined through singing back-up for her mother; gospel singer Cissy Houston. A voice that captured the intonations of her god-mother Aretha Franklin, yet displayed a rare sense of discipline and confidence.

Houston's singing style and vocal mannerisms not only set the bar, but laid the blueprint for every female singer that would follow her. There is an almost regal quality in the way she spread out her vocals over her recordings. She was able to sing in glorious falsettos, deep registers and a booming mid-range tone with such ease that it felt like watching an athlete perform.

And none of this speaks to her ability as a live performer. When The Voice was on-stage with a microphone in hand, her vocal virtuosity was (and still is) unbeatable.

As a live singer, Whitney exhibited intensity and dramatics through her vocal stylings. Even when she inflected tenderness in her singing, you always knew there was something epic simmering underneath her softest and breathiest notes. And when she reared back, like a lioness, and unleashed The Voice; it was like being punched in the face and the heart with something that can only be described as divine and majestic.

The Voice when heard through a microphone sounded like a melismatic roar of powerful, prolonged notes executed with pipes sturdy as iron. Whether in an arena or out-door stadium, her voice commanded attention with such force and power that it sounded like a choir singing into a thousand microphones.

Don't take my word for it, look up her many legendary performances on You Tube and see for yourself. My personal favourite is her performance of "One Moment In Time" at the 1989 Grammy Awards. It encapsulates everything that made her shines and re-enforces why she will be so sorely missed.

My deepest condolences go out to Whitney's family and close friends who, like many others, are mourning the loss of an extraordinarily talented woman and exceptional human being. Unlike the rest of the world, they are also mourning the loss of a family member mother and good friend.

And as for Whitney? Well, I like to think she left the world with these final words:

"I hope life treats you kind

And I hope you have all you dream of

And I wish you joy and happiness

But above all this,

I wish you love"

Rest in peace Whitney.

Madonna: Most Memorable Live Performances

In honour of Madonna's recent performance at the 2012 Superbowl half-time show and to celebrate the recent announcement of her upcoming ninth world tour, I thought it would be great to pay tribute to some of her most memorable live performances throughout her career. So, in no particular order, take a look at some of the performances that made Madonna into the icon she is today.

"Express Yourself" (1989 MTV Video Music Awards)
A preview to her then-upcoming Blonde Ambition world tour. This performance was a stand-out in its simplicity. The image of Madonna with her two back-up singers nicely echoed the feminist-empowerment sentiment behind the song.

"Like A Virgin" (1990 Blonde Amibition World Tour)

The performance that almost landed her in jail during the Toronto stop for the tour. Re-styling her song with an Egyptian theme, Madonna re-imagined the song with a performance that simulated onstage masturbation to the point of climax while being fondled and caressed by cone-bra-wearing male dancers.

"Music" (2005 Live 8 Concert-London)

Madonna performed a medley of her classics and ended her set with a rousing rendition of "Music" where she led the audience for nearly ten minutes in repeating the lines "music makes the people come together, music makes the bourgeoisie and the rebel". She refused to stop and insisted that everyone in attendance participate, even singling-out a member of the paparazzi to put his camera down and start singing.

"Like A Virgin" (1984 MTV Video Music Awards)

The performance that started it all. Decked out in a virgin-white wedding dress with a "Boy Toy" belt, Madonna writhed and crawled seductively across the stage while she performed her then-new song. Many in the crowd feared she had committed career suicide. Little did they know that a star was born.

"Sky Fits Heaven" (2001 Drowned World Tour)

This was the centre-piece of Madonna's 2001 world tour. Inspired by "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon", she performed this song while flying on cables with her backup dancers impressively executing acrobatic and martial arts moves. This live rendition matched the urgency and intensity of the track effectively.

"Vogue" (1990 MTV Video Music Awards)

This Marie-Antoinette inspired performance of "Vogue" was during the pinnacle of Madonna's career. At the turn of the decade, Madonna was not only a music star but a cultural force to be reckoned with. Coming hot off the heels of her "Blonde Ambition Tour", this performance only furthered her reputation as an innovative and iconic live performer.

"Hollywood" (2003 MTV Video Music Awards)

The performance otherwise known as "The Kiss". Starting the awards show off with Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera paying homage to Madonna's 1984 performance, the two where joined by Madge and generated heated headlines as they locked lips with the Queen of Pop. Further proof that despite competing with younger music artists, Madonna still knew how to steal the show.

"Music" (2001 Grammy Awards)

The performance that marked Madonna's return to live performing. Kicking off the Grammys with a remixed version of the song accompanied by L'il Bow Wow, Madonna's performance re-established her onstage star-power and launched her into a full decade of performing and touring the globe.

"Hung Up" (2006 Grammy Awards)

Madonna was on a roll when she released 2005's "Confessions On A Dancefloor" and scored a monster-hit with this song when it charted at number one in over forty different countries. This performance fused her song with The Gorillaz "Feel Good Inc" making for an eclectic offering.

"Nothing Really Matters" (1999 Grammy Awards)

I'm starting to notice a trend. Anytime Madonna has performed at an award's show, she usually likes to kick off the evening with her performance. I'm assuming she does this to set the bar so high that the other performances will pale in comparision. This geisha inspired rendition of "Nothing Really Matters" was no exception to this rule.

"The Power of Goodbye" (1998 MTV Europe Music Awards)

As much as she is a legend for her live performances, Madonna is not infallible. This awkward and cringe-worthy performance of her ballad from "Ray Of Light" is a perfect example. Clearly nervous right from the beginning of the performance, Madonna rigidly and pain-stakingly tries to sing the song and struggles hilariously with the high notes. I guess memorable doesn't always mean good.