Iconic singer Whitney Houston poses in her prime
Written by: Katie Garren
Iconic superstar Whitney Houston was found dead in her room at the Beverly Hilton Hotel on Saturday. This marks the passing of one of the most recognizable figures of the ‘80s and ‘90s. She was 48 years old.
Houston was pronounced dead at 3:55 p.m. WST, after paramedics performed CPR for 20 minutes, according to the LA Times. Her body was found in her hotel room’s bathtub. Cause of death is not apparent at this time. However, “There were no obvious signs of any criminal intent,” Beverly Hills police Lt. Mark Rosen told reporters outside the hotel.
The word was shocked when many sources reported that Whitney Houston had been found dead of unknown causes. Countless celebrities took to Twitter to express their sadness and shock after hearing the news. Clive Davis, Houston’s long time mentor, spoke at a pre-Grammy party he was hosting Saturday night saying, “By now you have all learned of the unspeakably tragic news of our beloved Whitney’s passing. I don’t have to mask my emotion in front of a room full of so many dear friends. I am personally devastated by the loss of someone who has meant so much to me for so many years.” He continues, “Whitney would have wanted the music to go on and her family asked that we carry on.” Houston’s godmother, Aretha Franklin, released a statement saying, “It’s so stunning and unbelievable. I couldn’t believe what I was reading coming across the TV screen.” A tribute to Houston was quickly planned for Sunday’s Grammy Awards. It was set to feature Jennifer Hudson and Chaka Khan.
In the ‘80s and ‘90s, Houston was a worldwide celebrity, having both singing and acting credits to her name. She is perhaps best remembered for her powerful voice utilized in her smash hit “I Will Always Love You” and her performance in the film The Bodyguard, which co-stared Kevin Costner. She is the only artist in history to chart seven consecutive number ones. Houston was also the most awarded woman in history, having won a total of 415 awards as of 2010. Houston was an inspiration to many current artists, including Mariah Carey, Celine Dion and Christina Aguilara. Her final film, Sparkle, is set to be released on Aug. 17 of this year.
In recent years, Houston’s talent has been overshadowed by her reported drug use and rocky marriage to singer Bobby Brown. Her startling antics were documented in a reality show about the couple titled Being Bobby Brown.