Rabat – Whitney Houston would have turned 63 on August 9, marking another birthday of the late singer whose voice, performances, and record-breaking career continue to resonate decades after her rise to fame.
Born in Newark, New Jersey, in 1963, Houston became one of the defining voices of the 1980s and 1990s, moving from gospel and R&B roots to global pop superstardom.
A breakthrough in 1985
Houston’s career took off with the release of her self-titled debut album in 1985. The record produced hits including “Saving All My Love for You,” “How Will I Know” and “Greatest Love of All,” establishing her as one of the era’s biggest new voices.
The album went on to become one of the best-selling debut albums by a female artist.
An icon who made history!
In 1986, Houston won her first Grammy Award for “Saving All My Love for You.”
She would go on to win six Grammy Awards throughout her career, alongside numerous other honors.
Her run of success also made her one of the most commercially successful female artists of her generation.
In 1992, Houston made her acting debut in “The Bodyguard,” starring alongside Kevin Costner.
The film’s soundtrack became a global phenomenon, driven by Houston’s version of Dolly Parton’s “I Will Always Love You.”
The song spent 14 weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and became one of the defining recordings of her career.
“The Bodyguard” soundtrack became one of the best-selling albums in music history and earned Houston the Grammy for Album of the Year in 1994.
Houston also made history that year as the first artist to win three Grammys in the same night in the categories of Record of the Year, Album of the Year and Best Pop Vocal Performance for “I Will Always Love You.”
Her legacy continues
Houston died on February 11, 2012, at the age of 48. Yet her influence has remained firmly embedded in popular music.
With her extraordinary vocal range, signature ballads and career-defining performances, Whitney Houston left behind a catalogue that continues to introduce her music to new generations.
