So when I think of Grammys I think of Whitney Houston. The story of her life could be called THE VOICE if the TV show didn't take the title.
Alot of my friends were shocked. And alot weren't. I was moved. I wouldn't say shaken but moved is the correct word. I didn't know her but growing up openly gay and black I wanted to be HER! "How Will I Know" made me dance with my mom's hairbrush as my mic. And "I Wanna Dance With Somebody" was there first time I saw a weave and had to have my mom explain how she had short hair in one video and long in the next. And I LOVED that bouncy dress hahaha
I had found out prior to making it big with Clive Davis she was singing in church so I joined the church choir...didn't last I hated practicing. Then she was a teen model on SEVENTEEN cover and I BEGGED my mom to get me into modeling...didn't last I wasn't gonna be on Seventeen I realized. I loved loved Whitney and knew one day I'd be friends with her.
That had been my dream for awhile. I always thought I'd meet her and now I'll never get that chance. Never get the chance to bask in her greatness. Just like Michael Jackson she had her troubles but there was no doubt in my mind I would get to have shake my hand and say "You doin good baby boy!" In fact those are the exact words I would imagine she say. I watched both her interview with Diane Sawyer, her interview with Oprah, and "Being Bobby Brown" on Bravo. I thought she was HILARIOUS! But I also thought Bobby was her downfall. I forgave her sins more than I forgave Michael. I worshipped Whitney in a way I never did Michael, Madonna, or the others. She was just...relatable.
I'm not saying Bobby put a gun to her and made her do the things she did to ravage her body and voice. I'm saying she herself wanted to keep up with him. Prove she can handle whatever he got and she ruined herself. When she came back with "My Love Is Your Love" I heard cracks in that beautiful voice. And then when I heard "Million Dollar Bill" I knew it was gone. Forever. On her worse day she could sing circles around me and anyone else obviously, but it wasn't what it was. On her best day Adele would be in awe.
The Grammys were a mess.
The show itself (shakes head) the performances were AWFUL! Adele and JHud were the only performers that I wanted to see and I wasn't let down. You could tell Adele's voice had damage BUT it was still amazing. JHud was amazing as well BUT I wish she had sung in Whitney's key. I know she wasn't trying to be Whit but I was hoping through JHud I would hear Whitney and I didn't. I was still pleased. And she looked FLAWLESS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Bonnie Raitt was the other performer I was wowed by. Everyone else I felt didn't try. They wanted to be on the Grammy show but they didn't bring their A-game. I love me some Nicki Minaj and will fight ANYONE that talks smack about her persona but her performance last night was too gimmicky. This is not a concert. No bringing NEW material I wanna hear Super Bass! Turn Me On! Moment 4 Life with Drake duet. Everyone was like "Didn't Lady Gaga do that?" And the answer is sort of. It was very Lady Gaga-esque. I know they didn't know Whitney died but having an exorism performance after a Legend dies was very...strange. I still love Nicki and will buy her music regardless.
I cannot wait to see Sparkle with Whitney this summer. And when I get famous I hope to be a fraction as good of a performer as her!
RIP Whitney Elizabeth Houston Brown August 9, 1963 – February 11, 2012