She was not an angel, but she is now

She sang like a song bird in paradise that came in a hurricane. She left millions of her fans stunned as she flew away like an angel. The truth is she was one of the greatest pop stars of all time who stayed on the top of her voice to enthrall our hearts and mind. The ways her jaws fell, lips moved or tongue rested during a performance has been the result of her superior vocal technique.

Chamikara WEERASINGHE

Whitney has always had more air in her lungs than any other singer in the world until she met her tragic death in a bathtub in luxury suite number 434 at Beverly Hilton Hotel in LA on Saturday February 10.

She did not drown. There was no evidence of foul play. So LA Coroner's office released the pop superstar's body into the custody of her family to be flown to her home town, Newark, New Jersey from LA.

It appears that overdose of prescription medications has played a role in her demise as in the case of Michael Jackson. LA Country Coroner's office has reportedly told her family members that the singer did not die from drowning but rather from what appears to be a combination of Xanax and other prescription drugs mixed with alcohol. Thus, another pop legend was lost to the world of music. Unlike in the case of Michael Jackson, Whitney Houston's career was often overshadowed by drug and alcohol addiction. She was in rehab as recently as in May last year.

She was in LA for the Grammys and was preparing to attend an annual pre-award party hosted by record producer Clive Davis. Whitney's mother, Cissy and her cousin, Dionne Warwick had phoned her that evening before Whitney was found unresponsive in her bath room. "Nothing sounded unusual" until the news came out, "a legend has died."

In Sri Lanka, people were shocked to hear the untimely death of their "I Will Always Love You" singer. Whitney Houston is best known for her phenomenal voice work laid on this single from the hit movie, The Bodyguard whose soundtrack sold over record 44 million copies worldwide.

Whitney Houston rose from a church choir to global stage. Born on August 9, 1963, Whitney Elizabeth Houston began her singing at the age of 11 with New Jersey's New Hope Baptist Church's junior choir. Whitney's mother is Grammy-winning gospel singer Cissy Houston. Her father, John Houston was an entertainment executive, while her godmother is 18 time Grammy winner and soul singer Aretha Franklin.

Young Whitney went on to perform with her mother in night clubs. At 15, she sang background vocals to Chakha Khan's "I'm Every Woman." Meanwhile, Whitney followed a career as a fashion model with her striking looks. She continued her recording career side by side with it.

She was offered her first worldwide record contract by Clive Davis. Houston's first debut album Whitney Houston was released in 1985. Houston's ballad Saving All My Love for You made No. 1 in the US and UK charts in the 80s. Her subsequent singles such as How Will I Know started rotating heavily on MTV. Her songs parked on US, UK and Billboard Charts ever since.

She became the only artist to chart seven consecutive number ones that made Billboard Hot 100 hits were - Saving all my love for you, How Will I Know, Greatest Love of All, I Wanna Dance with Somebody (Who Loves Me), Didn't We Almost Have It All, So Emotional and Where Do Broken Hearts Go. These singles have stood the test of time among other signature hit singles by Whitney, including.

Top of voice

Whitney sang without failing to hit a few surprising passages of notes with her vocal prowess during her performances. She created an aura of magic between her and the audience. She flashes a smile of contentment on the stage.

It turns to laughter. A streak of joy pervades all the way through. It is a moment of love. Whitney waited for this moment all her life.Houston sang as if she was playing a well tuned instrument. She could hit notes effortlessly with such perfection. She sang like a song bird in paradise that came in a hurricane. She left millions of her fans stunned as she flew away like an angel. The truth is she was one of the greatest pop stars of all time who stayed on the top of her voice to enthrall our hearts and mind. The ways her jaws fell, lips moved or tongue rested during a performance has been the result of her superior vocal technique.

The ways in which her jaws fell, lips moved or tongue rested have been results of her superior vocal technique.

They just manifested on a face of rare beauty and exceptional talent. She is the most wonderful singer to watch on TV. When it comes to Whitney, her act of singing outshines the video clip." Look, how she sings" we would say, instead of "what a nice video clip."

Woman

If anybody in the music world missed Whitney, it was her laughter more than her prowess of singing. She was an appealing woman. In fact she tried to be a woman.

"I like being a woman even in a man's world," she had said.

"Whitney would never stay in a five star hotel while you were in a two star," her friend from teens, who was her executive assistant and creative director Robyn Crawford said. Robyn had travelled around the world with Whitney." I traveled all around the world first-class and anyone who ever worked for her will tell you her checks never bounced. You knew she was going to take care of you."

"She changed a changed a lot of lives. The record company, the band members, her family, her friends, me," she said. According to Robyn when people left Whitney or they were told to leave, she would never call them.

She met R&B singer Bobby Brown at the Soul Train Music Award in 1989 whom she married on July 18, 1992. Houston gave birth to her only child Bobbi Kristina Houston Brown. She separated from Bobby Brown in 2006.

Houston's first role as a film actress unveiled in the movie The Bodyguard which was released in 1992. She sang I Will Always Love You which became her ultimate hit song of all time. The song was a cover of a Dolly Parton single from 1974. The movie's co-star Kevin Costner brought in Linda Ronstadt's version of the song and played it to the pop diva. He asked Whitney to sing for the movie.

Whitney sang it through an operatic technique rounding its style with a blend of blues and gospel. It became one of the best selling hit singles in history. The Bodyguard took home the Grammy for Album of the Year (1994).

At the 54th Grammy Awards, this year, which Whitney could not attend because died a day before, s "I Will Always Love You "was played in a video clip in honor of her legend.

Records

Whitney has sold over 200 million albums worldwide. She has won six Grammy Awards and nominated twenty-six times. According Guinness World Records she is the most awarded woman of all time. She is the only artiste to chart seven consecutive No 1 Billboard 100 hits, and first female artiste to debut an Album at No 1 on the Billboard 200 Albums Chart.

She appeared in four films including 2012?s Sparkle with Jordin Sparks. Houston's family has decided against a public memorial for her at a New Jersey sports arena. They plan to hold an invitation-only service at the church where she first sang in Newark J.

Whitney quotes

*From the beginning, the camera and I were great friends. It loves me, and I love it.

*God gave me a voice to sing with, and when you have that, what other gimmick is there?

*I almost wish I could be more exciting, that I could match what is happening out there to me.

*I believe that children are our future. Teach them well and let them lead the way. Show them all the beauty they possess inside.