Whitney Houston earned the nickname “The Voice” 15 times

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When it comes to the greatest singers of all time, Whitney Houston is always at the top of the list. If she’s not, we don’t trust her!

Hailing from Newark, New Jersey, Whitney cemented her homegrown gospel roots with the help of her mother, popular singer Cissy Houston. After signing with Clive Davis and Arista Records in 1983 at just 19 years old, she became a global sensation, selling a total of over 200 million albums, videos and singles worldwide. Over the course of her career, she has received six Grammys, nine Soul Train Awards, eleven Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 hits and countless other accolades. In 2023, her self-titled debut album was certified 14x multi-platinum according to Rated R&B.

Although we still mourn Whitney’s tragic passing in 2011, one thing will always remain true – her remarkable voice and sound will never be forgotten. The superstar set the standard for future singers.

Check out 15 situations below where the vocal prodigy earned the nickname “The Voice.”

1. “Home” by The Wizard on the “Merv Griffin Show” in 1983

Davis introduced his newest addition to the Merv Griffin Show in 1983, introducing Whitney to a wider audience. The then 19-year-old performed “Home” from the 1974 Broadway musical The Wizard. Although she was a newbie, she made a name for herself in the music industry. After the performance, Merv Griffin said: “You’ll never forget that name, Whitney Houston” – and he wasn’t wrong!

2. “How Will I Know” at the American Music Awards 1986

At the 1986 American Music Awards, the singer sang her hit “How Will I Know” from her debut project. Acclaimed by Diana Ross, Whitney, then 23, delivered an energetic and outstanding vocal performance of the third single from her album, which topped the Billboard Hot 100 chart for two weeks. She took home two AMAs that night for “Saving All My Love For You” and “You Give Good Love.”

3. “Saving All My Love For You” at the 1986 Grammy Awards

At the 1986 Grammy Awards, the star sang her chart hit “Saving All My Love For You” from Whitney Houston. Wearing a beautiful red dress, the talented singer proved why she deserved to be not only in that room, but on that stage. Later at the ceremony, the song secured her first Grammy win for Best Pop Vocal Performance. Winning a Grammy for a song from a debut album is a boast, but it is The Whitney Houston, so this kind of greatness is no surprise.

4. “One Moment in Time” at the 1989 Grammy Awards

Whitney delivered a flawless performance of “One Moment in Time” at the 31st Annual Grammy Awards. It began with a video montage of the U.S. Olympic athletes before the honored artist appeared and sang the first line of the song. The track was released as the first single on Arista Records’ album dedicated to the 1988 Summer Olympics in South Korea. After her powerful performance with a full orchestra, the awards show audience gave Whitney a standing ovation.

5. “The Star-Spangled Banner” at Super Bowl XXV in 1991

Think of the best performance of “The Star-Spangled Banner” you’ve ever heard. It’s Whit’s version, right? In 1991, at age 27, the unique talent set the tone for future performances of the national anthem at the Super Bowl. Dressed in a tracksuit with white, red and blue accents, she showcased her outstanding voice and vocal range in one of the most outstanding and unforgettable Super Bowl performances of all time.

According to ESPN, the United States had entered the Gulf War just over a week before Super Bowl XXV. The country’s patriotism was at an all-time high, making the timing of Whitney’s performance perfect. It was later revealed that her singing was pre-recorded and the global superstar sang live into a dead microphone during the song. Her version of the national anthem peaked at number 6 on the Billboard Hot 100 and stayed on the charts for 27 weeks.

6. “I Wanna Dance with Somebody” at Arista Records’ 15th Anniversary Celebration

“I Wanna Dance with Somebody” is a song that instantly puts you in a good mood. At the 15th anniversary of Davis’ Arista Records, the multi-talented artist gave an electrifying performance of the Billboard Chart-topping hit. In true Whitney fashion, she delivered some lively ad-libs and playful call-and-response interactions with her backing singers. The performance proved once again that she is a natural born for the stage.

7. “All The Man That I Need” on HBO “Welcome Home Heroes”

In 1991, Nippy honored approximately 3,500 service members returning from the Gulf War. During a live HBO special called “Welcome Home Heroes,” the veteran entertainer sang a medley of songs, including “A Song For You” and “Greatest Love of All.” She also sang “All The Man That I Need” as the esteemed service members looked on in admiration.

8. “I Will Always Love You” at the World Music Awards 1994

“I Will Always Love You” is arguably one of the singer’s most popular songs. At the 1994 World Music Awards in Monte Carlo, Monaco, the singer won a total of five awards, including the award for World’s Best-Selling Pop Artist of the Year. She also sang her and David Foster’s famous rendition of Dolly Parton’s “I Will Always Love You” in front of her mother Cissy. Whitney begins the legendary performance by singing the first lines of the hit a cappella. She effortlessly manages to sound exactly like she does on record, proving why she will always be known as “The Voice.”

9. Medley at the American Music Awards 1994

At the 1994 American Music Awards, Nippy presented her nearly 10-minute, vocally demanding medley. She opened the famous performance with “I Loves You, Porgy” from the opera Porgy and BessShe followed the song – later re-recorded by Nina Simone – with “And I Am Telling You I’m Not Going” from the musical Dream girl, which is no easy task… and that wasn’t even the finale! She ended her performance with “I Have Nothing” by The Bodyguard‘s original soundtrack. This show was not just a demonstration of her beautiful voice; it was a testament to her vocal strength and agility.

10. The Preacher’s Wife

The Hall of Famer has appeared in several films that showcased her outstanding singing talent. The Preacher’s Wife is one of them. Whit, who starred in the film alongside Courtney B. Vance and Denzel Washington, packed the soundtrack with gospel songs like “I Go To The Rock” and “I Love The Lord.” Other popular songs include “I Believe in You and Me” and “Step by Step,” in which the New Jersey native showcases her vocal skills. The Preacher’s Wife is a great Christmas movie in its own right, but the late Whitney’s amazing vocals give it another dimension of success. Don’t wait until the holidays to listen to the soundtrack!

11. Disney’s Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Cinderella

Did Whitney and Brandy know they were making a classic when they signed up for Disney’s Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella? The film was executive produced by the “Higher Love” singer and featured an all-star cast and whimsical songs that made it an acclaimed fairy tale film. It is also considered a musical masterpiece because of Whitney’s role as Cinderella’s (Brandy) magical, gold-covered fairy godmother. Her soulful take on the original Broadway-style musical was fresh and exciting. In a behind-the-scenes interview with “Entertainment Tonight,” Whitney talked about recommending the “The Boy Is Mine” artist for the role of Cinderella. The coverage also shows her giving young Brandy singing lessons as they recorded one of the film’s most popular songs, “Impossible.”

12. “Count On Me” and “Exhale (Shoop Shoop)” at the 1997 Grammy Awards

If Whitney isn’t on the soundtrack, we don’t want it! The celebrated artist not only played the lead role in the 1995 film Waiting to exhalebut she also appears on three songs on the R&B compilation album and the film’s soundtrack. At the 1997 Grammy Awards, she delivered a standout performance of “Count On Me” with CeCe Winans and “Exhale (Shoop Shoop),” along with other stars featured on the album, including Chaka Khan, Mary J. Blige, Brandy, and Aretha Franklin.

13. “If you believe” from The Prince of Egypt

Whit teamed up with another superstar singer, Mariah Carey, to record the duet “When You Believe” for the 1998 Disney film The Prince of Egypt. Originally written by Stephen Schwartz, the song received additional lyrics from popular songwriter and producer Babyface. The ballad later won an Oscar for Best Original Song.

In an interview with Shondaland, Schwartz raved about collaborating with the vocal powerhouse on the duet. “(Whitney’s) ability to hear Mariah’s vocals and then add her own harmony and replicate Mariah’s incredible vocal technique – in harmony – was one of the most amazing things I’ve ever experienced in the studio.”

14. “It’s not right, but it’s okay” at the 2000 Grammy Awards

The Prom Queen of Soul put on a show for the world at the 42nd Annual Grammy Awards. Dressed in an all-black leather ensemble with a matching jeweled fedora, the singer delivered a high-energy performance of “It’s Not Right But It’s Okay.” She even gave the crowd some choreography – which is never necessary at a Whitney performance, as her voice was all the audience ever needed. With dancers gathered around the superstar, she really got the party started.

15. “I Look to You” with Kim Burrell on BET’s “Celebration Of Gospel”

In her final televised performance before her sudden death, the Grammy Award winner sang “I Look to You” alongside gospel legend and friend Kim Burrell on BET’s “Celebration Of Gospel,” which aired in 2011. It felt like a comeback in many ways, especially given the ongoing criticism that her voice had changed over time. Despite much adversity, Whitney celebrated her gospel upbringing in a touching moment among friends on stage.