Pop superstar Whitney Houston, one of the most influential female singers of all time, died Saturday in Beverly Hills, Calif. at the age of 48.
Houston was pronounced dead at 3:55 p.m. after paramedics were summoned to the Beverly Hilton Hotel, where Houston was planning to attend a pre-Grammy party hosted by her mentor, Clive Davis, to be held later that night.
The winner of two Emmys, six Grammys and dozens of other awards, Houston is the only artist in pop history to record seven consecutive No. 1 singles: “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.”
In recent years, however, Houston garnered headlines for her tumultuous marriage to singer-songwriter Bobby Brown and battles with drugs and alcohol.
“It’s truly unfortunate to lose one of the most talented singers, especially with how tragic her life was,” said Andrew Martinez, a senior majoring in telecommunication and film. “We shouldn’t remember the bad memories of Whitney, only the amazing sound of her voice.”
In the mid-1990s, Houston transitioned to the big screen, appearing in films such as “The Bodyguard” and “The Preacher’s Wife.”
The 1992 soundtrack to “The Bodyguard” featured Houston’s rendition of Dolly Parton’s “I Will Always Love You,” a song that spent 14 weeks at the top of the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 and made Houston the first woman to have a single reach the triple-platinum mark with sales of 3 million copies, according to Billboard.
After stepping away from the recording studio, Houston attempted a comeback in 2009 with her album, “I Look to You,” which went platinum. In spite of its success, some troubled performances dampened Houston’s return.
“She was a great artist,” said Geoffrey Drumm, a freshman majoring in telecommunication and film. “She will definitely be missed. Her voice was one of those once-in-a-blue-moon voices.”
An autopsy was completed by the Los Angeles County Coroner’s Office on Sunday, but official results will not be released until the completion of toxicology tests, which could take as long as six to eight weeks, according to Fox News.
On Sunday, Houston’s 18-year-old daughter, Bobbi Kristina Brown, was hospitalized and released after being treated for anxiety, according to CBS News.
LL Cool J, the host of the 2012 Grammys, wasted no time in recognizing Houston’s passing, as he led all those in attendance in a prayer honoring her life at the show’s opening. A clip of Houston performing “I Will Always Love You” followed, and past Grammy-winner Jennifer Hudson performed a musical tribute in Houston’s honor later in the night.
“Whitney Houston was an amazing singer,” said Andrea Jones, a junior double majoring in marine science and biology. “She had a powerful voice, innovated the music industry and took R&B to a whole new level never seen before. Her fans loved and respected her.”
Staff Reporter Rich Robinson contributed to this article.
