- Culture
- 28 Apr 16
Oscar-winning director Kevin MacDonald has been granted permission by the deceased performer's estate to direct a documentary in memory of her.
The exceptional voice of Whitney Houston smashed more records than any other female performer in the history of pop music. With 200 million album sales worldwide, Houston made an indelible impression in the music world.
She inspired the careers of Mariah Carey, Lady Gaga and Beyoncé but there is still no one who can emulate her talent. However as her fame surged so did the interest in her personal life. As is the case with so many treasured talents, Houston fell into a line of addiction and self-destruction played out by the paparazzi to millions. Pictures of her and lover Bobbi Brown and their tumultuous relationship dominated headlines whilst her music took a backseat. Her tragic death in 2012 led to outpourings of grief at the loss of such a once shining star.
Now, Kevin MacDonald is going to detail her rise and fall in an all-encompassing documentary. With access to archive footage, extensive interviews from close family and friends, MacDonald is going to remind audiences of the gift Houston had and the star-quality she exuded; "The story that is never told about Whitney is just how brilliant she was as an artist; by many measures she had the greatest voice of the last 50 years. She changed the way pop music was sung — bringing it back full circle to its blues and gospel roots. She was also completely unique in being a black pop star who sold in countries where black artists don’t traditionally sell.”
Of course, it is impossible to tell Houston's story without divulging into the addiction that propelled her downfall but MacDonald refuses to hone in on the tragedy instead opting to focus on the talent; "Although we won’t shy away from the darker parts of Whitney’s life — her descent into addiction — I want audiences to walk out of the cinema and feel positive about Whitney and her music," MacDonald reasons, "I want to reveal a woman that even her most die-hard fans never knew; and a woman those new to her life and music will never forget.”
No signs of when this documentary will make its debut but we will keep you up-to-date.