Whitney Houston Gives Disastrous Performance in Concert
Source : EbonyJet.com
After a lengthy layoff, purported drug use and a tumultuous marriage and divorce from Bobby Brown, Whitney Houston is trying for a come back. Sadly, that might not be as easy to accomplish as she’d hoped for. Houston, 44, banned photographers and the media from getting within 200 yards of her on Sunday night at the Plymouth Jazz Festival stage. Nervous, no doubt about the quality of her voice, the ex-Mrs. Brown kept telling the Tobago audience how happy she was to be in Trinidad. Unfortunately, she had good reason to be nervous.
After such a long time away from the stage, Houston’s flat, horse and listeless voice was a big disappointment to those who knew the power she commanded at the height of her career. All that said Houston looked great, decked out in a form-fitting white gown. And given the fact that this is her first real concert date since her December 2006 appearance in Malaysia, you gotta give the sister credit for at least showing up on time for her 30 minute, seven-song set.
Houston started out her set with “It’s Not Right, It’s OK” a song that few folks in the audience appeared to know and followed it up with an old favorite “Step by Step.” As peppy as that tune is, Houston failed to get much of a rise out of the audience, many of whom had come extra early to make sure they got a good spot on the lawn. After her second song Houston paid tribute to Diana Ross, Smokey Robinson and En Vogue who had performed on Friday and Saturday nights.
On “Saving All My Love For You,” another song that should have brought the capacity crowd to their feet, Houston’s voice cracked. “I don’t think the voice is still there,” said one patron on his way out.He probably felt the same way about her delivery on “I’ll Always Love You” since she missed all the notes that once made that ballad one of her signature tunes. The folks who had paid $120 (general admission) were already a little unhappy but after that song they stopped applauding.
Houston did sound a little like her old self when belting out her finale “I’m Every Woman.” Her voice was much clearer and it seemed as though she was really starting to get her groove. But it proved to be too little too late.
Despite a new CD reportedly coming out later this year, Houston didn’t speak with the media following her performance and failed to respond to the written questions her publicist asked journalists to submit.
Hopefully the songstress, who was reportedly paid $3 million to show up on Sunday, will watch the video of her performance and make the necessary adjustments before her next live appearance at the Caudwell Legends Children’s Ball in London on May 8.If she can clean up her life, she can clean up her act as well.