Whitney Houston’s voice cracks during Good Morning America performance

As cheesy as it is, there are few things that make me as happy as a comeback story. Well, maybe an underdog. I love a good underdog story. This might be why I love sports movies even though I hate sports. But in terms of a good comeback story, it seems like Whitney Houston is getting hers. Despite a rocky and critically maligned performance yesterday in Central Park for Good Morning America, Whitney’s still got a lot of success in the making.

But first, that performance. It was bad enough that the Daily News felt the need to write not one but two nearly identical stories about just how bad it was. Because the one they published at 6:16 p.m. apparently wasn’t rough enough on her, so they needed to put out another at 7:29 p.m. Thank you, Daily News, for always driving the point home.

It’s the comeback that wasn’t. Despite all the good will aimed Whitney’s way from a huge and loving Central Park crowd on Tuesday, she blew her big moment. And, the heartbreaking part is, she knew it. Her apology, blaming a blabby interview with Oprah taped the day before, came three songs into her four-number set. At least her “sorry, guys” offered some relief. It allowed her to publicly acknowledge what even the most devoted fans couldn’t ignore.

Every song Houston performed had a moment where her voice cracked, and throughout her set she treated the high notes the way the driver of a brand new car would a pothole. Not that Houston sounded entirely hoarse or winded during the set. She growled with confidence during the funkiest parts of her old hit “My Love Is Your Love,” and in the verses of her new single “Million Dollar Bill,” she had some of her old, ringing tone.

She also had energy on her side. The bright-looking singer bounded on to the stage at Rumsey Playfield yesterday just after noon, opening with the new single. But if she delivered the song’s verses with some verve, she left it to the audience, and her backup singers, to tackle the choruses. The biggest problems showed in the title song to her new CD, “I Look To You.” It’s just the kind of high drama ballad Houston would have soared to the sky with in her prime. But this time, she cut off notes early, and merely spoke parts of the verses.

Even Houston’s new studio recording shows some damage to her instrument. She has a huskier sound than before. But the fact is, she can do better than she did yesterday. Houston’s three-song performance for an industry crowd at Clive Davis’ Grammy party back in February found her in far more sturdy form. Houston also has a small bit of encouraging news on the sales front. Early reports peg the new CD as an almost-sure No. 1 on Billboard’s album chart, out next week.

But for her comeback to have the wow we want, she’ll have to not just sell well, but soar when she sings.

[From the Daily News]

I went with that particular review because I really liked the idea that “the fact is, she can do better than she did yesterday.” You know, Whitney’s had a rough go of it. And not just a rough go for a celebrity, she’s been through some rocky times that would have knocked almost anybody down. I remember her when she first burst onto the scene in the eighties and was THE big thing. My mom and dad saw her in concert in 1987 but were underwhelmed, mostly because she wore jeans and they had gotten all dressed up. I think it’d been a while since they’d gone on a date. It seems like 22 years later; a lot of people in the audience still had that sort of underwhelmed feeling, but for reasons that were not apparel-based.

Everyone noticed Whitney’s cracking voice and the way she struggled through songs. Hey, she’s known for her power ballads, you can’t just gloss over that kind of stuff. But like the Daily News pointed out, she’s doing better today than she did yesterday.” And I think that’s critically important when anyone is picking themselves up and getting their lives back together. We can’t expect they’ll be the exact same. A voice is an instrument, and it needs to stay tuned. Yelling at Bobby Brown probably doesn’t count. You don’t expect an athlete to play as well after a decade-long break, and the same is true for Whitney. But I think there’s reason to believe that with enough support and encouragement, her talent is still essentially there, and a strong voice will follow.

Here’s Whitney on stage with daughter Bobbi Kristina Brown in Central Park yesterday. Images thanks to Fame Pictures .

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21 Responses to “Whitney Houston’s voice cracks during Good Morning America performance”

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  1. nanster says:

    “Cracks”? Heeheehee…

  2. Gistine says:

    That was painful to watch.

  3. Jeane says:

    Learning to love yourself is the greatest love of all, Whitney!

  4. Debbie says:

    Does anyone else think her face looks different? In some of the new pics I didn’t know it was her at first….

  5. scarlett says:

    ummm…is it just me?! i really don’t hear her singing much at all!
    she is being a conductor, leading the crowd…with her hands..and they are singing for her mostly.
    maybe i need to watch again?
    i’m rooting for her too of course:)

  6. Tia C says:

    Yes, Debbie, her face looks different to me, too. Like it has fallen somewhat. Could be just age, or more likely, effects from all her purported drug abuse.

    She looks and sounds awful (compared to her former self, anyway). I also thought she sounded high when she was talking with Diane Sawyer. Not high on crack high, more like high on painkillers or something that makes you “floaty.” She just seemed kind of out of it. I could totally be wrong about that, but that’s what it looked like to me. I want to be nice and say that I hope this works out for her, but at this point it’s really hard to tell if her “comeback” is going to take off. Time will tell!

  7. Cinderella says:

    I hope she truly has recovered. That’s all I’m going to say.

  8. mila says:

    o dear. In 1992 when I was ten “I will always love you” totally changed my life- I realised I have no singing talent whatsoever (yet I tortured my parents with my terrible rendition of this song). But seriously, it is so sad to see such a pure gift wasted…irretrievably

  9. Diane says:

    Well, somebody likes her. I’ve heard the album is selling. She’s changing her life for the good. Voice or not, happy to hear it = )

  10. Jo 'Mama' Besser says:

    I don’t know the specifics of her drug history, but I spend all day with musicians, and it seems like she’s got ‘pot voice’.

  11. jann says:

    poor Whitney, it’s gone, it was painful to watch, i think when she was talking to Diane she was nervous and on something too. she is scare of failing, believe me, i am rooting for her, it can’t be easy for her to be out there. after all she has been through and so many years away from it. good luck Whitney.

  12. voodoobetty says:

    She needs to get that kids teeth fixed. You could drive a truck through that gap.

  13. Aspie says:

    I also hope she truly has recovered. That’s all I’m going to say too.

  14. valupack says:

    I too am truly glad she has recovered from her addiction, but I fear her wonderful voice is not there anymore. Imagine 15 yrs of the throat on a crack pipe-it really is not surprising. God bless Whit, best wishes,stay off the shizzle

  15. oh_mr_grey says:

    Wow…I can’t believe an agent/manager approved this. Bringing it live is always tough, but holy crap, this was worse than when Fleetwood Mac reunited for back ’92 for Clinton.

    The drugs and Bobby took a major toll. She’s also starting to resemble her Aunt Dionne…

  16. james says:

    People, People.

    Whitney has been “done” for a while. Let’s face it. It’s over. Why don’t we Christian’s follow new emerging artists? I have found one beautiful female artist named Sharon MaRee. Look her up on itunes, and compare the vocals!!! Just a thought! I love R&B and Contemporary Christian Music. It’s close to the same!!
    Try It!
    JB

  17. QB says:

    Whitney is never going to be the same from the Bodyguard , she has harmed her body too much.

  18. lway says:

    Good for her. She is at least trying.

  19. sickofit says:

    too much crack smoking. her vocal cords are gone foreva. and i dont think she has overcome her addiction in general. i smell some pills.

  20. C-DUB says:

    Did james just someone’s upcoming album? Really?

    Whitney looks great. I’m glad to see that she is getting her life back together.

  21. Angelina says:

    People, People!!! The producers used vocal enhancements on her album “Look To You”. So, would you want to buy this album? I thought not because Whitney just does not have “It” anymore since she has been smoking cigarettes and crack and drinking.