The legendary singer Whitney Houston died tragically on February 11th, 2012, when she
accidentally drowned in a bathtub after ingesting cocaine. But what were the events leading
up to this icon's tragic passing? This is what the last 12 months of Whitney Houston's
life were like.
Whitney Houston struggled with addiction to drugs and alcohol for much of her life, and
in 2011, the star was finally moving towards recovery. Houston had specifically had public
and long-standing issues with pills, cocaine, and alcohol.
"If you had to name the devil, for you, the biggest devil among them?"
"That would be me."
In May 2011, the 47-year-old singer voluntarily sought help from a rehabilitation program.
Houston had faced major roadblocks while touring in 2010, having been unable to deliver during
her live shows and attracting criticism from audiences. Many speculated that the star was
in trouble and needed help for addiction, while fans complained that she was truly out
of form — and could barely get through her sets. At one show in Brisbane, disappointed
concert-goers even walked out on her set. Whitney Houston's rep revealed to People magazine
at the time that the decision to enter rehab was entirely Houston's. The rep said:
"Whitney Houston is currently in an out-patient rehab program for drug and alcohol treatment.
Whitney voluntarily entered the program to support her long-standing recovery process."
In her final year, Houston was determined to be active in the professional circuit.
She was particularly enthusiastic about a film she'd been signed up for: Sparkle, a
remake of a 1976 film in which three siblings from Harlem struggle to become singers. In
the movie, Houston played the mom to American Idol star Jordin Sparks.
Sparkle was a comeback of sorts for Houston. She worked with producer Debra Martin Chase
on the project, with whom she had previously collaborated on successful projects such as
The Princess Diaries. The two shared a deep friendship and were happy to work together
again. Discussing the original movie, Chase told ABC News:
"It was the first time that we had seen young women of color fabulous. We both just loved
it. We were both inspired by it. And so when she mentioned, 12 years ago, 'what about we
remake Sparkle," I was like, 'oh my God, of course,' and the journey began."
While the film was delayed for a long time due to a number of unforeseen circumstances,
the duo finally got into production in 2011. Houston embraced the role, and worked hard
on getting it just right. Unfortunately, she never got to see the final result of her efforts,
as Sparkle didn't hit theaters until August 2012 — six months after the singer passed
away.
Sadly, Houston's once remarkable voice quality had declined over the years. This was attributed
to her smoking habit, as well as her rocky relationship with drugs. Her former coach,
Gary Catona, later reflected on the setbacks the singer encountered in her life. He told
ABC News:
"It appeared to be so damaged that when I first began working with her, I was not sure
what I could do. She'd say, 'I know I've done things that have hurt me [...] and I have
to change it."
"When I went to see her in 2005, her voice was completely gone. Her speaking voice and
her singing voice were both hoarse."
Catona revealed that Houston felt vulnerable at the time, and spoke with him about the
immense pressure she was under. He added that she was acutely aware of the consequences
of her bad habits. Catona said:
"She knew in her heart of hearts that this special gift that she had was being undermined
by her own activities."
In 2011, Clive Davis, Whitney Houston's mentor, spoke up publicly and said that the singer
needed some time off. In a radio interview, he explained:
"We're not going to make a record or an album until that golden voice, you know, is there
and is fully capable of just knocking everybody out."
Whitney Houston didn't just have her eyes set on the silver screen. She was also eyeing
a spot on the popular reality show, The X-Factor, with rumors of her involvement being confirmed
after the singer died.
The show's creator, Simon Cowell, told CNN that the producers were set to discuss her
possible involvement the week of Houston's passing. He explained:
"We were ironically going to meet on Monday and of course, one of the names we were going
to be talking about in that meeting as a possible mentor on the new series of X-Factor was going
to be Whitney Houston."
Cowell added that he would have personally really liked to work with the singer, and
that she would have been a solid addition to The X-Factor lineup. He said:
"Given the choice, I would have liked to have taken her under my wing as well, because she
would have been the ultimate, ultimate mentor to any contestant coming on the show."
During the final year of her life, Houston was grappling with a number of practical difficulties
— including keeping her expenses together. In fact, things were so tough that, at one
point, Houston was forced to ask her friends to chip in to pay her mortgages. Her tough
financial situation was attributed to several factors, including drug abuse and a bitter
legal fight with her stepmother, over a life insurance payout after her father's passing.
Clive Davis decided to rescue Houston from her tough spot by pitching in to salvage her
properties in New Jersey and Atlanta. As her first film in 15 years, Sparkle, was the one
thing the singer was counting on to dig her out of debt. This was, of course, in stark
contrast to the singer in her heyday, when she struck a deal with Arista Records for
$100 million and raked in $30 million a year on tour. Houston's limited finances meant
that she was under pressure to make enough money in her final year to be able to clear
all her debt — and make a fresh start, too.
During this time, Houston was spending more time than ever on her one true passion: music.
Indeed, Houston was looking forward to a new start in terms of her career. Her hairdresser,
Tiffanie Dixon, had observed how devoted the singer was to turning over a new life, and
giving up on her old habits such as smoking. Houston even considered going for a face-lift,
but had to forgo the idea after she failed the physical exam that tested the condition
of her heart, lungs, and liver.
The singer was making strides in her personal life, too. After her rocky breakup with Bobby
Brown, Whitney Houston was focusing on herself and was rumored to be dating a new man, singer
Willie "Ray J" Norwood. Houston was also doubling down on her efforts to regularly communicate
with her old drug counselor. As per producer Harvey Mason Jr., who worked with the star
in her final year, Houston was focused above all else. He explains:
"She was way more energetic than the young people, more excited to be in the studio,
more passionate to make something outstanding."
Houston was a deeply religious person, and often turned to her faith in times of grief
and uncertainty. Even as she was struggling to stay afloat in her last days, she openly
talked to those around her about God. In fact, the artist was so deeply involved in her faith,
she even spent some time simply praying in a nightclub with an artist, El DeBarge, who
like Houston, had struggled to beat his addiction issues.
One of Houston's friends, gospel singer Kim Burrell, told CNN that, during the singer's
final days, the two of them would pray together while conversing over the phone. Burrell said:
"Whitney knew to go to God. Whitney knew how to pray. I'm very confident that whatever
her last moments were, she knew that God could be there for her… she's with him today."
"What do you want people to remember about your friend?" "That she was loving. That she
was beautiful inside and out."
Towards the end of her life, Houston was doing everything she could to improve her voice.
In February 2011, she met producer Harvey Mason Jr. at his studio to record a song for
Sparkle. The single was called "Celebrate", and its lyrics were penned by R. Kelly.
The singer warmed up for a while before taking over the mic. According to Rolling Stone,
Houston was determined to get the track right and didn't leave any stone unturned, practicing
relentlessly for many days. Mason said:
"Whitney had days when she sounded amazing; she had days when she sounded decent; and
she had days when she sounded not so great. But she was really working to improve."
This particular rehearsal went rather well and Houston could barely contain her excitement.
After they confirmed they had nailed the track, the duo spent some time listening to it and
dancing around inside the studio. It was an energetic, happy anthem, and the way it was
coming together appeared to have brought Houston a great deal of genuine joy.
On February 9th 2012, Whitney Houston attended singer Kelly Price's party at a nightclub
called Tru Hollywood. Her daughter, Bobbi Kristina Brown, was also present. The singer
performed with Price at the party in what was ultimately the final live performance
of her career. Houston also ended up exchanging heated words with another singer, Stacy Francis,
who was a former finalist on The X-Factor.
Francis had earlier expressed her admiration for Houston in interviews and said she was
inspired by her. However, at this particular party, the two ended up arguing. While things
seemed civil at first, as soon as Ray J entered the conversation, the exchange took a turn
for the worse. A source who was present told The Hollywood Reporter:
"Whitney just got belligerent. Ray was trying to defend Stacy, telling Whitney, 'Stacy's
family!', but Whitney was feeling crowded out and hands were raised."
While things didn't get much worse, the source added that it was a tense moment, saying:
"You didn't know which way it could go there for a minute."
When Francis herself was asked about her take on the incident, she simply said:
"I have the utmost respect for Whitney Houston and her talent."
While Houston seemed to be on the mend, her old habits apparently made a comeback in her
final days. Right after her recording session with her producer, Houston seemed to take
comfort in returning to her old partying ways, going to several Hollywood nightclubs and
drinking excessively. According to a Rolling Stone article, Houston also showed up to a
press conference reeking of cigarette smoke and booze.
Musician Chaka Khan spoke out against the music business after Whitney Houston's passing.
A major point of criticism raised by Khan was the idea that Houston was left all alone
in a city full of temptation, just a few months after her rehab stint. Khan alleged:
"Whoever flew her out to perform at that party should've provided someone to be there, to
somehow keep the riffraff from out of the situation, to keep some of the dangerous people
away."
Reportedly, Houston also threw a tantrum after drinking in her hotel, declaring that the
drinks she was being served were watered down. Houston also performed handstands near the
swimming pool, and even broke down over a headline in the National Enquirer that accused
her of being reckless and unstable.
Finally, on February 11th 2012, Whitney Houston was found unresponsive in her hotel room bathtub.
The singer, who was scheduled to attend a pre-Grammy Awards party that night, was found
by her assistant, Mary Jones. When Jones discovered Houston in the bath, she panicked and called
Ray Watson, who was the singer's brother-in-law and bodyguard. The duo called 911, then attempted
CPR in a bid to revive Houston.
Police arriving at the scene looked for evidence of foul play but instead found alcohol, food,
and what was labeled "a white crystal-like substance" in the bathroom. Details of Houston's
death remained murky, until an autopsy report six weeks later offered details into the singer's
untimely death.
Her death was ruled as a case of accidental drowning, with atherosclerotic heart disease
and cocaine abuse added as factors that contributed to it. Houston was just 48 years old.