Were These 10 Major Artists Able To Do Justice To Whitney Houston's Songs?
Whitney Houston's legacy continues to live on in today's music. Many have undertaken her songs, but only few have the ability to do Whitney justice — something that goes to show just how truly amazing an artist she was.
From Katy Perry singing "I Wanna Dance With Somebody" to Christina Aguilera performing "Run To You" in front of Whitney herself, we've ranked 10 performances of Whitney Houston songs by major artists in order of goodness. Some tried it, others succeeded.
Rest in peace, Whitney and Bobbi Kristina.
"I Have Nothing" by Keri Hilson
Miss Keri Baby performed "I Have Nothing" at the 2011 BMI Pop Awards. She looked great, but unfortunately her voice couldn't do justice to David Foster and Whitney Houston's timeless gem.
"I Wanna Dance With Somebody" by Katy Perry
Katy Perry did it up to Whitney's "I Wanna Dance With Somebody" with a colorfully sprinkled stage and candy-themed costume. The vocals weren't really there, but at the very least, the performance captured the spirit of the song.
"It's Not Right But It's Okay" by Chvrches
Synth pop trio Chvrches infused "It's Not Right But It's Okay" with their idiosyncratic exuberance when they performed it for BBC Radio 1. Chvrches' cover was entertaining, and also proved that they can literally cover anything.
"Run To You" by Kelly Clarkson
Kelly Clarkson appeared on Australian show Good News Week back in 2009. She put her mighty voice to work on the show, singing bits of Whitney's "Run To You."
"I Have Nothing" by Jessie J
Jessie J grew up listening to Whitney's "I Have Nothing," and posted a video of her singing the song back in 2010. Jessie delivered a beautiful rendition of the song when she performed it live in Birmingham early this year.
"I Will Always Love You / Halo" by Beyonce
A power ballad mashed with a power ballad — that's right up Beyonce's alley. Bey's mashup of Whitney's "I Will Always Love You" with "Halo" is both stunning and heartbreaking.
"I Have Nothing" by Ariana Grande
Pint-sized powerhouse Ariana Grande delivered this impeccable performance of Whitney's endlessly epic song while in California on her Honeymoon Tour. I find it necessary to point out that Ari stayed seated while David Foster accompanied her on the piano.
"How Will I Know" by Sam Smith
Sam Smith's slowed down version of "How Will I Know" takes the buoyancy out of the song, shifting the focus to the heart that's already there. It's gorgeous and alluring, and we'd expect no less from the YOK alum.
"Run To You" by Christina Aguilera
Christina Aguilera lent her show-stopping vocals to this performance of Whitney's "Run To You" at the 2001 BET Awards, when Whitney accepted her Lifetime Achievement Award. While giving her acceptance speech, Whitney said the following of Christina: "You are one that I truly enjoy in today's music. You've done the best rendition of 'Run To You' besides myself."
"I Will Always Love You" by Jennifer Hudson
Jennifer Hudson's Whitney Houston tribute at the 54th Grammy Awards in 2012 was an emotional one, as Whitney had died the day before. The delicate piano accompaniment paired with JHud's impeccable vocals made for a poignant performance, with Jennifer adding in "Whitney we love you," at the end of the song.