Jennifer Hudson paid a stunning tribute to Whitney Houston at the American Music Awards
Jennifer Hudson (L) honoured Whitney Houston at the 50th American Music Awards. (Ron Galella/Getty)
EGOT winner Jennifer Hudson paid homage to the iconic Whitney Houston with a powerfully moving rendition of “I Will Always Love You” at the American Music Awards 2024.
At the 50th anniversary special of the American Music Awards (AMAs) on Sunday (6 October), Hudson performed Houston’s much-adored song, which was popularised by the 1992 film The Bodyguard.
In classic Hudson fashion, she belted the track in a heartfelt homage to the late singer, actor and philanthropist who is regarded as one of the best-selling music artists of all time.
Hudson’s performance recalled Houston’s appearance at the AMAs in 1994 where she performed a medley of “I Loves You, Porgy”, “And I Am Telling You I’m Not Going” and “I Have Nothing”.
At the 1994 ceremony, Houston won eight awards for The Bodyguard: Original Soundtrack Album.
Three decades on, Hudson performed Houston’s “I Loves You, Porgy” and “I Will Always Love You”.
Pulp Fiction and Django Unchained star Samuel L Jackson introduced Hudson to the stage: “Thirty years ago, Whitney Houston won eight of her total 22 American Music Awards, including the special award of merit.
“The same night, Whitney gave perhaps the most iconic performance ever on this show, the stunning medley she sang that night starting with songs from Porgy And Bess and ending with a hit from the global smash soundtrack of The Bodyguard.
“One of the millions of music lovers watching the AMAs that night in 1994 was a 12-year-old young lady in Chicago named Jennifer, who was so inspired by Whitney that she started to believe that she could raise her own voice someday.
“Here to honour her hero, Jennifer Hudson.”
The anniversary event also featured a number of music legends including Jennifer Lopez, Reba McEntire, Chaka Khan and Carrie Underwood as well as performances from from Mariah Carey, Nile Rodgers, Gladys Knight and Green Day.
Who was Whitney Houston’s girlfriend Robyn Crawford?
Robyn Crawford is an author, producer, and former assistant to and creative director for Whitney Houston, as well as her former girlfriend.
Crawford was Houston’s best friend, confidante and romantic partner. The pair met in 1980 when they both worked as summer camp counsellors.
In her 2019 autobiography, A Song for You: My Life with Whitney Houston, Crawford notes that she had a relationship with Houston and that they lived together.
The memoir detailed that she resigned from Houston’s management company when the singer refused to get help for her drug dependency. Crawford also claimed that Houston’s drug use increased after her marriage to Bobby Brown in 1992 and that she was also “worn down” by the demands of supporting an extended family, an exhausting tour schedule, and the constant speculation about her sexuality.
Brown has regularly denied introducing Houston to drugs and has also acknowledged the relationship between his ex-wife and Crawford.
Whitney Houston biopic is now on Netflix
The Whitney Houston biopic, Whitney Houston: I Wanna Dance with Somebody, is now available to stream on Netflix.
The biopic was released two years ago in cinemas and stars Naomi Ackie as Houston.
The film chronicles Houston’s transition from a talented young singer in her church choir to an R&B pop star.
Speaking about Houston’s LGBTQ+ relationship in the film, Ackie told EW: “It was really important to me too that we tell her full story. If you’re going to explore this amazing woman, you’ve got to do it all.”
She continued: “The thing I loved about her relationship with Robyn is that it’s just the deepest connection I think that Whitney experienced.
“That love that they shared, changed and morphed over time as they got older, but the love never changed.”
Whitney Houston: I Wanna Dance with Somebody is now streaming on Netflix.
