One year ago, the incomparable Whitney Houston passed away.

We watched her meteoric rise to the top of the charts, and we watched her excruciating fall from grace. But through her ups and downs, her legacy remained in tact; without question, among the finest vocalists ever. Her talent was undeniable, and she is still beloved and missed by fans across the globe.

Her place in popular culture is a unique one, and  a fantastically written article from Dream Hampton takes an in-depth look at “the legacy, the life and the loss of Whitney Houston.”

From Ebony:

Houston’s three octave range was always less impressive than her control and her power. With her perfect pitch and modulation, she soared through the most difficult pieces of music effortlessly. Her choice of a tracksuit for the 1991 Super Bowl seemed strangely casual when she took to the field to perform the National Anthem. The one and a half octave range song is a mountain climb for most singers, but Whitney smiled through her strong, straightforward delivery like an uphill runner who can keep a fast clip and an easy conversation. There is simply no better performance of the song on film.

Whitney Houston was a featherweight, grand beauty, a whale of a singer and a fragile, tortured superstar who is finally free of her addiction. Her body of work is an eternal testimony to her dignity, grace and her out-of- this-world ability. Her life, which only those closest to her will ever truly know in full, tells a more complicated story.

Read more at Ebony.com

Rest in Peace, Whitney

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