An Interview with Whitney Houston on her 58th Birthday!
If Whitney had weathered her untimely death in 2012 what would that interview look like today?
Looking every bit healthy and happy I was pleasantly surprised at the person I met inside her Idaho retreat. Far from her past and the bright lights of Hollywood, Idaho offered a simpler life for Houston who survived a drug overdose and heart attack in 2012. I am always thankful to Whitney as she was the biggest interview I scored as a young journalist working for the New Yorker back in 2010. It was Houston that inspired me to strike out on my own and start my own on-line magazine, “Turning Point”. A spiritual based celebrity magazine that brings to light the journey of famous people who have hit rock bottom and crawled out from the depths of addiction of all kinds (drugs, gambling Sex etc.). Back in 2010 with my first interview with Whitney I had the support of a large entourage from “The New Yorker” magazine. Now it is just me and my partner Greg that travel to the interviews. I have two staff writers back in New York.
Whitney
You know I am working on a country/slash/ spiritual album, right? Oh Lord, who would of thought. Certainly not the record company or Clive (Davis)for that matter. God love him. That was the best thing I ever did was strike out on my own..ya know? Love Clive but I was never me..ya know. God Bless!
Houston opened the large double doors to her spiritually laced home complete with Buddhist carvings etched carefully into the imported Italian wood. The air was light and candles were burning everywhere. She had finally centered her soul and freed herself from the demons and demands of everyone else.
Whitney
Sorry for the mess ya-all, just did a “Super Soul Sunday” with my friend Oprah on Saturday and never had a chance to move things back, ya know?
As I looked around at what Whitney saw as a mess I saw everything in perfect order? It got me thinking that her idea of a “mess” has changed since the last time I paid her a visit in her Atlanta home (which she has since sold) where everything really was a mess and she didn’t even see it then. Literally cocaine powder on the coffee table where I laid my camera down and she never took her sun glasses off. But that was a different time thank goodness. I was younger and scared back then and too nervous to even speak with her let alone tell her that her house was a mess. Yikes! Some how she took a liking to me when we first met at a Clive Davis event in NYC. She said I reminded her of a boy she would get into trouble with back in her hometown of Newark New Jersey. Innocent trouble of course. After-all, the kind of trouble she would get into then was when she ran around her church and hide in the rectory with this boy she said I reminded her of. “Troy” was his name. Sadly he died in the early 2000’s like many young people in Newark.
Whitney
I took a page out of Prince’s book but modified a little. We do not offer any kind of meat products….just all plant based food. Sorry Y’all. Also, no caffeine like coffee or soda but naturally filtered water and light Green tea. Other than that you are free to have anything I can offer you. God Bless. Such a shame what happened to my buddy Prince. (Referring to his death in 2016). That should have been me y’all…oooh God is good. I went to Paisley Park a few times..man that dude could party but he did it such a way that nobody spoke above a whisper? (laughs). Before you knew y’all you were drunk or somethin’…he definitely had stuff pumped into the vents (laughs again). Ooooh Lord..rest his soul (eyes turn from laughter to sadness).
Whitney was wearing what they call a “cat spiritual dress” Egyptian inspired but as Houston would put it, “it’s all part of my journey”.
Whitney
Tina (Turner) turned me onto to spiritual clothing which all makes sense. If your spirit is growing inside, you may as well express it in your clothing…right? Oooh Tina…now that girl has shown the world how you can change your insides….(laughs). I miss her…haven’t seen her since her Broadway opening before the pandemic. Can’t believe she is in her 80's…Oooh Lord God Bless her. (looks up to the ceiling referencing God). I have to give her a call. We text ya’know but she isn’t the best about gettn’ back with texts. (Laughs).
Bobbie Kristina survived a similar bout with a near drug over dose just two years after Whitney. Houston had just gotten sober where Bobbie Kristina nearly died. Thankfully Whitney’s sobriety allowed Bobbie Kristina to see that there was a light at the end of the tunnel. That is when Whitney decided to buy her home in Idaho and sell all the rest of her residents in Atlanta, L.A. and Malibu. She kept her home in France as Whitney described Paris as her “other spiritual home”.
Houston’s granddaughter “Karma” was born soon after Bobbie Kristina got sober. The father (not famous) is heavily involved Karma’s life but Bobbie and him are not together. Houston talks about that situation.
Whitney
Karmy (Karma) is coming tomorrow with my girl Bobbie. Can’t wait. I tell-ya that girl Karma can already sing at 2 years old. Better than me y’all! (laughs). We are so blessed that Bobbie came out of the darkness. That’s why I bought this place. I wanted to make a home where there was only love. So important. No one can come in here without being the light y’all. No heaviness…no negativity…no no no (wags her finger). Besides no meat and caffeine y’all, that’s the other thing you leave outside…negativity!
Bobbie Kristina joined her Mom Whitney in changing her diet to the all plant based lifestyle and ridding her life of drugs and of course all alcohol. Bobbie also changed all of her toxic relationships, most notably her break from an abusive relationship with Nick Gordon who died of an overdose in 2020. Her rock bottom was 2015 when Bobbie Kristina nearly overdosed and drowned in her own bathtub. A chance check-in by her publicist, Cary Allen, saved her life. Cary described walking in the front door (which was slightly ajar) and feeling like something was wrong.
“I just knew to go upstairs and check on her. Normally I would just go to the basement office and start working. It was God that guided me.”
Nick (Gordon) had just left the house and must of also left the front door slightly open. Cary took this as a sign of something wrong and perhaps a break-in or something. Today, Bobbie Kristina doesn’t need a publicist as she has settled into normal life raising her daughter Karma jointly with her Father Junior Landon (Grandson of Little House creator the late Michael Landon). Her Mom acts as her publicist and spiritual guide as needed.
Houston’s new album “Party of the Soul” is her first spiritual album she ever released. Hilary Scott (Lady A) was her inspiration. Houston spoke about her new album and how it came about.
Whitney
I remember listening to Hilary Scott’s song; “Thy Will” (off her Family Faith Album “Love Remains”). I cried Y’all! I was in the process of breaking away from Clive and I knew that this was the first album I would release under my own company label (Devine). I insisted that this be the first album…then I laughed…I said to myself, Who am I insisting to? This is my label and I make all the decisions (laugh) then I cried and said thankyou Jesus!
“Party of the Soul” coincides with the Label name of “Devine”. The Devine one (Jesus). The “Party” being rejoicing with the lord and Jesus from the Soul.
Whitney
Hilary and I have become really good friends. She helped me through all my anxiety of releasing an album like this because it was such a departure from my “Pop” albums. Hil had the same worries…but like anything we left it up to God and went for it. Turned out to be great move for her and I am hoping the same. I feel like I can do this now..Ya’know? Lord knows I have paid my dues. Lord knows! (her eyes point upwards with a smile).
Whitney’s last Album under Clive Davis “Short Comings” was mediocre both in sound and in sales. Houston knew it was the beginning of the end during the making of the Clive Davis album and that she had to go out on her own sooner rather than later. She had not made a new album since the release of “Short Comings” in 2017. Houston was still transitioning from her old life into her new one and needed to figure out creatively how to catch up to her spirit that already turned the page on the former “pop” life. Only a slowed down version of Madonna’s “True Blue” made it to the top 20 on the Billboard charts. The song was also used for the film “Crowded House” starring Ed Burns in 2019. The movie gave it the boost to number 20. Whitney spoke about the song and the album;
Whitney
Oooh Lord…”Short Comings”…so much to unpack here. Umm (she looks down). I was stuck ya’know. Clive was good enough to release me from my contract. I had three..I think..four albums to do? Of course he didn’t want me to go and I felt guilty even asking. But I knew the time was right and God was speaking to me. (tears-up) Oh was God speaking to me….
Whitney
Oh and the song “True Blue”! Oh Lord…Madonna girl is somethin’. God love her. I had to wrangle that song from her cold hands (laughs). She gave me such a hard time (laughing) and what a business woman. She made sure she made every dime she could off of that song. By the time she was done she owned royalties to the movie too. But she was great to me. We go back a long way as you know….to the 80’s. She kept reminding me that I was not to worry that she would allow the song to be re-song on my album but wanted to make sure that Clive or anyone else wasn’t taking advantage of her. I told her “Go for it”! Unfortunately the movie didn’t do well and the album….well we know what happened. (chuckles). Didn’t matter to Madonna..it was the fight that she was after..Lord know she doesn't need the money! (laughs).
We went outside to her natural looking pool with a small waterfall and the appearance of it being a lake as the bottom of the pool was darkened. Whitney reflects on the size of her pool and the relevance to her life now:
Whitney
Ya know I had two Olympic sized pools at my house in Atlanta but we hardly swam in either of them. Oooh boy…those were some hard times I tellya. We just used the lounge chairs to pass out in. Sometimes I’d wake up and Bobby (ex-husband) would be gone and it would be night time and all the lights were out in the house…except a few garden lights. I remember feeling so empty. I would pray to God to make me see what I cannot see…All the time he was showing me…I was too blind to see it. Oh boy…hard times. I like the size of my pool now. Perfect and it feels tropical Ya-know? Peaceful…that’s what I like. And my Karmy (Karma) likes it….that’s all that matters.
We walked over to her fire pit area and sat on the concrete benches that surrounded it. Whitney wrapped herself in an Indian cultured wrap she calls her “security wrap”. She feels at ease when she has this wrapped around her. I asked her about turning 58 on August 9th and what it meant to her and if she worried about getting closer to 60?
Whitney
So turning 58 means something so different then when I thought I was old at age 30 or 40 or even 50. (laughs). I have survived and thrived longer than I thought possible. I mean really….no one expected me to be here right now. Even me! At 58 I feel like I am connected ya-know? I have my own label and my daughter is healthy and I have my granddaughter. My money is my money and I control it. I don’t need thirty houses or cars to make me happy. I don’t need to have a man in my life if I don’t want to…Praise Jesus! (Laughs). Don’t get me wrong I still love a little chase here and there but my eyes are clear..spiritually and physically. My stomach doesn’t have knots in it from extreme worry….you always worry a little until you know that God is in control…Lord have mercy! Oh and 60 doesn’t bother me honey…no way…(smiles). the good Lord has a plan…you bet (winks). Just wish I could sleep through the night ya-know? It’s not because of drugs and alcohol as it used to be but now it’s because I need less sleep I guess. I wake up and then I start thinking…or start praying…then I love to see the sun rise so I lay awake to watch it. Again different from when I was coming home when it was getting light out and not knowing what I had just done…Lord have mercy…I thank God that those days are gone!
Whitney doesn’t have a large staff of workers anymore. She used to have 20 to 25 staff members or business associates hanging around her, sleeping at her guest house when she lived in Atlanta. Half the time she didn’t know if and when they were leaving or how long they were there? At times she says it was scary. Especially when Bobby Kristina was little. Now she has a housekeeper inside and one gardener for pruning of trees and bushes and a lawn service that comes once a week to cut the grass. She has a security guard for herself and Bobby Kristina. That’s it.
Whitney
I can actually count how many people come in and out of my house. They are my most trusted associates and I know their every move…you betcha! I have an Agency that handles my business affairs for ‘Devine’ and I purposely keep them outside of my home. They are lovely people but again I want to limit the number of people that come inside my home. This is my sanctuary.
Gone are the display of all her Grammy's and gold albums. She keeps the very first Gold Album displayed and a picture framed of her and Mother Theresa from 1995 in her bedroom. Mostly there are spiritual and calming art work displayed along with religious statutes throughout her home.
Whitney
I don’t need all my accomplishments displayed throughput the house. Yes. I am proud of my work but God is the only one that I need to impress. Praise Jesus! God has given me a golden voice and I intend to spend the rest of my life using it in a way that fits God’s work. I have enough money to carry me through 8 lifetimes and a wonderful and beautiful Daughter and Granddaughter. I hope to have more someday (laughs).
As I was packing up to leave and my partner Greg was finishing the photography portion of our visit I realized that all the fame and fortune on this earth will never make you happy unless you come to terms with what your true purpose in this life. Peace and simplicity in your present space is what we are all here for. Mother Teresa had a great saying:
Spread love everywhere you go. Let no one ever come to you without leaving happier.
FORWARD
Being a huge Whitney Houston fan I would have liked this interview to have really taken place and that she didn’t pass away in the manner in which she was lost. Same of Bobby Kristina. Perhaps this was a hope of mine that if she has survived that her life would have meant something different. Peace is what she has now.
