From Newark. Daughter of gospel singer Cissy Houston. Discovered by Clive Davis, who signed her to his Arista label; quick success created a vogue for the bland one-named diva cash cows (e.g. Sony's Mariah Carey). Leveraged Star Power into thespianism and bad celebrity marriages. A boring, airbrushed corporate figment who "can sing", which is the only difference between her and the Spice Girls, aside from the fact that there's only one of her. Thank God.
Editor's note: Whitney Houston died on February 11, 2012, aged 48.