Grammy Weekend Highlight: Jennifer Hudson shares why her musical tribute to Whitney Houston was such a special moment
By Angie Stanley // People // EEW Magazine Online
For the first time in three years, Clive Davis’ pre-Grammy gala brought together some of the biggest names in the music industry for a night of special performances, timely tributes and moving speeches
Actor, singer, and talk show host Jennifer Hudson is still reeling from her whirlwind Grammys weekend during which she tributed one of her favorite singers of all time, the late great Whitney Houston.
The NAACP nominated host of The Jennifer Hudson Show shared the reason why the tribute was so special with her studio audience.
“She is who I got my first Grammy from,” Hudson, 41, explained, while a large photograph of the two singers embracing flashed on the screen behind her.
After signing to Arista Records, the American Idol alum released her self-titled debut studio album in 2008 which was certified Gold in the US and the UK and won the Grammy Award for Best R&B Album.
Jennifer Hudson embraces the late Whitney Houston who presented the singer with her very first Grammy. (Credit: Getty)
“Imagine being a young girl singing Whitney Houston songs, looking up to her and aspiring to be that, and the first Grammy I receive is from Whitney Houston which for me ended up outshining winning the Grammy,” she said.
Hudson performed a show-stopping rendition of “Greatest Love of All” at the Beverly Hilton, marking the forthcoming 11th anniversary of Houston’s tragic death.
On February 11, 2012, Houston accidentally drowned in a bathtub at the Beverly Hilton hotel in Beverly Hills, with heart disease and cocaine use as contributing factors. News of her death coincided with the 2012 Grammy Awards, which took place the following day, and was covered internationally.
Watch JHud talk about the very sweet moment in the clip below.
