Whitney Houston was a game-changing phenomenon. At her peak she was arguably the most famous black woman in the world—her life, for good and bad, discussed by everyone. The fascination continues with the forthcoming biopic I Wanna Dance With Somebody, with British actress Naomi Ackie standing in Whitney’s impossible-to-fill boots. The film promises to zero in on Houston’s many sides: as an entertainer, a wife, a daughter, a mother, a cultural lightning rod, a cautionary tale, and a tragedy. In the end, there’s only one title that fully encapsulates the mark Whitney Houston left on the world, a nickname that will stand the test of time: The Voice. This is the story of that voice, and all that came along with it.
