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By Gil Kaufman
Clive Davis
Photo: MTV News
Tag Archives: Clive Davis
Clive Davis Denies Bullying Kelly Clarkson In His Autobiography
Clive Davis Gets Candid About Bisexuality In ‘Soundtrack Of My Life’ Memoir
By Henna Kathiya
It’s definitely not an understatement calling Clive Davis a music legend. He has an uncanny ear for music and, as a result is responsible for fueling the careers of big name talents such as Whitney Houston, Alicia Keys, Aretha Franklin and Jennifer Hudson. Not to mention he’s the current chief creative officer of Sony Music Entertainment. After 50 years in the music industry, Davis put all his experiences into his memoir “The Soundtrack of My Life,” in which he reveals his bisexuality.
Davis was definitely not afraid to get personal in his new book, revealing in the final chapter (via Entertainment Weekly) that since the end of his second marriage in 1985 he has been sexually involved with men. He writes about having relationships with both men and women. He also talks about being in a monogamous relationship with a man for the past seven years.
The music executive began to experiment with men when a male fan at Studio 54 approached him. Although he has been in a relationship with a man for the past seven years he makes it clear that he is bisexual and not gay. “Do I feel I could have been similarly attracted to a woman?” he wrote. “The answer is yes.”
Jordin Sparks Pays Tribute To Whitney Houston In ‘Celebrate’ Video
In the brand-new clip for the “Sparkle” soundtrack single “Celebrate,” the presence of legendary singer Whitney Houston is undeniable, even though she passed away prior to the filming of the music video.
In the clip, Houston’s co-star Jordin Sparks throws a house party attended by her “Sparkle” castmates, minus the late singer, although Houston does appear in the video via film footage. And in another nod to the star, Sparks also rocks a Whitney Houston T-shirt in the clip. The video is capped off with a message that reads “In loving memory of Whitney Houston.”
In an interview with BET, Sparks shared that the treatment originally included a cameo from Houston. But with her unexpected passing in February, the game plan needed to change.
“When we did the song, we planned on it being Whitney and me. But she’s not here, so we wanted to make it a tribute to her. So it’s fun, upbeat and exciting — there are clips from the movie and the main cast is in the video too. It’s me, Tika Sumpter, Carmen Ejogo, Derek Luke, Omari Hardwick … Goapele is in it and Mike Epps. We’re all just having a good time [and the premise is] they all come over to my house singing along to Whitney’s music. And we’re missing her and celebrating her as well. It’s actually pretty simple, but when you watch it and hear her voice along with it, it makes it so much more.”
The video is hardly the first time the singer has paid homage to her late co-star. At the Billboard Music Awards in May, Sparks took the stage and belted out the late singer’s iconic track “I Will Always Love You.”
“Sparkle” is set to open on August 17. A remake of the 1976 Irene Cara film, it follows three talented young Harlem sisters whose musical aspirations are affected when one begins to struggle with drug addiction. The 2012 version features “American Idol” alum Sparks as the titular character and Houston, who also served as executive producer, as her mother, Emma. It’s the last movie the singer filmed before she died in February, the same night she was slated to make an appearance at mentor Clive Davis‘ annual Grammy party.
Rihanna Would Be Honored To Play Whitney Houston In Biopic
WireImage
By Nicole Rosado
Rihanna has shrugged off rumors that she is in the running to play the role of Whitney Houston in a forthcoming biopic, but the singer says she would be honored to be cast should the movie go into production. Other names thrown out for the role have included Jennifer Hudson, Vivica A. Fox and Meagan Good.
“That would be something that I would have to give my entire life to do because I would want to really pull it off,” Rihanna said. “That’s a huge, huge role and whoever does it has to do a good job.”
The pop singer says that she has always considered Houston to be an inspiration to her, “I met her at a Clive Davis party. I love her. She’s one of my big music icons, and I have always looked up to her.”
Rihanna also revealed that Whitney gave her reason to jump into this business, “My first song that I remember falling in love with was a Whitney Houston song – “I Will Always Love You.” All of her music actually was always played in my house, with Mariah Carey and Celine Dion. It was really inspiring and it made me develop a passion for music, so really she’s partly responsible for me being here in this industry.”
Oprah Winfrey Lands First Bobbi Kristina Interview
By Sowmya Krishnamurthy
Whitney Houston’s daughter, Bobbi Kristina, will finally break her silence on her mother’s death to talk show maven Oprah Winfrey. Oprah has secured an exclusive interview with Bobbi along with the late singer’s brother Gary Houston and sister-in-law and manager, Patricia Houston. The interview will air March 11 (9pm ET) on OWN, Oprah’s cable network, as part of the “Oprah’s Next Chapter” series. According to an OWN news release shared by the LA Times, Bobbi Kristina will share “personal memories of her mom and how she would like the iconic superstar to be remembered. The family also addresses the rumors and speculation surrounding Houston’s death.”
Bobbi Kristina has been at the center of media attention in light of her mother’s tragic death. The daughter of Whitney and ex-husband Bobby Brown was rushed to the Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in LA (link to: http://www.eonline.com/news/whitney_houston_bobby_browns_daughter/293657) when the news first broke, and was treated for stress. nationally-televised, emotional “homegoing” on February 18. The grand ceremony was a fitting farewell to an icon, in which she was memorialized by family, friends and stars including Clive Davis, actor Kevin Costner, Alicia Keys and R. Kelly.
Clive Davis Shoots Down Rumors Of Whitney Houston Biopic
Photo by Michael Ochs Archives
By Jocelyn Vena
Anyone hoping that Rihanna would channel Whitney Houston in a big screen biopic about the late icon’s life should put that hope on the shelf–permanently. Despite a report that Rihanna was being considered to play the singer in a film version of her life, Gossip Cop confirms that it’s not happening. The site reports that the rumored Clive Davis-produced film is not happening and Ri (along with Jennifer Hudson, Vivica A. Fox, Jordin Sparks and Willow Smith who were all rumored to play the star, at various points in her life) will not play the singer.
“There is no truth to this. Clive is not putting together a biopic,” Davis’ rep said.
In other Houston movie news, despite another report that her last film, “Sparkle,” will hit theaters early, Gossip Cop confirms that that rumor is also not true. The film, which also stars Sparks, is still slated to hit in August. TMZ had reported that the film could potentially get an early release date “partly due to fears that people will leak Whitney’s scenes and music… spoiling the flick for everyone.”
But a Sony rep is quick to note, “There is zero truth to this story.”
Whitney Houston Laid To Rest In New Jersey
By Sowmya Krishnamurthy
NEWARK, New Jersey — Whitney Houston has gone home. The superstar singer was laid to rest in a private ceremony in Westfield, New Jersey today. She was buried next to her father John Houston at the Fairview Cemetery. According to reports, fans and onlookers lined streets with memorials and signs, watching as the police-escorted motorcade and the hearse carrying her casket drove to the cemetery.
The 48-year-old died on February 11, 2012. She was found dead inside her Beverly Hilton hotel room at approximately 3:55 p.m. PT in Los, Angeles. The official cause of death is still being investigated. She was at the Beverly Hilton in preparation for mentor Clive Davis’ annual pre-Grammy party.
Houston was memorialized in a grand ceremony yesterday at the New Hope Baptist Church, the same church she grew up singing in as a child in Newark, New Jersey. The “homegoing” ceremony, marking the singer’s spiritual return “home”, lasted some five hours and was conducted in the Baptist tradition. Although invite-only, it was nationally televised and streamed on Livestream for fans. It featured family friends, professional colleagues and dignitaries from all walks including daughter Bobbi Kristina, cousin Dionne Warwick, actor/filmmaker Tyler Perry, New Jersey Governor Chris Christie and Newark Mayor Cory Booker. Flags in New Jersey flew half mast in Houston’s honor.
Bittersweet, the ceremony celebrated Houston’s amazing life and accomplishments and guests shared personal anecdotes about their Nippy, her nickname. Clive Davis mused, “You wait for a voice like that for a lifetime. A face like that. A smile like that. A presence like that for a lifetime. And when one person embodies it all — well, it takes my breath away.” Bodyguard costar Kevin Costner fought back tears as he said, “Go sing for your heavenly father, Whitney.”
Stevie Wonder, Alicia Keys, the Winans family and R. Kelly were among those who gave Houston a musical send-off. Stevie Wonder personalized the lyrics of his classic “Ribbon In The Sky” to “There’s an angel in the choir of love” for Whitney while R. Kelly performed a moving rendition of “I Look to You”, a song he penned that Whitney featured on her 2009 album of the same name. The proceedings ended in a fitting manner with Whitney’s most famous song, “I Will Always Love You,” playing as her casket was somberly walked out of the church.
Whitney was at her peak the definitive pop diva that all others were measured up to. Her phenomenal vocal range and gorgeous looks made her a multi-genre sensation. The daughter of gospel singer Cissy Houston, her pristine voice ruled the 80s and 90s with a slew of chart-topping albums and memorable songs like “I Wanna Dance With Somebody (Who Loves Me)” and “The Greatest Love of All”; she broke the chart record with seven consecutive Billboard #1 songs. Her promising film career included roles like 1992′s The Bodyguard and 1995′s Waiting to Exhale and her rendition of “I Will Always Love You” from the former film stands as one of the most recognized and beloved songs in pop history. Houston’s artistic influence is indelible still on subsequent generations from Mariah Carey to Christina Aguilera and Jennifer Hudson.
Despite a long-standing public battle with addiction and a tumultuous relationship with then-husband Bobby Brown, Whitney was working on staging a personal and professional comeback at the time of her death. She had wrapped filming on the movieSparkle with Jordin Sparks and was working on new music. Since her untimely passing, Whitney has sold over 1 million albums and singles. The diva lives on.
Whitney Houston Laid To Rest In Private Ceremony
NEWARK, New Jersey — Superstar singer Whitney Elizabeth Houston was laid to rest in a private ceremony in Westfield, New Jersey today. She was buried next to her father John Houston at the Fairview Cemetery. According to reports, fans and onlookers lined streets with memorials and signs, watching as the police-escorted motorcade and the hearse carrying her casket drove to the cemetery.
The 48-year-old died on February 11, 2012. She was found dead inside her Beverly Hilton hotel room at approximately 3:55 p.m. PT in Los, Angeles. The official cause of death is still being investigated. She was at the Beverly Hilton in preparation for mentor Clive Davis’ annual pre-Grammy party.
Houston was memorialized in a grand ceremony yesterday at the New Hope Baptist Church, the same church she grew up singing in as a child in Newark, New Jersey. The “homegoing” ceremony, marking the singer’s spiritual return “home”, lasted some five hours and was conducted in the Baptist tradition. Although invite-only, it was nationally televised and streamed on Livestream for fans. It featured family friends, professional colleagues and dignitaries from all walks including daughter Bobbi Kristina, cousin Dionne Warwick, actor/filmmaker Tyler Perry, New Jersey Governor Chris Christie and Newark Mayor Cory Booker. Flags in New Jersey flew half mast in Houston’s honor.
Bittersweet, the ceremony celebrated Houston’s amazing life and accomplishments and guests shared personal anecdotes about their Nippy, her nickname. Clive Davis mused, “You wait for a voice like that for a lifetime. A face like that. A smile like that. A presence like that for a lifetime. And when one person embodies it all — well, it takes my breath away.” Bodyguard costar Kevin Costner fought back tears as he said, “Go sing for your heavenly father, Whitney.”
Stevie Wonder, Alicia Keys, the Winans family and R. Kelly were among those who gave Houston a musical send-off. Stevie Wonder personalized the lyrics of his classic “Ribbon In The Sky” to “There’s an angel in the choir of love” for Whitney while R. Kelly performed a moving rendition of “I Look to You”, a song he penned that Whitney featured on her 2009 album of the same name. The proceedings ended in a fitting manner with Whitney’s most famous song, “I Will Always Love You,” playing as her casket was somberly walked out of the church.
Whitney was at her peak the definitive pop diva that all others were measured up to. Her phenomenal vocal range and gorgeous looks made her a multi-genre sensation. The daughter of gospel singer Cissy Houston, her pristine voice ruled the 80s and 90s with a slew of chart-topping albums and memorable songs like “I Wanna Dance With Somebody (Who Loves Me)” and “The Greatest Love of All”; she broke the chart record with seven consecutive Billboard #1 songs. Her promising film career included roles like 1992′s The Bodyguard and 1995′s Waiting to Exhale and her rendition of “I Will Always Love You” from the former film stands as one of the most recognized and beloved songs in pop history. Houston’s artistic influence is indelible still on subsequent generations from Mariah Carey to Christina Aguilera and Jennifer Hudson.
Despite a long-standing public battle with addiction and a tumultuous relationship with then-husband Bobby Brown, Whitney was working on staging a personal and professional comeback at the time of her death. She had wrapped filming on the movieSparkle with Jordin Sparks and was working on new music. Since her untimely passing, Whitney has sold over 1 million albums and singles. The diva lives on.
Whitney Houston ‘An Angel,’ Alicia Keys Sings At Funeral
After a stormy 14-year marriage to bad-boy singer Bobby Brown, Whitney Houston decided to end that chapter in 2006. Three years later, Houston had aligned again with mentor Clive Davis, the music industry impresario who first discovered a teenage Whitney belting out tunes in a nightclub and signed her to his Arista Records. Their final collaboration, I Look to You, was set to launch her on a “comeback” trail.
Like so many young singers, Alicia Keys — also a Davis acolyte — had long looked up to Houston. But the gifted songwriter cemented her connection to Houston, who was found dead at 48 a week ago, by writing the album’s hit single, “Million Dollar Bill.”
On Saturday afternoon (February 18), Keys honored Houston in song once again, but instead of a dance-floor-filler, the “Unbreakable” singer took to the piano for an emotional farewell at New Jersey’s New Hope Baptist Church. Keys, dressed in a dark suit, first happily recalled Houston as a “beautiful human being, [who would] call you for no reason at all but to say, ‘Hi.’ ”
Keys, who co-wrote “Bill” with husband Swizz Beatz, said Houston also made it a habit to nurture the female singers who were following in her superstar footsteps. “She reached back to so many people; she reached back to me, to Monica and Brandy … all these beautiful young artists, and just made us feel strong and capable and loved.”
“So she’s an angel to us, and has been an angel to us,” Keys added before performing a moving “Send Me an Angel.”
Keys wasn’t the only singer to pay soulful tribute to the “How Will I Know” star. Stevie Wonder, R. Kelly and gospel greats BeBe CeCe Winans, Donnie McClurkin and Kim Burrell were among the performers at Houston’s Going-Home ceremony in Newark, where her “Bodyguard” co-star Kevin Costner delivered a heartbreaking eulogy.
Stay with MTVNews.com all day Saturday for continuing coverage of Whitney Houston’s funeral services.
