Jennifer Hudson took on the task of paying tribute to Whitney Houston just 24 hours after her untimely death. Just hours before she was set to attend her mentor and friend Clive Davis’ annual pre-Grammy party the shocking news of Whitney Houston’s death hit the airwaves. The party went on and the next task became putting a respectable tribute together in less than 24 hours for the legendary singer. In comes Jennifer Hudson who opted to sing Whitney’s unforgettable rendition of Dolly Parton’s ‘I Will Always Love You’ – which Houston made a worldwide hit after performing it on the Bodyguard soundtrack.
According to The Hollywood Reporter Jhud struggled to make it through rehearsals,
“A Grammy crew member tells The Hollywood Reporter that Hudson was “crying and had to keep pausing” to collect herself during the Sunday afternoon rehearsal. She was having a hard time getting through the song, especially on the second run-through.”
During the “In Memoriam” about 3 quarters into the Grammys, Jennifer appeared and she nailed it. The reviews of her performance are in – and are positive.
Maura Judkis of the Washington Post wrote
“Though there was no time to prepare the type of performance that Houston’s legacy demanded, the rendition of the hit song, which Houston made famous in “The Bodyguard,” was a poignant tribute. Though Hudson appeared nervous, her performance was almost universally praised.”
Billy Johnson, Jr of Yahoo Music added,
“Hudson began the song a capella and quickly received applause for her vocal pacing and ability to capture the mood of Houston’s version that appeared on the soundtrack for the 1992 film “The Bodyguard. Hudson fought back tears as she sang the lyrics that pledge unconditional love. Hudson breathed new life into the song that references “bittersweet memories” and promises to “think of you every step of the way. Though Hudson is clearly capable of mimicking Houston’s climatic high note at the end of the song’s chorus, she tastefully opted not to do so. She sweetly closed the song with a sincere, soft-spoken, “We love you.”
Kyle Anderson Entertainment Weekly also wrote,
“Clearly moved by the enormity of her charge, Hudson nevertheless used her amazing instrument to bob and weave with impressive execution, turning in a performance that Houston herself would have been proud of.”
Some fans were torn over the tribute, hoping Jennifer hit the high note, others didn’t understand why it was an abbreviated version but others applauded her performance calling it respectful, awesome and touching.
What did you think of Jennifer Hudson’s tribute to Whitney Houston?
