Jordin Sparks’ tribute performance to Whitney Houston at 2012 Billboard Music Awards got the late star’s daughter Bobbi Kristina teary. When the “American Idol” alum belted out her mother’s hit single “I Will Always Love You”, the 19-year-old girl was seen dabbing her misty eyes.
Jordin’s moving performance was preceded by John Legend’s. The “Duets” judge crooned a rendition of “The Greatest Love of All” while playing a piano. He performed the George Benson classic song after Whoopi Goldberg delivered a monologue in the memory of the “Bodyguard” songstress.
“I adored Whitney Houston,” Whoopi said. “What all performers want and need and should get is love, and many of us here loved Whitney, and even if you’re one of those who didn’t show the love to Whitney, now is your chance, because tonight, that’s what we’re doing: We’re going to be giving Whitney the greatest love of all.”
Bobbi and her aunt-in-law Pat Houston then accepted Millennium Award on Whitney’s behalf. “I just want to say thank you to everyone who supported us through it all,” the young girl said. “Thank you so much for showing that much love, cause she deserved it. I’m just blessed to have been in such an incredible woman’s life. There will never be another one, ever.”
In the same tone, Pat said, “This is truly an honor. We thank you for honoring Whitney with the Millennium Award. We thank you Billboard, we thank you Whoopi, Jordin, John… but tonight, the one person that should be accepting this award is the one person that Whitney loved most and treasured most – her daughter Bobbi.”
Watch Jordin Sparks and John Legend’s performance at atlantablackstar.com.
