It’s been a year since Whitney Houston passed away and her mother is hesitant to attend the annual Clive Davis Pre-Grammy Party that her daughter was scheduled to attend the same night of her death. However, Cissy Houston did make it out to the unveiling of the four Whitney Houston wax figures at Madame Tussauds.
It is no secret that the Houston family is still struggling to recover after losing Whitney last year, and being invited to the annual party that the iconic singer was supposed to attend the night of her death has rubbed Cissy Houston the wrong way.
“I got an invitation to the party, which is the most obscene thing,” Whitney’s mother told Access Hollywood. “I don’t know why they would want me to come to the party in which she died, you know? Unheard of.”
Whitney’s 79-year-old mother claimed that perhaps Clive didn’t expect her to attend but just wanted to giver her something to remember her daughter by.
“I guess maybe he just send me a copy for remembrance sake,” Cissy reasoned.
Other members of the Houston family don’t share the same feelings towards the invitation and they don’t plan on just writing it off as something to remember Whitney by.
The R&B icon’s brother Gary Houston and sister-in-law Pat plan on attending the annual bash to support Clive Davis and respect the close relationship he had with the “I Will Always Love You” crooner.
“[Clive] was such an important part of Whitney’s life,” Pat explained. “I mean, that was her industry father and he really, really was. My husband and I will definitely be there this weekend to support Clive. Absolutely.”
When Clive had the big bash last year, the iconic songstress was in her suite when tragedy struck. Just hours before she was to make an appearance at the Pre-Grammy party, Whitney Houston was discovered face down in the hotel suite’s bathtub. Investigators and coroners ruled the death as an accidental drowning caused by the cocktail of drugs (mainly cocaine) that they discovered in her system at the time of death.
Houston’s industry father gave a heart wrenching speak to party guests after he discovered the “I Have Nothing” songstress passed away.
“I don’t have to mask my emotions,” he said with tears in his eyes. “Not in front of this room full of so many dear friends. I do have a very heavy heart and I am personally devastated by the loss of someone who has meant so much to me for so many years. Whitney was so full of life.”
While her mother has decided to opt out of the Grammy’s party, she did make it out to the unveiling of Whitney’s wax statues at Madame Tussauds on Thursday.
The four wax figures depict Houston at different times throughout her career, and Pat found all of them to be beautiful.
“They’re amazing,” Pat said. “They’re beautiful.
Cissy may have made it out to the event, but she isn’t the only family member struggling to get past Whitney’s death. Whitey Houston’s daughter Bobbi Kristina decided to skip the wax statue unveiling and her family supported her decision all the way.
“For Krissy this is a bit much, to see figures of her mother,” Pat explained. “It’s tough enough for her, and we didn’t want to pressure her into making a decision to come.”
Each figured had the R&B legend in a different ensemble at different times throughout her career. The statues will all be placed in their own locations throughout the U.S.
The wax sculpt of Whitney in a floor length gold gown will be calling New York home, while the figure of her in an Egyptian inspired get up will be resting in Hollywood.
The one that was Cissy’s favorite however showed the legend at the start of her career when she was only 25 and will be on display at the Las Vegas location. The wax figure shows Whitey in a form fitting purple dress that the singer and actress wore in her music video for “I Wanna Dance With Somebody.”
While her mother opted out of taking pictures of the figures, she did explain that it wasn’t because she didn’t like them.
“I love it, don’t get misconstrued,” she said with tears in her eyes. “Thank you so much.”
Meanwhile, Whitney’s brother decided to speak on the star’s behalf and expressed that she would be more than joyful to see the statues in her honor.
“It she could step down here and be alive and really feel what’s happening right now she would thank and appreciate everyone in this room,” Gary Houston said. “I’m saying it for her, I know she loves and appreciates everything that’s going on here today.”
The family also took time to reflect on Houston’s last on screen performance in the movie “Sparkle.”
“That was the one project that was hers,” Pat Houston said. “It was her baby.”
She went on to explain that she was “truly the voice” of the classic film remake and she thoroughly enjoyed her sister-in-law’s performance.
“She was a matchless woman when it came to her life and legacy,” she added. “She was absolutely amazing. Embrace the life of Whitney Houston as that woman that was in a different stratosphere when it came to her craft.”
Gary also agreed that it was a “great performance” and shared that “the cast had a lot of great things to say about working with Whitney.”
