I went through a brief Whitney Houston phase when I was a teenager. I used to listen to her debut album all the time as I rode my bike to and from the barn where I boarded my horse. As I got older and Whitney got flakier, I stopped listening to her music as much. But even at the end of her life, I admired her voice. Whitney Houston, in her prime, had a huge, pristine voice that came directly from her God given genetic makeup.
Some time ago, Whitney recorded a duet with Mariah Carey, another naturally gifted singer. I never really went through a Mariah phase. She was popular when I was in college and by that time, I had pretty much stopped listening to pop music. I do like a few of Mariah Carey's songs, but generally I prefer Whitney's voice to hers, even as I recognize how beautiful her voice is.
I love both singers on "When You Believe". They really made this a moving duet, even though their voices are breathy and a bit over-embellished. I was listening to it this morning and feeling kind of inspired. So that's why I'm blogging about it today. This is a song that not many people could pull off the way Whitney and Mariah do. It gives me goose bumps, tears in my eyes, and a huge lump in my throat. I'm such a sap.
Today on SingSnap, there's a duet challenge. You're supposed to sing a song with someone from another country. I may do one with the Norwegian guy I ran into the other day, if he wants to join in. If it turns out decently, I'll post it.