by Michael P Coleman
’Tis the season for Whitney Houston tributes.
In the last year alone, we’ve seen two feature length documentaries on Houston, along with a touring production of The Bodyguard, a stage play based on the singer’s silver screen debut. Oprah Winfrey dubbed Houston “The Voice,” and the nickname was absolutely appropriate. Houston’s powerful, three octave range graces almost a dozen #1 pop hits. The woman even charted with her performance of “The Star Spangled Banner!”
So it takes a lot of guts to get up on stage and do a full-length concert in memory of Houston, as South African singer Belinda Davids will in Modesto on September 6. She reportedly competed with almost 15,000 singers for the role.
During THE HUB’s EXCLUSIVE interview, Davids shared her love for Houston — and an genuine interest in preserving the singer’s legacy with The Greatest Love Of All: The Whitney Houston Show.
“My brother had a Teddy Pendergrass album, and Whitney did a duet with him called “Hold Me,” Davids recalled by phone. “That was the first time I heard her sing. She connected me to a dream, and she became my idol for 25 years. It goes a lot deeper for me that just going on stage and doing a tribute. Whitney taught me [how] to sing.”
Taking a look at a clip of Davids from the show, I’d say Houston wasn’t just a great singer: she was a darned good teacher! Davids shines performing Houston classics like “I Wanna Dance With Somebody,” “How Will I Know, “I Have Nothing,” “Didn’t We Almost Have It All.” “Queen Of The Night,” and “One Moment In Time.”
But when you think of Houston, you can’t help but recall her show-stopping, octave-leaping version of Dolly Parton’s “I Will Always Love You.” Yes, it’s in the show. And yes, Davids nails it. But as one might expect, Davids says that one doesn’t come as easily for her as some of Houston’s other hits.
“When you’re doing 21 songs, belting them out all night, and you get to that last song, that’s a challenge,” Davids shared. “You have to bring the emotion, and you have to deliver it perfectly.”
Davids has some history with “I Will Always Love You.” A few years ago, she earned a standing ovation after an audience in Hong Kong asked her to repeat the song a cappella, as they thought she was lip synching to the original Houston track! Davids says she’s thrilled that US audiences have been equally enthusiastic with the current show.
“It’s going bloody good,” Davids says of the tour. “I was really scared about coming to the states, because this is Whitney’s home. We were in Atlanta not too long ago, and that’s where her home was, and it was incredible. I’m really grateful.”
Davids said she wants to help fans forget some of the more negative tabloid headlines of Houston, and remember her for her tremendous talent.
“People remember her for the tragic [end of her] story, which frustrates the living daylights out of me,” Davids shared. “They don’t remember her body of work, or that she had the most incredible voice of our time. I’m trying to evoke the good memories of Whitney during this show, and have fans remember how great she was.”
You’ll also walk away realizing how great Davids is.
Click here for tickets to The Greatest Love Of All: The Whitney Houston Show at the Gallo Center for the Arts in Modesto.
Connect with Sacramento-based freelancer Michael P Coleman and Coleman Communications at michaelpcoleman.com, or or follow him on Twitter: @ColemanMichaelP.
