As Hollywood revisits Whitney Houston’s legacy — from cast reunions to chart-topping returns — Christina Aguilera’s appearance on daytime TV offered one more reminder of the warmth and wonder the late icon left behind.
For Christina Aguilera, talking about Whitney Houston isn’t an interview moment; it’s a chance to honor the icon who defined her early dreams. What began as a casual holiday chat on Tuesday’s (Dec. 9) episode of “The Jennifer Hudson Show” quickly turned into a love letter to Whitney Houston, the woman whose voice shaped Aguilera’s earliest dreams.
Before Aguilera could even settle into her seat, Hudson dropped a revelation that still gives fans goosebumps: Whitney once said she loved Aguilera’s voice and considered it among the greatest she’d ever heard. Hudson admitted she felt the same way, creating a full-circle moment between two singers who grew up studying Houston’s every note.
Aguilera responded with her own memory. Not of a stage moment, but a simple backstage encounter at a European MTV Awards show. Houston, she recalled, walked right up to her with an easy “‘How you doin’ girl?’” The warmth, the ease, the grounded energy. It’s stayed with Aguilera for decades. “She was always just so kind and just down to earth,” she said. “It’s so wonderful when you get to meet an icon of yours.”
The conversation drifted to Aguilera’s emotional 2001 BET Awards tribute, where she performed Houston’s “Run to You.” Hudson remembered it instantly. Aguilera recalled Houston’s reaction just as vividly. The encouragement, the positivity, the way she extended her hand to younger artists who idolized her. “She made my life with her complimentary moment of her receiving her award,” Aguilera said, still moved by it years later.
But Aguilera isn’t the only one reflecting on Houston’s influence this season. Across Hollywood, memories of the late icon have been flowing as if the universe itself decided December was the month to honor her legacy.
Just days earlier, the cast of “Waiting to Exhale,” Angela Bassett, Loretta Devine, and Lela Rochon, reunited on CBS Mornings to celebrate the film’s 30th anniversary. The trio spoke with Gayle King about the bond they formed making the 1995 classic and the “special” connection they shared with Houston, who starred as Savannah. Three decades later, their love for her hasn’t dimmed.
Rochon said with conviction that Houston would be “proud” of the film’s enduring legacy. At the same time, Bassett reflected on how meaningful the experience was for a superstar who was so often thrust into the spotlight alone. “She was so used to being solo… and to be able to share this moment with your girls,” Bassett said, “you know?” Devine added that Houston “had so much fun” on set, and that the laughter came easily.
One memory in particular captured Houston’s loyalty: when it came time to promote the film, and certain outlets wanted only Houston and Bassett, the singer refused to show up unless the entire ensemble was invited. “We go as a group, or we don’t go at all,” she told them. A moment Rochon said changed her.
Bassett shared the first words she ever said to Houston, a heartfelt confession that her voice sounded like “God put his hands there, and all this glory comes out.” Houston’s reply? She felt the same way about Bassett’s acting. Devine nodded, recalling how “mesmerized” Houston would get watching Bassett perform.
Houston’s reach is still felt far beyond memories and reunions. This week, TheGrio recently reported that she returned to No. 1 on the gospel charts more than a decade after her passing, as her holiday recording of “Do You Hear What I Hear?” continues its annual climb. It’s a reminder that her voice, as timeless as ever, still defines the season for millions.
Taken together, Aguilera’s backstage encounter, Hudson’s admiration, the “Exhale” cast’s reflections, and Houston’s continued chart success, paint a clear picture: more than 12 years after her passing, Whitney Houston remains the standard. A voice that changed generations, a presence that lifted others, and a legacy that refuses to fade.
Whitney’s voice changed music, but the way she lifted others is the part her peers can’t stop singing about.
