During Whitney Houston’s 48 yearlong life, she would rise to become one of the most celebrated singers of all time, only to succumb to her tragic drug addiction.
In her prime, Houston sold millions of records, received countless awards and starred in several blockbuster films. But years of drug abuse and a troubled marriage took their toll on the singer, and by the late nineties her star began to fade.
Her albums and concerts were not what fans had come to expect from her earlier hits, and she became tabloid fodder for all of her personal struggles. Houston did several stints in rehab to no avail.
As the singer’s public appearances and interviews became more erratic, her personal life began to unravel. In 2004, she filed for divorce from husband, R&B singer Bobby Brown, after the pair’s relationship was on public display in the Bravo reality series, “Being Bobby Brown.”
In 2009, Houston sat down with Oprah Winfrey in an interview where she admitted that by 1996, “[doing drugs] was an everyday thing… I wasn’t happy by that point in time. I was losing myself.”
Houston was poised for a comeback in 2012. She recently wrapped production of the film, “Sparkle,” alongside Jordin Sparks. The film features Houston’s last original song and hits theaters Aug. 17.
But even with a new film and new music in the works, Houston could not escape her personal demons.
On Feb. 11, 2012, Houston died in the Beverly Hilton hours before she was set to perform at mentor Clive Davis’ pre-Grammy’s party. The Los Angeles coroner’s office said that the singer was found submerged in a bathtub in her hotel room.
The Daily Caller looks back on the rise and fall of the music icon — what would have been the singer’s 49th birthday, Aug. 9, 2012:
