← Whitney Houston Decoded: The Diva’s Lasting Legacy

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By Anslem Samuel | Published February 14, 2012 | Full size is 620 × 480 pixels

THE FIRST LADY OF SOUL Signed to Arista Records in 1983 by music executive Clive Davis, Houston, then 19, released her self-titled debut two years later. The album was a hit, producing several chart-topping singles both domestically and internationally. She broke records along the way, becoming the first female artist with three No. 1 hits. Based on the disc’s success, Houston became the first Black female artist to get consistent airtime on MTV. Going on to sell more than 25 million copies, Houston’s LP was the best-selling debut album by a female act at the time of its release. A year after its release, Whitney Houston was No.1 on the charts and remained there for 14 consecutive weeks.

THE FIRST LADY OF SOUL

Signed to Arista Records in 1983 by music executive Clive Davis,…

(Image: Getty)