Mariah Carey and Whitney Houston are two of the biggest singers of their time. Houston broke out in 1985 with her debut album and took the music industry by storm.
Her voice was one of the best in music and certainly the best of her generation. Carey burst onto the scene in 1990 with her self-titled debut. She became the solo artist with the most number one singles on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. She is also an inductee into the Songwriters Hall of Fame.
Houston and Carey both have earned their respective places in popular music. The two combined their talents on the Oscar-winning song "When You Believe" from The Prince of Egypt. Afterwards, they became good friends.
However, before the duet happened. rumors of a rivalry between the two singers was discussed everywhere. Comparisons were often made, with the two constantly being asked about one another during interviews.
Rumors Of A Feud With Whitney Houston Started During Mariah Carey's Debut
When Mariah Carey released her self-titled debut album in 1990, rumors of a rivalry with Whitney Houston started almost immediately. The media took notice of Carey's vocal tone and its similarity with Houston's. They also noticed that Carey had worked with people Houston was known for working with.
Carey's debut album spawned four number ones on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. This made her the first artist since the Jackson 5 to achieve this feat. One of those number ones, "I Don't Wanna Cry," was written with and produced by Narada Michael Walden. Walden was a frequent collaborator of Houston's, producing many of her hit songs.
When asked about the comparisons between her and Houston, Carey said that since people weren't familiar with her, they needed to compare her to someone they already knew. She went on to say that she hopes people will eventually see her and not similarities to another artist.
Houston was asked about the comparisons as well. She always spoke highly of Carey's talent and seemed respectful of her. Unfortunately, the rumors of a rivalry between the two would only get stronger.
Mariah Carey And Whitney Houston Come Together For 'When You Believe'
In the years since Carey's debut, rumors of a feud between her and Houston persisted. The stories kept coming and when asked about it interviews, there seemed to be tension between the ladies.
In retrospect, Carey said this was because they didn't know each other and, therefore, didn't know if those stories had any merit.
Things would soon change when The Prince of Egypt film was being completed. The song "When You Believe" was a big part of the film and those involved with the film wanted a pop version to be sent to radio.
Carey said that she was introduced to the project by Jeffrey Katzenberg, co-owner of DreamWorks, the studio behind the film. The project was brought to Houston's attention by her frequent collaborator, Babyface, who was producing the song.
The experience not only brought the two of them together as singing partners, but they became real friends. The song ended up winning the Best Original Song award at the 71st Academy Awards in 1999.
How Mariah Carey Honored Whitney Houston After Her Untimely Death
When Houston died unexpectedly on February 11, 2012, the world mourned the loss of an amazing talent. Many famous friends and fans came out to pay tribute. Carey was one of those friends. She attended Houston's funeral in Newark, New Jersey and paid tribute at the BET Awards that same year.
In her speech, Carey reflected on her admiration for Houston's talent.
"The first time I heard Whitney's voice I was mesmerized like the rest of the world. Just an unknown, budding singer myself, I was captivated by the power in her range, the richness of her tone and her unique ability to wrap a lyric in emotion."
She also spoke about the first time they saw each other in person, before they recorded their duet.
"We were backstage at the Grammy Awards and we exchanged glances; I was in awe, a tiny bit scared because, hello, there was a couple, a few rumours out there that we had some kind of rivalry, and one thing we all know is that Whitney was not to be toyed with."
Carey then spoke about Houston's personality and the friendship the two of them shared.
"She was a hilarious person with a cutting sense of humour, she was real and she kept it real and that's why we got along so well... If you really knew Whitney you couldn't help but love her."
She also spoke about the last time she saw Houston, which was in London in 2011.
"It was business as usual - laughter... and jokes galore. Even then folks were surprised to see us sitting right next to each other, clearly enjoying each other's company."
Towards the end of her speech, Carey fought back tears as she said, "I miss my friend. I miss hearing her voice in laughter, but we'll always have the music. We'll always have that voice we fell in love with."