Luxe Life Blog
Grammy Notes: Ne-Yo wins two statuettes; Whitney Houston coming to town?
Ne-Yo, left, and Tennille Jimenez arrive at the 51st Annual Grammy Awards on Sunday, Feb. 8, 2009, in Los Angeles.
Photo: AP Photo/Chris Pizzello
Following her successful weekend comeback performance at Clive Davis’ annual pre-Grammy party, I’ve learned that super-producer David Foster is going back into the studio this week for Whitney Houston’s new album! That means the rumbles have already started that she’ll make her public return as his surprise guest at his upcoming Mandalay Bay “Friends” concert!
My Fox News friend, gossip guru Roger Friedman, reported: “She wowed the crowd with a medley of hits. She was clean, sober and joyous, absolutely radiant and healthy. Whitney knew it was a triumph, and she gained confidence as she went from her opening ballad, a shortened version of “I Will Always Love You,” through a few of her hits, ending with a buoyant “I’m Every Woman.”
“If there was a fear that her voice was gone, she dispelled it. And while she may not be singing the way she did at 25, the 45-year-old is still among the very premiere song stylists in the world. The night belonged to Clive as he introduced famous guests to the crowd and acknowledged all their accomplishments. All of it was amazing, but none more than Houston’s remarkable, and most welcome, return to the stage. The audience naturally gave her standing ovations and shout outs that were to be expected. But to hear her so fully back and ready was Clive’s crowning glory.”
David Foster and Charice Pempengco.
Whitney was last seen here at a Planet Hollywood-sponsored boxing championship fight, which also brought out Bruce Willis and Sylvester Stallone. That started rumors that after battling demons and ex-husband Bobby Brown, she was getting ready for a comeback. Now we’re hearing that first album will be released this summer and writer-producers Stargate have contributed the single “Calling You Tonight” to be released in advance.
But Clive himself confirmed that David, who has produced everybody from Josh Groban to Barbra Streisand and Andre Bocelli, will start working with Whitney this week. One of the stars booked for David’s May 9 “Friends” concert along with Earth, Wind & Fire’s Phillip Bailey, Brian McKnight and Peter Cincotti is Oprah Winfrey’s protégé Charice Pempengco. At last year’s Mandalay concert aired on PBS, teen Charice wowed and dazzled the sold-out crowd with her version of Whitney’s hit “I Will Always Love You.” If I remember correctly, David even intermixed Whitney’s Bodyguard soundtrack video to match Charice’s version.
Now just think of the thunderous reaction and emotional highlight if they did it live together! I leave you with the rumors because we’ll never know who his surprise guests will be until the very last moment!
Travis Barker.
In other Grammy news …
Hometown hero Ne-Yo didn’t scoop up the hoped for six Grammy Awards for which he was nominated, but he did wind up with two prestigious ones to add to what is an ever-increasing collection. Congratulations from everybody at Vegas DeLuxe for his wins for “Miss Independent” in Male R&B Vocal Solo and Best R&B Song categories. … Tattooed drummer Travis Barker, who narrowly escaped death in a fiery plane crash late last year, is reuniting with Blink-182. With his left arm in a sling, Travis, who spends more time in Vegas than anywhere else, confirmed that he’d team up with Mark Hoppus and Tom DeLonge.
Said Travis: “We decided we’re going to play music together again. Summer ’09! Blink-182 is back -- really back. We’ll pick up where we let off, and we’re in the studio writing and recording a new album. We’re preparing to tour the world yet again.”
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