Whitney Houston recorded a version of Steve Winwood‘s classic “Higher Love” way back in 1990, but it never got a wide release — until today.
The tune was shelved because the late star’s people didn’t want her thought of as a covers artist, but it’s getting a fresh start with a modern revamp by producer Kygo. This version strips out the original instrumentation and matches the vocal with new beats.
Sister-in-law Pat Houston, the executor of Whitney’s estate, tells Rolling Stone she was hands-off in the studio, saying, “You can’t tell Michael Jordan how to shoot a basketball.” She explains the decision to release the track because, “The current cultural environment has been thirsty for something uplifting and inspiring.”
Hot Takes:
- This might not have hit big in 1990, since it was not long after Winwood’s original.
- The new version proves that Whitney could have continued evolving if fate would have allowed it.
- Dealing with the work of a deceased legend is always tough — but they seem to have hit a bull’s-eye with this.
- Her people were worried about her being thought of as a covers artist? “I Will Always Love You” was a Dolly Parton number.