Death of an American icon: Troubled singer Whitney Houston is found dead in Beverly Hills hotel room after drugs battle, aged 48

• Award-winning singer and actress 'found unconscious by bodyguard in her hotel room'
• Emergency services administered CPR for 20 minutes but were unable to save her
• Speculation that death is drug-related but cause is unknown
• Star 'partied heavily' in hotel bar on Friday, according to reports
• Last appeared in public on Thursday where she looked dishevelled and reportedly smelled of alcohol
• Celebrities flock to Twitter to pay tributes to 'beautiful and talented' singer

Performance: Throughout the 80s and 90s, Houston was one of the world's most popular singers

 Whitney Houston, who reigned as pop music's queen until her majestic voice and regal image were ravaged by drug use, died on Saturday afternoon. She was 48.

Publicist Kristen Foster confirmed that the singer had died, but the cause and the location of her death were unclear.

She died at the Beverly Hilton hotel. She was apparently found by her bodyguard in her hotel room.

A spokesman for the local police department said that emergency services had been called to the hotel at 3.43pm on Saturday, arriving minutes later.

Officials rushed to the room on the fourth floor where she was staying as a guest, where they found security staff and firemen attempting to revive her using CPR

Life-saving attempts proved unsuccessful after 20 minutes, and she was pronounced dead at 3.55pm.
Authorities are currently trying to determine a cause of death, according to the spokesman. He said there were 'no obvious signs of foul play and no obvious signs of a cause of death'.

It was initially unclear whether or not her death was drug-related, as has been speculated by some.

Some reports said that Houston had been found by her on-off boyfriend Ray J, but that turned out to be mistaken.

The star 'partied heavily' with friends in the hotel bar on Friday night, according to TMZ.

Her ex-husband Bobby Brown was said to be 'in and out of crying fits' upon hearing the news - but was still planning to appear on stage on Saturday with his band New Edition.

A relative of Brown said Houston’s former husband is struggle to cope with the news.

‘He was sobbing, and by the end of the call, I was sobbing, too,’ the family member told People magazine. ‘He's beside himself right now.’

Singer Johnny Gill, one of Brown's New Edition bandmates, is on tour in Memphis with the star. ‘Bobby is struggling and he's devastated,’ he told CNN.

Houston's mother Cissie apparently spoke to her daughter just half an hour before her death, and did not think anything was wrong.

Award success: Houston was a frequent winner at the Grammys and other high-profile award ceremonies

Houston won six Grammy awards, two Emmys, 30 Billboard Music Awards, and 22 American Music Awards, among others.

Her album Whitney was the first album by a woman to ever debut at No. 1 on the Billboard Charts. She has sold more than 170million albums worldwide.

STARS' TRIBUTES TO WHITNEY


'Heartbroken and in tears over the shocking death of my friend, the incomparable Ms. Whitney Houston. My heartfelt condolences to Whitney’s family and to all her millions of fans throughout the world. She will never be forgotten as one of the greatest voices to ever grace the earth.'

Mariah Carey
'No words! Just tears #DearWhitney'

Rihanna
'Wow. RIP Whitney Houston. Grew up on her. She contributed to the soundtrack of many of my 12-year old sleepover parties.'

Elizabeth Banks
'This is the saddest thing I've ever had to write in my life, R I P to one of the greatest humans that I have ever known Whitney Houston.'

Wyclef Jean
LeAnn Rimes: 'Whitney Houston was the first cd I ever bought. She had a God given gift. Hopefully, she’s singing with angels now.'

LeAnn Rimes
Celebrities, from singers and rappers to television personalities and business leaders, took to Twitter to express their sadness at the news.

Stars praised the singer's unmatched talent and passed on their wishes to her bereaved family, while others expressed their shock at how the award-winning singer passed away at the age of just 48.

'Heartbroken and in tears over the shocking death of my friend, the incomparable Ms. Whitney Houston,' said Mariah Carey, who recorded the Oscar-winning song When You Believe with the late star in 1998.

'My heartfelt condolences to Whitney’s family and to all her millions of fans throughout the world. She will never be forgotten as one of the greatest voices to ever grace the earth.'

'Shocked we've lost the immensely talented Whitney Houston!' wrote fellow singer Gloria Estefan.
‘Sending prayers of peace & solace 2 her family, friends & fans! Such a loss! Such an amazing talent!'

Rihanna tweeted: 'No words! Just tears. I honestly can't think of anything else!!! Feels so strange being at the Grammy rehearsal right now!!'

But it was not just the music industry that felt the influence of Houston, with other celebrities expressing their condolences and thanks to the award-winning singer.

One high-profile figure to speak out was Facebook boss Mark Zuckerberg, who said: 'R.I.P. Whitney Houston. Thank you for the amazing music you brought into the world.'

News of Houston's death came on the eve of one of the biggest nights in music - the Grammy Awards.

It's a showcase where she once reigned, and her death was sure to case a heavy pall on Sunday's ceremony.

Relationship: Houston's turbulent marriage to singer Bobby Brown was the subject of tabloid gossip for years

Mentor: Houston's career was started by record label boss Clive Davis, who saw her singing in a nightclub with her mother

TRIBUTES: SHOWBIZ AND BEYOND


'R.I.P. Whitney Houston. Thank you for the amazing music you brought into the world.'

Mark Zuckerberg
'Stunned by Whitney Houston's death at just 48. One of the greatest voices ever heard. #RIP.'

Piers Morgan
'So sad to hear the news about Whitney Houston. She was such a beautiful and talented woman. My heart goes out to her family. RIP.'

Paris Hilton
'At Grammys rehearsal hearing Whitney Houston has passed away at 48. Everyone here is absolutely stunned.'

Ryan Seacrest
'Just heard Whitney Houston passed away. Many prayers go out to her family and all who are grieving the loss of an icon.'

Khloe Kardashian
Her longtime mentor Clive Davis was to hold his annual concert and dinner on Saturday, and a representative of the show said it would proceed.

Houston was supposed to appear at the gala, and Davis had said that she would perhaps perform: 'It's her favorite night of the year... who knows, by the end of the evening.'

Producer Jimmy Jam, who had worked with Houston, said he anticipated the evening would become a tribute to her, and he expected there to be one at the Grammys as well.

She had been at rehearsals for the show on Thursday, coaching singers Brandy and Monica, according to a person who was at the event.

The source said Houston looked disheveled, was sweating profusely and liquor and cigarettes could be smelled on her breath.

Two days ago, she performed at a pre-Grammy party with singer Kelly Price.

After her death, the executive in charge of the awards issued a statement expressing sadness at the star's death.

'Six-time Grammy winner Whitney Houston was one of the world's greatest pop singers of all time who leaves behind a robust musical soundtrack spanning the past three decades,' Neil Portnow, president of the Recording Academy, said.

'Her powerful voice graced many memorable and award-winning songs. A light has been dimmed in our music community today, and we extend our deepest condolences to her family, friends, fans and all who have been touched by her beautiful voice.'

At her peak in the 1980s and 90s, Houston was the golden girl of the music industry and one of the world's best-selling artists.

Famous friend: South African President Nelson Mandela and Whitney Houston smile for photographers in Johannesburg

She wowed audiences with effortless, powerful, and peerless vocals that were rooted in the black church but made palatable to the masses with a pop sheen.

Among her hits were How Will I Know, Saving All My Love for You and I Will Always Love You. She won multiple Grammys including album and record of the year.

Her success carried her beyond music to movies like The Bodyguard.

But by the end of her career, drug use took its toll as her record sales plummeted and her voice became raspy and hoarse.

Her image became tarnished by her well-documented troubles, including her turbulent marriage to singer Bobby Brown.

By the end of her career, Houston became a stunning cautionary tale of the toll of drug use.

Hotel: Houston was found dead at the Beverly Hilton hotel in California

Her album sales plummeted and the hits stopped coming; her once serene image was shattered by a wild demeanour and bizarre public appearances.

She confessed to abusing cocaine, marijuana and pills, and her once pristine voice became raspy and hoarse, unable to hit the high notes as she had during her prime.

'The biggest devil is me. I'm either my best friend or my worst enemy,' Houston told ABC's Diane Sawyer in an infamous 2002 interview with then-husband Brown by her side.

However, she will be remembered not for the troubles she encountered in her last decade, but for her extraordinary voice and star charisma.

Houston was discovered by record label boss Clive Davis, who once said: 'The time that I first saw her singing in her mother's act in a club... it was such a stunning impact.

'To hear this young girl breathe such fire into this song. I mean, it really sent the proverbial tingles up my spine.'

Before long, the rest of the country would feel it, too.

Houston made her album debut in 1985 with Whitney Houston, which sold millions and spawned hit after hit. Saving All My Love for You brought her her first Grammy, for best female pop vocal.

Another multiplatinum album, Whitney, came out in 1987 and included hits like Where Do Broken Hearts Go and I Wanna Dance With Somebody.

Her moving 1991 rendition of The Star Spangled Banner at the Super Bowl, amid the first Gulf War, set a new standard and once again reaffirmed her as America's sweetheart.

In 1992, she became a star in the acting world with The Bodyguard. Despite mixed reviews, the story of a singer (Houston) guarded by a former Secret Service agent (Kevin Costner) was an international success.

It also gave her perhaps her most memorable hit: a stunning rendition of Dolly Parton's I Will Always Love You, which sat atop the charts for weeks. It was Grammy's record of the year and best female pop vocal, and the Bodyguard soundtrack was named album of the year.


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