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On Aug. 9, Jennifer Hudson performed a medley of Whitney Houston songs — and one of her own — at the Legacy of Love gala
During her performance, Hudson said Houston “blessed the world for many generations to come”
Houston died in 2012 at age 48
Jennifer Hudson wants Whitney Houston’s memory to live on.
The late singer’s legacy was celebrated by family, friends and fans at The Whitney E. Houston Legacy of Love Gala at the St. Regis Hotel in Atlanta, Georgia on Saturday, Aug. 9, which would’ve been her 62nd birthday.
During her performance, Hudson, 43, sang a five-song medley including “I’m Every Woman,” “How Will I Know,” “I Wanna Dance with Somebody (Who Loves Me),” “Saving All My Love for You” and her very own “And I’m Telling You I’m Not Going.”
In between songs, Hudson said to the audience, “It is indeed an honor to be here. Don’t you just love Ms. Whitney Houston? Her legacy will always live on.”
Hudson continued, “She blessed the world for many generations to come. Unbelievable. The one and only gift of a voice and a presence that inspired me as a little girl.”
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Jennifer Hudson and Whitney Houston in Los Angeles in February 2009
The event was hosted by Kevin Frazier and sister-in-law Pat Houston, who’s president of the Whitney E. Houston Legacy Foundation and executor of the late singer’s estate. In addition to the performances, the event included a silent auction, video tributes, a presentation of the grant award recipient and college scholarship presentations.
“The Whitney Houston Legacy of Love Gala was epic,” Pat said in a press release. “I know that Whitney would have been pleased with the year-long celebration thus far. Whitney was the best and she deserved the best. There are millions of supporters and fans who celebrate her every day worldwide and we do not take that for granted. We plan to continue to honor her legacy and support the various platforms that were close and dear to her heart: music, children, young adults, and the global community.”
“We would like to give a special thank you to Jennifer Hudson for giving her love, time, and passion in honor of Whitney and her legacy,” she continued. “We are very grateful to all the talent that was part of this celebration. It was an incredible evening.”
Missing this year was Whitney’s mother, Cissy, who died last October at age 91. Pat, who’s married to Whitney’s brother Gary, spoke with PEOPLE at the event about the loss.
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Pat Houston and Jennifer Hudson in Atlanta on Aug. 9, 2025
“It is tough — when she passed I was holding her hand,” she says. “We were very close. She was an incredible woman and this is such a heartfelt moment.”
More performances throughout the event included Meli’sa Morgan, Jimmy Avance, the Atlanta Symphony Youth Orchestra and Gary Houston.
Houston died of an accidental drowning with heart disease and cocaine use as contributing factors in 2012 at the age of 48. In 2022, her life was the center of a biopic called Whitney Houston: I Wanna Dance with Somebody, starring Naomi Ackie.
Shortly after her death, Hudson sang “I Will Always Love You” at the Grammys to honor her legacy. Most recently, in October, Hudson performed a powerful medley, including “I Will Always Love You,” at the American Music Awards 50th Anniversary Special in L.A. wearing an outfit that paid homage to an ensemble Houston wore onstage during the 1994 AMAs.
Read the original article on People
