Monica Performs Whitney Houston’s ‘I Have Nothing’

Published: Sunday 12th Sep 2010 by Trent

Monica performed yet another tribute to her close friend and mentor Whitney Houston last evening on the Los Angeles stop of the ‘Passion, Pain & Pleasure’ tour. The singer covered ‘I Have Nothing’ in an effort to remind the audience that, many years ago, Houston had the ability to sing. Peep the footage below via Rap-Up TV:

Monica did a great job. Although she lowered the key from the original composition, she showed impressive control and power. It’s exciting to see singers pay tribute to those who inspired them, especially when their idols can’t even sing their own material (or even remember the words) anymore. We all know that if Houston tried to sing this song today she would speak through the verses and let her backup singer or a backtrack handle the chorus and all the high notes.

Thoughts?

Comments 39

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  1. theillest September 12, 2010

    I can’t at the shade but anywho, whitney has never forgotten words on stage. She rearranges her song each time she sings them LIVE as she never sings a song the same way twice.

    Anyhoo, Monica idolizes and loves whitney. she did a great job but no one should really sing any of these BG songs. I’m always listening for Whitney’s swoops, tones and runs and I’l often left disappointed by copies.

    Whitney ‘the voice’ houston. The greatest diva as voted by Idolator and the most high r&b/pop diva as rated by that silly VH1 list….who mad! stay pressed!

    luv ya Mo

  2. Chick Boom September 12, 2010

    Oh Trent go f***** play in traffic u gay b******. Always throwing shade at somebody when that 40 year old w**** Mariah Carey you love is no better.

    And Monica was alright it came no where near Whitney Houston’s version.

    You throw shade at anybody who is not Mariah or Lady Gaga which is really sad. I don’t get why Sam ever put you to write on this blog with your biased ass.

  3. Halo September 12, 2010

    Trent just hush up!!! Whitney has never forgotten the words of her songs, sometimes she purposely changes the words you fool.

  4. realmusic September 12, 2010

    I think u talking about Mariah Trent. Whitney is known as a LIVE singer, good day or bad day. she is not known and does not have a reputation as a lipsyncer or someone who utilizes backing tracks. In fact she sang some of the words on tour as she let a fan sing with her and she sounded fantastic.

    stop hating. Quit with the forget words to songs, that ‘s a bunch of bull and u know it. show some respect

    Monica loves and respects whitney and has always said that whitney has always been there for her. Why take a tribute and try to spoil it.

  5. rob September 12, 2010

    trent , just stopm, cause no mateer who does a rendition of a whitney song they will never outsing whitney in her peak NEVER

  6. lyric September 12, 2010

    It was ok but not great, her tone and the key was missing and these are the elements that make i have nothing forever a whitney song that no one should touch. /trent u a azzwipe, whitney is now known to be a professional lipper. The one time she lipped on tour was when she sang for the lovers and she sang along to the track and danced her a** off, your fav, just stands there, turns her head as the tech presses the whistle note, lmao and nice try.

    Whitney has always phrased her songs or parsed them as she sings- quit hating. Monica sang this song with respect and love as she said so why try to turn her beautiful intent into something ugly. She would not approve.

    We will always love the #1 diva, whithey houston!!

  7. jwhit214 September 12, 2010

    ummm excuse me, Monica wasnt trying to mimick Whitney’s version….its HER SPIN on Whitneys song…..she will never sound exactly like Whitney Houston , nor is she trying to. Monica did a great job paying tribute to her fav singer and friend….nothing more, nothing less….get off the mf gas….please!

    And fyi, who can listen to this and honestly say she sounded bad? go jump off a bridge cuz hating is a disease…..

    Oh and furthermore, what Trent said was true….allot of these legends, Whitney and Mariah included clearly dont sound the same as they did back in the day…its a fact, deal with it

  8. JR September 12, 2010

    Well here we go, Trent you d*** riding F** stop with your hating damn. I have never seen a man hate on women so much in my life. Anyway its evident that the singers who paved the way cannot sing their own songs like they did before. SO WHAT???? They do not have to prove anything to anyone, anymore! You need proof just put in their music like Whitney said “My music speaks for itself!”

    Monica did an excellent job! She did not try to sound like Whitney Houston. She payed homage and respect to her idol. I love Monica and her style. This woman is thorough. Not only can she “SANG” but she inspires and you have to respect her for that. Get it Monica….we have your back #TEAM MONICA

  9. Mike September 12, 2010

    SANG AT A MUCH LOWER OCTAVE….So nots lets compare monicas to whitneys…..this is downright boring!!!

  10. JR September 12, 2010

    Some people are assholes. First of all you cannot expect Monica to sing it in the original key @ all. She was doing a tribute to a woman who opened the door for her, and many others! S*** Whitney can’t sing in the original key anymore, but who cares! She is Whitney! Even in her worst days she sounds better than a lot of people!

  11. truthfully September 12, 2010

    IT’S GOOD TO DO A TRIBUTE BUT IT WASNT GOOD…BUT BORING.

    YEAH, WHITNEY CAN’T SING HER OWN SONGS LIKE BEFORE ANYMORE BUT SHE DID HAVE ONE OF THE BEST FEMALE VOICE EVER.

  12. chantal September 12, 2010

    love her effort but didn’t like her rendition of the song. lol at Monica copying whitney moves, it’s all good though, lol

    somebody’s been studying their idol- whitney does that side leg kick in just about every performance and those arm movements, lol

  13. GangsterA September 12, 2010

    she slayed love the verison

  14. Robier September 12, 2010

    She is a much lower female voice than Whitney s instead of tryn to sing in the original key and die she was smart to lower it. The girl can sing

  15. Sanging September 12, 2010

    TRENT-ISHA, NEED WE REMIND YOU OF “MEMOIRS OF A FLOPPED ANGEL”?? YEA, NUFF SAID. EVEN WITH AUTOTUNED LIP SYNCING THE FAT B**** MOO MOO MARIAH STILL CANT SELL A DAMN RECORD IN A DOLLAR STORE. HER XMAS ALBUM WILL FLOP LIKE HER BELLY FAT THESE DAYS. BESIDES, B**** MARIAH HAS TO TRAVEL TO BRAZIL BEFORE ALL THE HOMELESS PEOPLE WILL SHOW UP AND BUY HER TICKETS FOR 50 CENTS A POP. SHE CANT EVEN TOUR DALLAS WITHOUT THE FIRST 3 ROWS LEAVING FROM THE FIRST NOTE, LMAO! YEA, CONTINUE THE HATE BUT FAIL TO ACCEPT THE REALITY. SMFH, HAHA.

  16. Sanging September 12, 2010

    WHO’S RENDITION OF THE SSB IS IN THE SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTE? WHITNEY’S…

    WHICH SO-CALLED SINGER IS NOT IN THE SMITHSONIAN?? YEA, MIMOO MARIAH.

    STOP THE HATE, ACCEPT THE REALITY CHECK!!

    *THIS HAS BEEN A PSA FOR THE TRENTISHA DISEASE. A CURE IS STILL IN DEVELOPMENT.*

  17. JAYLA September 12, 2010

    @SANGING
    VERY APPARENT THAT YOU ARE A GAY MALE, CALM DOWN HONEY ITS NOT THAT SERIOUS, MARIAH WILL AND ALWAYS WILL BE A LEGEND REGARDLESS OF HOW YOU FEEL SO YOU ARE IRRELEVANT, SHE CAN BUY AND SELL YOUR ASS

  18. Sanging September 12, 2010

    @oh no.. Trentisha is desperate. STOP assuming multiple usernames to get off… b**** please, lol.

    Does she have a billion dollars? um, no. She cant buy her own ass let alone mine. LMAO!

    Good Luck Trentisha! KISS MA ASS. You know u want to.

  19. JAYLA September 12, 2010

    WTF? omg girl/boy you sound stupid as hell. who is trentisha? f*** these days are hilarious… well good day you have proved to me that i wasted my time replying to you..

  20. likeCAESAR September 12, 2010

    Lazy lazy lazy…! Sounds like Karaoke. GTFOH Monica. If this is “sangin” then I weep for our generation.

  21. True Blue September 12, 2010

    Normally, I’m mature when you throw unnecessary shade at people who don’t deserve it (i.e. Christina Aguilera), but seriously, F*** YOU Trent. Whitney’s voice is destroyed due to her drug abuse, no one is denying it, but you act like it faded away naturally because it wasn’t strong enough to last or something. Everyone goes through s*** in life, kicking them while they’re down or making fun of them for it is low of you. Julie Andrews’ voice is gone because of surgery she had on it, you want to make fun of her for that, too?

    Whitney at her worst>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> 90% of today’s so-called “singers”.

  22. WEH September 12, 2010

    “We all know that if Houston tried to sing this song today she would speak through the verses and let her backup singer or a backtrack handle the chorus and all the high notes.”-The part about the backtrack? Yeah, you’re talking about Mariah.

  23. rebirthofslick September 12, 2010

    monica did a great job!

    and damn some of the people commenting on here seem very immature and some seem like homophobes, smh. grow up people, seriously.

  24. ciara sexiest woman alive September 12, 2010

    love me some monica. do it girl!

  25. JR September 12, 2010

    First again Monica did a great job! And I’m sorry besides Monica, Fantasia, and Beyonce who can really sing today? We have our underdogs like Monica, Jasmine Sullivan, who keep it real and continue to make great music. Please do not knock an artist because they are paying tribute to someone who is known as one of the greatest female singers of all time. Whitney Houston on a bad day still sounds better than most trash we hear today.

    BTW Mariah is a legend in her own right. We do not and I mean we do not have any Whitney Houston’s or Mariah Carey’s walking around here in today’s music. There are a lot of gimmicks out here. Damn I miss the 90’s where you had to have real talent to be recognized!

  26. MrsCue September 12, 2010

    Well, I wouldn’t say Monica did a great job… it was aiight. I didn’t particularly like the parts where she held some of the notes (she sounded like a goat). I was expecting something better from Monica. Charice, on the other hand, has one of the best renditions of this song and IWALY that I’ve ever heard. Here’s the link to Charice’s performance (if you care to watch). It starts at 1:35: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZRd2E3yGq88

  27. SunDee September 12, 2010

    ^ I miss 90’s too… it was a Great decade with many diversity on Music.
    Whitney, Mariah, The Cranberries, Alanis, Bjork, RHCP, Oasis, Kurt Cobain, or even Mili Vanilli. lol. Gosh… MTV was very good too @90’s.

    Now?… SMH…

  28. iAmCaprikorn September 13, 2010

    Whitney would have done it…and Mariah would have too lol…

  29. diordymond September 13, 2010

    MONICA IS A AWESOME SANGER. SORRY
    SHE ONE OF THE ONES THAT ARE LEFT. SO IM ALWAYS GONNA BE
    TEAMMONICA

  30. Chica September 13, 2010

    Who cares whether Whitney can sing it the same anymore. The Fact is she SANG it! and nobody but Mariah has sang at Whitney’s level when she was in her prime. Mariah and Whitney in their primes are still untouchable now. Your favourite is not comming anywhere close to the level that Mariah and Whitney set so you need to sit down. Nice job Monica.

  31. wd76 September 13, 2010

    Trent you just described Mariah in every sense of the word. Mariah will always be in Whitney’s shadow. And why do you have her on the front page with relevant artists?

  32. Celebrity September 13, 2010

    Monica has the voice to carry any Whitney song to new heights, but unfortunately I did not enjoy her rendition of “I have nothing” at her stop in LA. She slowed everything down and as a result lost the effect of the song, at least for. She sung this song to piece on her ATL stop of her tour. On a more positive note, Monica is doing the damn thing this era. Two #1 singles, the biggest opening week for a female R/B album in 2010. Come the fck on Monica.

  33. Julien September 13, 2010

    Whitney will always be The Voice. She doesn’t have to prove anything to anyone anymore. There’s Whitney and then there’s the rest.

  34. wd76 September 13, 2010

    @Celebrity and Julien, I agree with you

  35. ico September 13, 2010

    good job Monica

  36. TheMan September 13, 2010

    wow the shade at Whitney, but when has ANY singer did this for Mariah?

  37. Caitlin September 13, 2010

    Does insulting a legend make you feel any better, Trent? No.

  38. Brandi September 14, 2010

    Still feelin’ Monica!

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