In reply to Fancy BISH.

Nippy had developed nodules during The Bodyguard era. Add that, by 97, her smoking started ruining her vocal cords (and lungs). You could hear her grasp for air on Step By Step, while she was renowned for dead-silent breaths. So, speeding up verses was her attempt to work with her lungs' diminished elasticity - later proving to have turned into full-fledged emphysema.