The introductory discs of the global superstars mostly transform them into these highly lucrative corporate entities. Of course, some of these debuts were planned this way. One only has to look at Whitney Houston's, hm, Whitney Houston. The latter does have all the hallmarks of a Clive Davis operation, though I don't think the success would be huge, if he had to do something similar with another singer. No, Mrs. Huston's voice was the main reason for the record's success, but I can agree with the assertion that those behind the album served her vocals well. Moreover, the LP contains some of her most exuberant material, which shows us she could do more than ballads. Sure, she excelled at them, yet I fear her mastery of this form rarely gave her a chance to try something else.
