My name is Bella. I am a Web Developer, and I'm very passionate and dedicated to my work. With 20 years experience as a professional Web developer, I have acquired the skills and knowledge necessary to make your project a success. I enjoy every step of the design process, from discussion and collaboration.
SOURCE: bet.com/Sonia Moskowitz/Getty Image
Brandy is opening up about one of the most emotional parts of her bond with Whitney Houston, revealing the last conversation she had with the late singer before Houston’s death in 2012.
In an excerpt from her forthcoming memoir “Phases,” published by The Cut, Brandy recalled how Houston unexpectedly showed up during a February 2012 rehearsal for Clive Davis’ pre-Grammy gala, where Brandy and Monica were running through “The Boy Is Mine.”
According to Brandy, Houston returned later that day with her daughter, Bobbi Kristina, and discreetly handed Brandy a note before the two spoke by phone that night for three hours. Brandy didn’t share specifically what the note said, but she wrote that the conversation they had touched on their careers, their personal struggles, and Houston’s hopes for the future.
“Whitney listened as only someone who had walked the same treacherous path could — with complete understanding, without judgment. Her silence offered more comfort than any platitudes. ‘Baby girl, what did I tell you all those years ago when you were just a little girl begging to meet little ole me?’ she asked,” Brandy said.
She continued, “I laughed. Of course I remembered. I remember every single thing Whitney ever told me. ‘Never let anyone else tell you who you are,’ I said. ‘That’s right. And I know it’s hard to remember that. Believe me,’ she finally said. ‘When you look up in ten years, 20 years, what do you hope people say about you? About your music? Is it gonna be about sales or what you did with that voice of yours?’”
In the memoir excerpt, Brandy remembered Houston reassuring her, “I’m gonna be better. You’ll see. This is just a season, not the whole story,” words Brandy now describes as both a prophecy and a goodbye. At the time, headlines swirled around Houston’s drug addiction and her note to Brandy seemed to have given the “Full Moon” singer a bit of hope for Houston’s recovery and redemption.
Brandy also reflected on how Houston continued encouraging her during that call, telling her, “I love you more, baby girl,” and promising to see her and Monica sing at the gala on Saturday. The next day, Houston was found dead at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Los Angeles, just hours before the event. Brandy and Monica still attended the gala in Houston’s honor.
Brandy shared her emotions from that tragic moment in “Phases” and said, “‘You know you gained an angel today. Hold on to that. She’s watching over you now,’” Monica whispered, her hand finding mine under the table. I nodded, unable to form words through the stone of grief lodged in my throat, but somewhere deep inside, past the pain and disbelief, I felt the truth of her words take root. Whitney would always be with me — in every note I sang, in every challenge I faced, in every moment I chose courage over fear.”
The revelation adds another deeply personal layer to one of R&B’s most beloved relationships. For years, Brandy has spoken about Houston not just as an icon, but as a mentor who helped shape her artistry and confidence. In the memoir excerpt, Brandy also revisited the moment her mother told her, “Baby girl, you ain’t gotta be like Whitney. You gotta be Brandy. The world’s waiting on Brandy,” a reminder that Houston’s influence helped guide her while still pushing her to stand fully in her own identity.
Brandy’s memoir “Phases” is set to be released on March 31, and this first excerpt makes clear that Houston’s presence in her life still carries both ache and gratitude.
