Family blocked use of original Whitney tracks, Lifetime got Deborah Cox instead

Jul 20, 2014 15:49 GMT  ·  By

Even though the entire Houston family is against Lifetime’s Whitney Houston biopic, which is directed and produced by Whitney’s friend Angela Bassett and stars Yaya DaCosta, the production is still going ahead as scheduled.

The biggest bump in the road for the project was that the family blocked all use of original Whitney tracks so, while Lifetime could use the music, they could not use it with the diva’s voice on it. So they got a replacement instead.

TMZ has obtained audio of the network’s version of “I Will Always Love You,” also featured on “The Bodyguard” OST and perhaps one of Whitney’s most recognizable hits. You can listen to a snippet from it below, but mind you, that’s not Whitney singing.

It’s Deborah Cox. TMZ says that the audio is straight from the set of the film, and if you listen carefully, you can hear some cheering from the audience towards the end, so this was most likely recorded live.

It’s not a bad cover for Whitney’s hit, but regardless, it has sparked heated debates among fans who find Cox’s attempts to imitate Whitney laughable. The same fans are also in agreement with the Houstons in their objections on this Lifetime biopic, saying that the diva deserves so much better, even with her well-documented drug problems.

Bassett, on the other hand, has been defending the project in various press interviews, saying that it will do justice to an amazing woman and a superb performer.

The second video embedded below is Whitney’s original, so you have a comparison for Cox’s version.