A Cat Person Who Dated Eddie Murphy and Loved to Vacuum: 10 Fun Facts About Whitney Houston

01of 10Birds Literally Flocked to Her VoiceDavid Corio/RedfernsOnce while on a romantic vacation in Antigua in the mid ’80s, Houston’s one-time boyfriend Brad Johnson woke to the sound of her voice wafting in from the balcony.“I remember she was singing, skatting and humming and birds were coming and sitting in the trees,” Johnson tells PEOPLE. “It was amazing to witness them responding to her. I just stood there in absolute silence.”

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Birds Literally Flocked to Her Voice

David Corio/Redferns

Once while on a romantic vacation in Antigua in the mid ’80s, Houston’s one-time boyfriend Brad Johnson woke to the sound of her voice wafting in from the balcony.

“I remember she was singing, skatting and humming and birds were coming and sitting in the trees,” Johnson tells PEOPLE. “It was amazing to witness them responding to her. I just stood there in absolute silence.”

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She Didn’t Practice, Not Even for the ‘91 Super Bowl National Anthem

George Rose/Getty

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She Was a Cat Person

Jack Mitchell/Getty

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She Produced The Princess Diaries

Alamy

Few recall that Whitney Houston was a force behind the camera as well, producing multiple hit kids and teen movies in the early ’00s likeThe Princess Diaries.

05of 10She Loved to VacuumBen Glass/Warner Bros/Regency/Canal +/Kobal/REX/Shutterstock"She had this thing for vacuuming," says hairstylist and longtime pal Ellin LaVar. “She would get up and get the vacuum and start vacuuming her house. She loved to see the lines in the rug.”

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She Loved to Vacuum

Ben Glass/Warner Bros/Regency/Canal +/Kobal/REX/Shutterstock

“She had this thing for vacuuming,” says hairstylist and longtime pal Ellin LaVar. “She would get up and get the vacuum and start vacuuming her house. She loved to see the lines in the rug.”

06of 10She Once Fell Hard For Eddie MurphyParamount/REX/ShutterstockWe all had to watchComing to Americaover and over again. I said, ‘Nippy, I hate you, I hate Eddie Murphy and I hateComing to America!'" says family friend and employee Ellen White. “I watched them once at a party, Eddie came in, cameras were flashing and they just looked at each other and talked and laughed like they were the only two people in the room.”

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She Once Fell Hard For Eddie Murphy

Paramount/REX/Shutterstock

We all had to watchComing to Americaover and over again. I said, ‘Nippy, I hate you, I hate Eddie Murphy and I hateComing to America!'" says family friend and employee Ellen White. “I watched them once at a party, Eddie came in, cameras were flashing and they just looked at each other and talked and laughed like they were the only two people in the room.”

07of 10She Knew How to Spot a Hit RecordThe LIFE Picture Collection/GettyStill the only artist ever to log seven consecutive No. 1 singles on the Billboard Hot 100, Houston not only had a talented voice, but a talented ear.“Her voice was like no other, however I feel Whitney does not get enough credit for two remarkable traits,” says Clive Daviswho signed her to Arista Records back in ‘83. “She was wonderfully collaborative with a gift for interpreting music and hearing a hit. In a very tough business she had unprecedented and since-unequaled success.”

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She Knew How to Spot a Hit Record

The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty

Still the only artist ever to log seven consecutive No. 1 singles on the Billboard Hot 100, Houston not only had a talented voice, but a talented ear.

“Her voice was like no other, however I feel Whitney does not get enough credit for two remarkable traits,” says Clive Daviswho signed her to Arista Records back in ‘83. “She was wonderfully collaborative with a gift for interpreting music and hearing a hit. In a very tough business she had unprecedented and since-unequaled success.”

08of 10While Recording The Bodyguard Soundtrack She Was “Laser-Focused"Warner Brothers/Courtesy Everett Collection"I remember I was getting her after she had worked for 10 hours on a movie set, and she would come in and we would be doing vocals at 9, 10 o’clock at night and she was a laser beam,” says producerDavid Foster.“She’d walk into the studio, rip off her coat, get up and say ‘Let’s go.’ Like a racehorse, no warm up, no nothing.”

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While Recording The Bodyguard Soundtrack She Was “Laser-Focused”

Warner Brothers/Courtesy Everett Collection

“I remember I was getting her after she had worked for 10 hours on a movie set, and she would come in and we would be doing vocals at 9, 10 o’clock at night and she was a laser beam,” says producerDavid Foster.

“She’d walk into the studio, rip off her coat, get up and say ‘Let’s go.’ Like a racehorse, no warm up, no nothing.”

09of 10She Was Extremely Funny and Had a Dark Sense of HumorJack Vartoogian/GettySays Minor, “She was silly and very fun-loving. She loved to pull pranks.” Adds LaVar, “She had a dark sense of humor and could be very talkative.”

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She Was Extremely Funny and Had a Dark Sense of Humor

Jack Vartoogian/Getty

Says Minor, “She was silly and very fun-loving. She loved to pull pranks.” Adds LaVar, “She had a dark sense of humor and could be very talkative.”

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She Was Much Simpler Than Her Diva Persona

Courtesy of The Estate of Whitney E. Houston

Adds Minor, “She once said to me, ‘I wish I could go back to the time I was singing just to sing and having fun.’ "

source: people.com