With Whitney Houston artist
Belinda Davids is heading back to New Zealand to perform She answers some questions ahead of touching down in town. Taryn Utiger reports.
Tell us what you’ve been doing since your last stop in New Zealand in 2013? I’m busy travelling the world. We just finished a very intense tour in Europe and we are on our way back to finish in the UK, Sweden. We have a few single dates in the Philippines, Netherlands too this year.
I look forward to coming back [to New Zealand], seeing some familiar faces in the audience.
I hear it will be cold... it will be my third winter this year! I guess I should be happy since I love winter. Nonetheless I’m excited to be on stage again.
How has the show developed since you were last here? I could tell you but I’d much rather you come see for yourself. Let’s just say 2.0.
What’s the single hardest note to hit in one of Whitney’s songs? How do you handle it? After performing her songs for two hours I think the last song can be challenging. I pace myself throughout the night.
What’s your favourite Whitney song? I don’t have a favourite song. I always find when I listen to one I have to go to the next and the next. They are all amazing. STILL.
If you could go back in time and spend the day with Whitney, what would you do together? I wouldn’t want to do anything but sit and watch her. Stare, listen and learn. It’s what I did when I met Chaka Khan. I’m sure she thought I was weird!
What sort of response have you been getting to The Greatest Love of All: The Whitney Houston Show? Let’s just say our debut European tour earlier this year was a GREAT success and our promoters there have already booked us through 2018 with more European dates, so things are snow-balling quickly!
Are you encountering a lot of fans who are still grieving after Whitney’s death? I think since we have been doing this show people find themselves celebrating Whitney Houston... remembering her, and they end up crying because they miss her.
When did you start performing Whitney tunes? I started at the age of 8. I knew I could sing and I needed someone to identify with. When I heard her I gravitated towards her technique.
What’s it like doing a tribute show for one of the most famous voices in history? Incredible and scary and challenging and nerve-racking. But so good because I genuinely remind people of Whitney and what an inspiring and talented artist she was.
If you weren’t in the entertainment industry, what would you be doing? I would be a doctor.
❚ The Greatest Love of All: The Whitney Houston Show, Wednesday August 10, 8pm, TSB Showplace.