I Look to You

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
(Redirected from I Look To You)

I Look to You
From left to right, the background fades from white to teal. In the foreground, slightly off-center stands an Afro-American woman in a white over-one shoulder dress. She is smiling and her long hair is flowing. In the right hand corner is her the name of the artist, Whitney Houston followed by the title of the album, I Look to You in a simple white font.
Studio album by
ReleasedAugust 28, 2009
Recorded2008–2009
Studio
Genre
Length44:29
LabelArista
Producer
Whitney Houston chronology
The Ultimate Collection
(2007)
I Look to You
(2009)
The Collection
(2010)
Singles from I Look to You
  1. "I Look to You"
    Released: July 23, 2009
  2. "Million Dollar Bill"
    Released: August 18, 2009

I Look to You is the seventh and final studio album by American singer Whitney Houston. It was first released on August 28, 2009, through Sony Music in Europe, then August 31, 2009 with Arista Records in the United States before being released by RCA Records in the United Kingdom on October 19, 2009. The album was Houston's first non-holiday studio album since 2002's Just Whitney. It received favorable reviews from music critics, based on an aggregate score of 66/100 from Metacritic and debuted on the US Billboard 200 at number one with sales of 305,000 beating her previous career best first-week sale of 205,137 units with Just Whitney (2002), and it was her first album to reach number one in the US since 1992's The Bodyguard. Additionally it became her fourth chart-topping album, thus extending her as the female artist with the most cumulative weeks at the number one position.

It has spawned two official singles: The title song, which became a top 20 US R&B chart single, and the international single "Million Dollar Bill", which hit the top ten in several countries worldwide and also becoming a US top 20 R&B hit. Since its release, I Look to You has gone on to sell over 2.5 million copies worldwide, earning platinum certification in seven countries and gold certification in eight. A promotional single, "Nothin' But Love", taken from the album, was only released to UK radio stations to promote the accompanying Nothing but Love World Tour. Houston died on February 11, 2012, making this her last living studio release.

Background[edit]

I Look to You had first been conceived in 2007 with recording and production taking place in 2008, as said Houston during her Los Angeles album listening party in 2009.[3] Rumor of Houston's return to music were first circulated at the start of 2007 and were then substantiated when record label boss and close mentor Clive Davis confirmed that he would personally be involved in the project whilst speaking on The Oprah Winfrey Show. In February 2009, Houston appeared on stage at Davis's "Pre-Grammy Gala" where she performed a four-song set comprising "I Will Always Love You", "I Believe in You and Me", "It's Not Right but It's Okay", and a rousing version of "I'm Every Woman". Onlookers included her mother Cissy Houston, musicians Paul McCartney, Jamie Foxx, and Barry Manilow as well as actors Antonio Banderas and Sylvester Stallone.[4]

She told press in London that her latest album will reflect her emotional state and chronicle events in her personal life since her last musical release in 2002. She said "That makes it real. The changes that we go through, the transitions that we go through, the tests that we go through, being a mother, becoming a single mother. It all had its ups and its downs, but for the most part, I kept my faith and I kept my head up... I took my time. All the triumphs and the ups and downs and stuff, it's all incorporated on the album, and hopefully not only does it inspire me, but inspires a whole lot of other people."[5]

Music[edit]

According to Davis, I Look to You did not follow current music marketing trends, but instead, stayed true to who Houston is and the impact she has made on the music industry.[6] The album's opener "Million Dollar Bill" was written and co-produced by Alicia Keys, after the singer-songwriter personally asked Davis if she could make a contribution to the album.[3][7] Houston had previously asked Keys to write/produce a song for her.[7] The song's beat produced by Swizz Beatz surprised critics, as they felt it was more of an "old-school R&B" production and did not sound like most "Swizzy" productions, and is "not an attempt at being a hip-hop club banger."[3][8] Shaheem Reed from MTV commented "Houston's voice [was displayed] over a club-friendly beat that blends a rough-riding thump with R&B".[9] "Nothin' But Love", produced by contemporary R&B and hip-hop producer Nathaniel "Danja" Hills, was described by Rap-Up magazine as being "uptempo [and] danceable [with a] hand-clapping beat." It was also described as being made for urban radio.[3] "Call You Tonight" is one of two songs written by Johntá Austin and was produced by Norwegian production team Stargate featuring "their trademark guitar riffs".[3] The other Austin track on the album is a mid-tempo R&B track titled, "Worth It", produced by Eric Hudson.[3]

In the Summer 2009 edition of Rap-Up, R&B singer Akon spoke about working with Houston for the then-upcoming album. In the interview he revealed that he had worked with her on two songs for the album; one of which, "Like I Never Left", was previously leaked to the internet. It had initially been tipped as a single.[10] Davis said Houston wanted an island song, so they reached out to Akon.[3] The song was likened to Janet Jackson's "My Baby", which featured Kanye West.[11] American singer R. Kelly also wrote two songs for the album. One of the songs "Salute" was described as being "militaristic [with a] marching beat" that also features Kelly on the backing vocals in the chorus. In the song Houston makes reference to LL Cool J with the lyric, "Don't call it a comeback, I've been here for years."[3] Kelly's other contribution, "I Look to You" became the album's title song, and was released as the album's debut single. When speaking of the piano ballad Houston said, "It sums up all I wanted to say." The album also contains a cover of the 1970s Leon Russell song, "A Song for You". Houston's cover begins with a slow piano intro, which picks up in the middle.[3]

Following the popularity of the dance remix B-sides appearing on the UK CD release of "Million Dollar Bill", a number of remix EPs were released. "I Look to You – The Remixes" was released on November 6, 2009, in the US[12] and UK,[13] featuring 12 dance remixes of the first single "I Look to You". Also released in the UK[14] and US.[15] on November 6, 2009, was "The Remixes", featuring remixes of "I Look to You", "I Didn't Know My Own Strength", and "Million Dollar Bill". This was followed by the final remix EP being released on November 6, 2009, called "I Didn't Know My Own Strength Remixes", which was released in the US[16] and UK.[17]

Release[edit]

On July 14, 2009, Houston travelled to Knightsbridge in London, England, for an official album listening party. The evening was hosted at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel by Sony Music chief creative executive Clive Davis.[6] In total nine songs were premiered including "Million Dollar Bill", "Nothin' But Love", "I Didn't Know My Own Strength", "Like I Never Left" (featuring Akon), "For the Lovers", "I Look to You", "Worth It", and a cover of Leon Russell's "A Song for You".[6] "Call You Tonight" (produced by Johntá Austin) was also played and cited as a likely lead single. Davis pointed out that, "We didn't try to fit Whitney into the market."[6] On July 21, 2009, Houston hosted a listening party with Davis in New York City. Amongst those in attendance were Alicia Keys, Diane Sawyer, Martha Stewart and Vivica A. Fox.[18] The album preview triggered a standing ovation, and the song Million Dollar Bill was among those that received critical acclaim.[18][19] Finally on July 23, 2009, at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills, California, the final star-studded listening party took place that was attended by musical and Hollywood elites. Some of the attendees included Halle Berry, Jane Fonda, Stevie Wonder, Magic Johnson, Jackie Collins, Barry Manilow, Beverly Johnson, Diane Warren, Penny Marshall, Brian McKnight, and David Foster amongst others. Again the album was played almost in its entirety, receiving a standing ovation.[3]

Critical reception[edit]

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[20]
Billboardfavorable[21]
Entertainment WeeklyB−[1]
The Guardian[22]
Los Angeles Times[23]
New York Timesfavorable[24]
Now[25]
Slant Magazine[26]
Rolling Stone[2]
USA Today[27]

Critical response to I Look to You was generally positive with aggregated reviews on Metacritic awarding the album, 66/100.[28] Most reviews praised the selection of songs and Houston's delivery. Digital Spy noted Houston's voice has changed, becoming deeper and huskier.[29] Ann Powers in her LA Times review said, "Certain voices stand like monuments upon the landscape of 20th century pop, defining the architecture of their times, sheltering the dreams of millions and inspiring the climbing careers of countless imitators. Whitney Houston owns one of those voices."[30] People magazine gave it three out of four stars, saying "Come Grammy night, Houston will leave just as she came."[31] Slant Magazine critic Sal Cinquemani also wrote I Look to You finds Whitney struggling to hit notes and deliver phrases that should come effortlessly to such a seasoned vocalist; her vocal cords are plagued by edema, her voice reedy and lacking the crystalline clarity it once possessed on classics like "I Will Always Love You" and "I Have Nothing".[26]

Although critical of Houston's voice, Cinquemani also noted how her vocal change benefited the album: "[Houston] sounds alive, and seemingly happy to be. [...] The New Voice lives more contently in the midtempo numbers that allow her to sink into the grooves. [...] For the most part, I Look to You manages to sound completely contemporary without the use of guest rappers, dumbed-down lyrics, or slang."[26] Likewise, Leah Greenblatt of Entertainment Weekly, who gave the album a torn B− rating, felt that Houston's huskier vocals lent an emotional intensity to the album: “Houston’s famous voice, which now sounds husky and glottal, as if her vocal cords were sent through a washer-dryer cycle with a handful of small rocks, brings a gravity that the album’s often generically worded ballads lack.” However, the critic criticized the album for its lack of insight on her struggles of the past years, writing "listeners may feel shut out of the fight. Whatever hardship she's endured, the battles within remain a mystery."[1]

AllMusic gave I Look to You three stars (out of five) commenting about Houston's problems in the past, her voice and her talent: "I Look to You attempts to wash this all away with something of a return to roots—a celebration of Houston's deep disco beginnings, tempered with a few skyscraping ballads designed to showcase her soaring voice. Houston's rocky decade isn't ignored, but it isn't explored, either: songs allude to Whitney's strength, her willpower as a survivor struggling through some unnamed struggle — enough for listeners to fill in the blanks, either with their own experience or their imaginings of Houston's life. [...] at the very least, Whitney can still sing, knowing when to wring emotion out of a phrase, knowing when not to push for the glory notes that she can no longer hit. [...] What she undoubtedly is, is a pro – she sells these subdued glitzy productions, she makes boring songs interesting, she remains a forceful, tangible presence."[20]

Nick Levine of Digital Spy gave the album 4 out of 5 stars and said, "Thanks to contributions from a clutch of au courant R&B producers, it does sound contemporary...her voice may not be as technically impressive as it was, but its new, more weathered tones have character, making an optimistic song like Million Dollar Bill really quite touching and a defiant one like 'For The Lovers' more dramatic. If a little too steady to be called a classic, I Look To You is certainly an accomplished, enjoyable return—don't call it a comeback—from an artist who sounds keen again, a lioness who's rediscovered her pride."[29]

Commercial performance[edit]

I Look to You debuted at number one on the US Billboard 200 with sales of 305,000 copies,[32] easily beating pre-release expectations of 250,000 to 270,000[33] and representing Houston's best opening week sales during the Nielsen SoundScan era.[34] The album is Houston's fourth number one album overall – her first number one album since The Bodyguard (1992)[35] and her first number one debut since Whitney (1987).[36] The album also debuted at number one on the US R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart and the US Digital Albums chart.

Sales spiked with Houston's high-profile appearance on The Oprah Winfrey Show on September 14–15, 2009, returning the album to the number two position in its third week of release with 156,000 copies sold.[37] I Look to You spent a total of 39 weeks on the US Billboard 200, including four weeks in the top ten.[38] On December 1, 2009, the album was certified platinum by the RIAA for shipping one million copies,[39] finishing the year as the 29th biggest selling album of 2009 in the United States[40] and ranking Houston among the top ten female artists in the US Billboard 200.[41] Additionally, I Look to You was the 9th best selling US R&B/Hip-Hop album of 2009, having spent 11 weeks in the top ten for the R&B chart.[41]

Internationally, I Look to You debuted at number one in Canada (30,000 copies), Germany, Italy, The Netherlands, Poland, and Switzerland,[35] and at number three in the UK (51,632 copies),[42] France (19,000 copies),[43] and Spain. In Korea the album reached number one on the monthly chart and sold 12,429 copies.[44] According to Houston's official website, the album and singles combined have sold a total of 500,000 copies in the UK and Ireland.[45] The 2.5 million copies sold worldwide for I Look to You made it the 19th biggest selling album globally in 2009, outperforming other high-profile albums released that year, such as Miley Cyrus' Hannah Montana movie soundtrack (2.46 million), Jay-Z's The Blueprint 3 (2.4 million), John Mayer's Battle Studies (2.28 million), and Madonna's Celebration compilation album (2.26 million).[46]

Singles[edit]

The album was preceded by the release of the title song, "I Look to You" which was written by R. Kelly and produced by Tricky Stewart, Harvey Mason Jr., and Emanuel Kiriakou. The song was serviced in the US as the lead single and later as the second international single. It peaked in the top 20 of the US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart, number 70 on the Billboard Hot 100 and the top 30 of the Gospel chart.[47] Internationally the song had mixed success, peaking as high as number 16 in Switzerland and as low as 115 in the United Kingdom.[48]

The album's second US single (first single internationally) was "Million Dollar Bill", written and produced by Alicia Keys and Swizz Beatz. It peaked at 100 on the Billboard Hot 100 and in the top 20 on the R&B/Hip-Hop chart.[49] Additionally it topped the Hot Dance Club Songs and the Adult R&B Songs charts. Internationally the single experienced some success, including in the United Kingdom where promotion of the Freemasons remix enabled it to peak at number five, her first top 5 hit in a decade.[50]

Other charted songs[edit]

The ballad, "I Didn't Know My Own Strength", written by Diane Warren and produced by David Foster, peaked at number 17 on the US Hot Dance Club Songs chart after a remix was released as a bonus track on the US iTunes version of the album. Later, following Houston's performance on The Oprah Winfrey Show, it appeared at number 61 on the US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart.[51] Internationally the song peaked at number 38 and number 44 in Ireland[52] and the United Kingdom[53] respectively following its performance by Danyl Johnson, one of the finalists on the sixth series of The X Factor.[54] It also charted on the Japan Hot 100 at number 16.[55]

Another song, "Nothin' But Love" was sent to UK radio stations as a promotional single to coincide with the Nothing But Love World Tour. It reached the A-list on BBC Radio 2.[56] Digital Spy gave the song a positive review and awarded it 5/5. and called it a "modern Whitney classic".[57] Meanwhile, "Worth It" debuted on the Korean International Singles Chart at number 182 before eventually peaking at number 56[58] and number 61 on US Hot R&B/Hip Hop Songs chart.[59]

Promotion and appearances[edit]

Tour[edit]

Houston's performance on Good Morning America's 'Fall Concerts' series on the American television broadcast network ABC aired on September 2, 2009. She performed songs from the album, including single "Million Dollar Bill" and title song "I Look to You", as well as previous hits "I'm Every Woman" and "My Love Is Your Love".[60] It was also announced at the start of September that Houston would be interviewed by Oprah Winfrey for the new season of The Oprah Winfrey Show and perform "I Didn't Know My Own Strength" as personally requested by Winfrey. The Winfrey interview turned into two one-hour specials featuring the most in-depth and personal interviews of both Houston's and Winfrey's careers and were screened on September 14 and 15 featuring the promised live performance of "I Didn't Know My Own Strength". Winfrey called it the best interview she has ever done.[61]

On October 3, 2009, Houston appeared on German television show, Wetten Dass,[62] and later she was on Le Grand Journal in France to perform "Million Dollar Bill".[63] On October 18, Houston performed the same song live on The X Factor, marking her first UK performance in over a decade.[64] She also performed the single live on The X Factor in Italy.[65] On November 22, 2009, Houston performed "I Didn't Know My Own Strength" at the 2009 American Music Awards in Los Angeles, which gave her a standing ovation.[66]

It was announced via Houston's official website on October 12, 2009, that the singer would embark on her first world tour in 11 years in promotion of her latest album I Look to You. "This is my first full tour since the My Love Is Your Love tour and I am so excited to be performing for my fans around the world after all this time. I am putting together a great show and cannot wait to perform the songs from my new album I Look To You along with some of your favourites."[67] The tour began on December 9, 2009, in Russia[68] with further dates including Germany,[69] Switzerland,[70] Austria,[71] Belgium,[72] Italy,[70] and Australia.[73]

Track listing[edit]

I Look to You
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."Million Dollar Bill"
3:24
2."Nothin' But Love"3:35
3."Call You Tonight"Stargate4:08
4."I Look to You"R. Kelly4:25
5."Like I Never Left" (featuring Akon)
3:49
6."A Song for You"Leon Russell
  • Stargate
  • Mason, Jr.[b]
4:11
7."I Didn't Know My Own Strength"
David Foster3:40
8."Worth It"
  • Hudson
  • Mason, Jr.[b]
4:39
9."For the Lovers"
4:14
10."I Got You"
  • Houston
  • Thiam
  • Tuinfort
  • C. Kelly
4:12
11."Salute"R. Kelly
  • R. Kelly
  • Mason, Jr.[b]
4:10
Total length:44:47
US iTunes pre-order bonus track[74]
No.TitleWriter(s)ProducerLength
12."I Didn't Know My Own Strength" (Club Remix)
  • Houston
  • Warren
Peter Rauhofer7:42
Japan bonus track[75]
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
12."I Didn't Know My Own Strength" (Daddy's Groove Magic Island Radio Mix)
  • Houston
  • Warren
3:11
I Look to You - The Remixes
No.TitleLength
1."Million Dollar Bill" (Freemasons Radio Mix)3:48
2."Million Dollar Bill" (Frankie Knuckles Radio Mix)3:15
3."I Look to You" (Johnny Vicious Warehouse Radio Mix)4:07
4."I Look to You" (Johnny Vicious Club Radio Mix)3:52
5."I Didn't Know My Own Strength" (Peter Rauhofer Radio Edit)3:04
6."I Didn't Know My Own Strength" (Daddy's Groove Magic Island Radio Mix)3:15
7."I Look to You" (Christian Dio Radio Mix)4:00
8."I Look to You" (Giuseppe D. Radio Mix)3:50

Notes

  • "Million Dollar Bill" contains a sample from "We're Getting Stronger", written by Allan Felder, Norman Harris and Ronald Tyson, as performed by Loleatta Holloway.
  • "A Song for You" is a cover of the original song by Leon Russell.
  • ^[a] also a vocal producer
  • ^[b] vocal producer
  • ^[b] co-producer
  • Unless noted otherwise or not credited, all vocal production handled by Harvey Mason, Jr.

Personnel and credits[edit]

Personnel[edit]

[76]

  • Marcella "Ms. Lago" Araica – mixing
  • Christian Baker – assistant
  • Adam Beyrer – additional instrument recording engineer (track 2)
  • Courtney Blooding – background vocals
  • Anita Marisa Boriboon – art direction and design
  • Clive Davis – executive producer, A&R
  • Michael Daley – assistant vocal engineer
  • Kaseem "Swizz Beatz" Dean – music producer, music programming (track 1)
  • Patrick Demarchelier – photography
  • Mikkel S. Eriksen – recording engineer (track 3), instrumentation (3, 6), producer (3, 6)
  • Abel Garibaldi – instrumental recording engineer (track 11)
  • Fernando Garibay – music producer (track 2)
  • Chris Gehringer – mastering
  • Charlotte Gibson – background vocals (track 8)
  • Angela N. Golightly – production coordination
  • Christy Hall – production assistant
  • Andrew Hey – audio mixing (track 11), vocal recording engineer (2, 4–6, 8–9, 11)
  • Gary Houston – background vocals (track 8)
  • Whitney Houston – lead vocals (All tracks), executive producer, songwriter (5,7,10)
  • Dabling Harward – vocal engineer
  • Eric Hudson – music producer, all instruments (track 8)
  • Tavia Ivey – background vocals (tracks 2, 8)
  • Larry Eaglin Jackson – executive producer, A&R
  • Chad Jolley – instrumental recording engineer (track 9)
  • Claude Kelly – vocal producer
  • Robert Kelly (R. Kelly) – music arranger, producer (track 11)
  • Alicia Keys – vocal producer, vocal arrangement, music producer (track 1)
  • Emanuel Kiriakou – producer, all other instruments (track 4)
  • Damien Lewis – engineer
  • Donnie Lyle – guitar, musical direction
  • Tony Maserati – mixing
  • Harvey Mason Jr. – producer (track 4), mixing (11), vocal producer (2, 5–6, 8, 11)
  • Kenny Mason – choir director (track 4)
  • Jeff Meeks – instrumental recording engineer (track 11)
  • Jan Fairchild – engineer
  • Nick Fainbarg – engineer
  • Ian Mereness – instrumental recording engineer (track 11)
  • Ann Mincieli – recording engineer (track 1)
  • Luis Navarro – assistant
  • Dave Pensado – mixing
  • Jochem van der Saag – synthesizer, recording engineer, drum machine, audio mixing, sound design (track 7)
  • Miguel Scott – assistant
  • Timothy Snell – stylist
  • Bernt Rune Stray – guitar
  • Phil Tan – mixing
  • Aliaune "Akon" Thiam – music producer (tracks 5, 10), vocals (5)
  • Pat Thrall – instrumental recording engineer (track 4)
  • Miki Tsutsumi – assistant
  • Giorgio Tuinfort – co-producer, additional music programming (tracks 5, 10)

Recording locations and studios[edit]

[77]

Charts[edit]

Certifications and sales[edit]

Region Certification Certified units/sales
Austria (IFPI Austria)[127] Gold 10,000*
Canada (Music Canada)[128] Platinum 80,000^
France (SNEP)[129] Gold 50,000*
GCC (IFPI Middle East)[130] Gold 3,000*
Germany (BVMI)[131] Gold 100,000^
Hungary (MAHASZ)[132] Gold 3,000^
Ireland (IRMA)[133] Platinum 15,000^
Italy (FIMI)[134] Gold 35,000*
Poland (ZPAV)[135] Platinum 20,000*
Russia (NFPF)[136] Gold 10,000*
Sweden (GLF)[137] Gold 20,000^
Switzerland (IFPI Switzerland)[138] Gold 15,000^
United Kingdom (BPI)[139] Gold 100,000^
United States (RIAA)[39] Platinum 1,000,000^
Summaries
Worldwide 2,500,000[140]

* Sales figures based on certification alone.
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

Accolades[edit]

American Music Awards[edit]

Year Nominee / work Award Result
2009 Whitney Houston (herself) International Artist Award[141] Won

The 'International Artist Award' was given "in recognition of her worldwide success exemplified by her international record sales, radio airplay in countries all over the world, live performances that span the globe, and popularity that knows no borders or boundaries."[141]

Soul Train Music Awards[edit]

Year Nominee / work Award Result
2009 Whitney Houston (herself) Best R&B/Soul Artist — Female[142] Nominated

The BET Honors[edit]

Year Nominee / work Award Result
2010 Whitney Houston (herself) The BET Honor for Entertainment[143] Won

NAACP Image Awards[edit]

Year Nominee / work Award Result
2010 Whitney Houston (herself) Outstanding Female Artist Nominated
"I Look to You" Outstanding Music Video[144] Won
2013 "I Look to You" Outstanding Best Song Won

Echo Awards[edit]

Year Nominee / work Award Result
2010 Whitney Houston (herself) Künstlerin International Rock/Pop (Best International Rock/Pop Artist ― Female)[145][146] Nominated

Release history[edit]

Country Date Label(s) Format Catalogue
Germany[147] August 28, 2009 (2009-08-28) Sony Music Entertainment CD, digital download 88697580202
Italy[148]
Denmark[149]
Finland[150]
Sweden[151]
Ireland 88697100332
United States August 31, 2009 (2009-08-31) Arista Records 886971003321
Canada[152] Sony Music Entertainment
Hong Kong[153] 88697100332
France[154] 88697580202
Greece[155]
Netherlands[156] September 1, 2009 (2009-09-01)
South Korea[157] 88697100332
Australia[158] September 4, 2009 (2009-09-04) 88697580202
Taiwan[159] September 11, 2009 (2009-09-11) 88697100332
Spain[160] September 15, 2009 (2009-09-15) 88697580202
Japan[161] September 16, 2009 (2009-09-16) Sony Music Japan BVCP-40096
Brazil[162] September 29, 2009 (2009-09-29) Sony Music Entertainment 886971003321
United Kingdom October 19, 2009 (2009-10-19)[163] RCA Records 88697100332
November 6, 2009 (2009-11-06)[14] Remix album[164][165]
(Digital download)

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c Greenblatt, Leah. Review: I Look to You. Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved on September 4, 2009.
  2. ^ a b Jody Rosen (August 31, 2009). "Rolling Stone magazine Review: I Look to You". Rolling Stone. Retrieved September 25, 2010.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j "Preview: Whitney Houston – 'I Look to You'". Rap-Up Magazine. Rap Up. Retrieved August 22, 2009.
  4. ^ "Whitney Houston we don't have a problem". E! Online UK. E! Entertainment Television. February 8, 2009. Retrieved June 10, 2010.
  5. ^ Parks, Tim (July 27, 2009). "Houston: 'New album about my ups, downs'". Digital Spy. Digital Spy Ltd. Retrieved August 27, 2009.
  6. ^ a b c d "Whitney Houston Premieres New Album in London". Billboard Magazine. July 14, 2009.
  7. ^ a b "WHITNEY HOUSTON TALKS HOOKING UP WITH AKON, ALICIA KEYS". MTV. July 27, 2009. Retrieved August 9, 2018.
  8. ^ "WHITNEY HOUSTON DEBUTS I LOOK TO YOU AT NYC LISTENING PARTY". MTV. July 21, 2009. Retrieved August 9, 2018.
  9. ^ Reed, Shaheem (July 21, 2009). "Whitney Houston Debuts I Look To You at NYC Listening Party". MTV US. MTV Networks. Retrieved August 21, 2009.
  10. ^ "Akon on Whitney Houston: 'She's Straight 'Hood'". Rap-Up. June 25, 2009.
  11. ^ "LISTENING STATION: Whitney Houston looks to you – Washington Times". Washington Times. Mayo, Jenny. August 31, 2009. Retrieved February 7, 2014.
  12. ^ "I Look To You Remixes: Whitney Houston: MP3 Downloads". Amazon. Retrieved January 12, 2010.
  13. ^ "I Look To You Remixes: Whitney Houston: Amazon.co.uk: MP3 Downloads". Amazon.co.uk. Retrieved January 12, 2010.
  14. ^ a b "The Remixes: Whitney Houston: Amazon.co.uk: MP3 Downloads". Amazon.co.uk. Retrieved January 12, 2010.
  15. ^ Latest activity. "The Remixes: Whitney Houston: MP3 Downloads". Amazon. Retrieved January 12, 2010.
  16. ^ "I Didn't Know My Own Strength (The Remixes) - EP". iTunes (U.S. Store). November 6, 2009. Retrieved February 20, 2019.
  17. ^ "I Didn't Know My Own Strength (The Remixes) - EP". iTunes (UK Store). November 6, 2009. Retrieved February 20, 2019.
  18. ^ a b Bartolomeo, Joey (July 22, 2009). "Whitney Houston Previews New Album". People. Time Inc. Retrieved June 10, 2010.
  19. ^ "Whitney Houston Lifts Off in New York". Rap-Up Magazine. Rap Up. July 21, 2009. Retrieved August 22, 2009.
  20. ^ a b Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. Review: I Look to You. AllMusic. Retrieved on September 4, 2009.
  21. ^ Mitchell, Gail. Review: I Look to You Archived September 21, 2012, at the Wayback Machine. Billboard. Retrieved on September 5, 2009.
  22. ^ Petridis, Alexis (October 15, 2009). "Whitney Houston: I Look to You | CD review | Music". The Guardian. London. Retrieved January 12, 2010.
  23. ^ Powers, Ann. Review: I Look to You. Los Angeles Times. Retrieved on September 4, 2009.
  24. ^ Pareles, Jon. Review: I Look to You. New York Times. Retrieved on September 4, 2009.
  25. ^ Rosen, Jody. [1]. Now Magazine. Retrieved on February 19, 2010.
  26. ^ a b c Cinquemani, Sal. Review: I Look to You Archived October 3, 2009, at the Wayback Machine. Slant Magazine. Retrieved on September 4, 2009.
  27. ^ Jones, Steve. Review: I Look to You. USA Today. Retrieved on September 4, 2009.
  28. ^ "'I Look to You' by Whitney Houston". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. August 31, 2009. Retrieved June 21, 2010.
  29. ^ a b "Music – Album Review – Whitney Houston: 'I Look To You'". Digital Spy. Hachette Filipacchi Médias. September 2009. Retrieved October 31, 2009.
  30. ^ Powers, Ann. "Album Review: Whitney Houston's 'I Look to You'". LA Times.
  31. ^ Columnist. Review: I Look to You. Vibe. Retrieved on September 4, 2009.
  32. ^ Whitney Houston Is Back at No. 1 NYTimes. Retrieved on September 8, 2009.
  33. ^ Caulfield, Keith (September 12, 2009). "Billboard Charts" (PDF). Billboard Magazine. p. 33. Retrieved February 12, 2023.
  34. ^ Whitney Houston Debuts at No1 on Billboard Billboard. Retrieved on September 8, 2009.
  35. ^ a b "Whitney Houston's comeback tops U.S. pop chart | Entertainment | People". Reuters. February 9, 2009. Retrieved September 11, 2009.
  36. ^ Caulfield, Keith (September 19, 2009). "Billboard Charts" (PDF). Billboard Magazine. p. 57. Retrieved February 12, 2023.
  37. ^ Caulfield, Keith (October 3, 2009). "Billboard Charts - Over The Counter" (PDF). Billboard Magazine. p. 61. Retrieved February 12, 2023.
  38. ^ "Whitney Houston". Billboard. Retrieved August 12, 2021.
  39. ^ a b "American album certifications – Whitney Houston – I Look to You". Recording Industry Association of America.
  40. ^ Billboard 200 Year-End 2009 positions 21–40 Billboard. Nielson SoundScan. Retrieved March 14, 2010.
  41. ^ a b "The Year in Music" (PDF). Billboard Magazine. December 19, 2009. p. 80. Retrieved February 12, 2023.
  42. ^ "Music – News – Burke beats Bublé, Houston to albums No.1". Digital Spy. October 25, 2009. Retrieved January 12, 2010.
  43. ^ "Ecoutez des extraits de l'album de Mariah Carey". Chartsinfrance.net. September 14, 2009. Retrieved January 12, 2010.
  44. ^ · 집계기간 : 2010.04.01 ~ 2010.04.30. "㈜한터정보시스템 ▒". Hanteo.com. Retrieved May 2, 2010.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  45. ^ "Whitney Celebrated her UK Success". WhitneyHouston.com. April 30, 2010. Retrieved January 4, 2024.
  46. ^ "Best-selling albums of 2009". BestSellingAlbums.org. February 12, 2023. Retrieved February 12, 2023.
  47. ^ "I Look to You song leads the way for Houston Charts in the US". Billboard.
  48. ^ "Chart Log UK: New Entries Update 31 October 2009 (week 43)". Zobbel.de. The Official Charts Company. October 31, 2009. Retrieved June 21, 2010.
  49. ^ "Million Dollar Bill Charts in the US". Billboard.
  50. ^ "UK Singles Chart Archive w/e 31 October 2009". Official Charts Company. October 31, 2009. Retrieved June 21, 2010.
  51. ^ "Whitney Houston – Allmusic > Charts & Awards". AllMusic. 2010. Retrieved June 22, 2010.
  52. ^ "Irish Singles Chart week 43 (2009)". GfK Chart Track. GfK. October 22, 2009. Archived from the original on December 28, 2017. Retrieved June 21, 2010.
  53. ^ "Whitney Houston – I Look To You – Music Charts". Acharts.us. Retrieved January 12, 2010.
  54. ^ "Revealed! This week's songs". itv.com. October 17, 2009. Retrieved October 17, 2009.
  55. ^ "Billboard Japan Hot 100 – Whitney Houston I Didn't Know My Own Strength". Billboard. Nielson Business Media Inc. 2010.
  56. ^ "Whitney Houston.com news "Listen Out For Whitney..."". Whitneyhouston.com. J records. 2010. Archived from the original on April 12, 2010. Retrieved April 1, 2010.
  57. ^ "Whitney Houston Nothin' But Love review". Digital Spy. Digital Spy Ltd. March 29, 2010. Retrieved April 1, 2010.
  58. ^ "국내 대표 음악 차트 가온차트!".
  59. ^ "AllMusic singles for Whitney Houston". AllMusic. 2010. Retrieved April 6, 2010.
  60. ^ Melago, Carrie; Wills, Kerry (September 1, 2009). "Whitney Houston loses voice, cracks through Central Park 'GMA' concert – then blames Oprah". NYdailynews.com. New York Daily News. Retrieved June 10, 2010.
  61. ^ "Whitney Houston Opens Up". Oprah.com. Retrieved September 22, 2009.
  62. ^ "Whitney Houston Asks 'Wetten Dass?'". OK! Magazine. Buzz Media. October 5, 2009. Archived from the original on October 22, 2009. Retrieved June 10, 2010.
  63. ^ "Whitney Houston MDB live in French TV Le Grand Journal". Showhype.com. Future US Inc. October 6, 2010. Retrieved October 6, 2010.
  64. ^ Levin, Nick (October 8, 2009). "The X Factor – News – Whitney confirms 'X Factor' performance". Digital Spy. Hachette Filipacchi Médias. Retrieved January 12, 2010.
  65. ^ "Whitney Houston silences her doubters with spot-on Italian 'X Factor' performance". Hello magazine. Hello!. October 22, 2009. Archived from the original on October 25, 2009. Retrieved June 10, 2010.
  66. ^ Martens, Todd (November 22, 2009). "2009 American Music Awards: Grading the performances". Los Angeles Times magazine. Retrieved June 10, 2010.
  67. ^ Česká republika. "European Tour Dates | The Official Whitney Houston Site". Whitneyhouston.com. Archived from the original on January 22, 2010. Retrieved January 12, 2010.
  68. ^ Česká republika. "Events | The Official Whitney Houston Site". Whitneyhouston.com. Archived from the original on January 13, 2010. Retrieved January 12, 2010.
  69. ^ "Deutschlandtour". Whitneyhouston.com. Sony Music Entertainment. October 12, 2009. Retrieved November 13, 2009.
  70. ^ a b "Whitney Houston Tickets Whitney Houston Tour Whitney Tickets Konzerte Tourdaten Whitney Houston Comeback von ticketbande". Ticketbande.eu. Archived from the original on February 13, 2013. Retrieved January 12, 2010.
  71. ^ "Union Street " Artist " Whitney Houston". Union-street.de. Retrieved January 12, 2010.
  72. ^ "Antwerps Sportpaleis > kalender". Sportpaleis.be. Archived from the original on February 13, 2010. Retrieved January 12, 2010.
  73. ^ "Events – Tour dates". Whitneyhouston.com. Sony Music Entertainment. 2010. Archived from the original on April 8, 2010. Retrieved May 3, 2010.
  74. ^ "Houston: Exclusive Remix with iTunes Pre-orders". Whitneyhouston.com. July 16, 2009. Archived from the original on June 27, 2009.
  75. ^ "Whitney Houston I Look To You Japan CD Album". eil.com. November 6, 2009.
  76. ^ "I Look to You (CD, US Import)". HMV Jp. Retrieved July 15, 2011.
  77. ^ "Product Page: I Look to You". Muze. Retrieved July 15, 2011.
  78. ^ "Whitney Houston – I Look to You". Argentine Albums. CAPIF. On Fecha, select {{{date}}} to see the correspondent chart. Retrieved April 23, 2017.
  79. ^ "Australiancharts.com – Whitney Houston – I Look to You". Hung Medien. Retrieved April 23, 2017.
  80. ^ "Austriancharts.at – Whitney Houston – I Look to You" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved April 23, 2017.
  81. ^ "Ultratop.be – Whitney Houston – I Look to You" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved April 23, 2017.
  82. ^ "Ultratop.be – Whitney Houston – I Look to You" (in French). Hung Medien. Retrieved April 23, 2017.
  83. ^ "Associação Brasileira de Produtores de Disco". Archived from the original on February 24, 2012. Retrieved October 11, 2009.
  84. ^ "Whitney Houston Chart History (Canadian Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved April 23, 2017.
  85. ^ "Croatian Albums Chart". HDU. Retrieved March 11, 2010.
  86. ^ "Czech Albums Chart (I Look To You)". IFPI. Retrieved March 11, 2010.
  87. ^ "Danishcharts.dk – Whitney Houston – I Look to You". Hung Medien. Retrieved April 23, 2017.
  88. ^ "Dutchcharts.nl – Whitney Houston – I Look to You" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved April 23, 2017.
  89. ^ "Whitney Houston: I Look to You" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland. Retrieved April 23, 2017.
  90. ^ "Lescharts.com – Whitney Houston – I Look to You". Hung Medien. Retrieved April 23, 2017.
  91. ^ "Offiziellecharts.de – Whitney Houston – I Look to You" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved April 23, 2017.
  92. ^ "Album Top 40 slágerlista – {{{year}}}. {{{week}}}. hét" (in Hungarian). MAHASZ. Retrieved April 23, 2017.
  93. ^ "GFK Chart-Track Albums: Week {{{week}}}, {{{year}}}". Chart-Track. IRMA. Retrieved April 23, 2017.
  94. ^ "Italiancharts.com – Whitney Houston – I Look to You". Hung Medien. Retrieved April 23, 2017.
  95. ^ "アイ・ルック・トゥ・ユー / ホイットニー・ヒューストン" (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved January 14, 2023.
  96. ^ Steffen Hung. "Whitney Houston – I Look To You". lescharts.com. Retrieved January 12, 2010.
  97. ^ "Charts.nz – Whitney Houston – I Look to You". Hung Medien. Retrieved April 23, 2017.
  98. ^ "Norwegiancharts.com – Whitney Houston – I Look to You". Hung Medien. Retrieved April 23, 2017.
  99. ^ "Oficjalna lista sprzedaży :: OLiS - Official Retail Sales Chart". OLiS. Polish Society of the Phonographic Industry. Retrieved August 2, 2022.
  100. ^ "Portuguesecharts.com – Whitney Houston – I Look To You". Hung Medien. Retrieved August 2, 2022.
  101. ^ "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved July 1, 2023.
  102. ^ "South Korea Circle Album Chart". On the page, select "2010.02.07~2010.02.13" to obtain the corresponding chart. Circle Chart
  103. ^ "Spanishcharts.com – Whitney Houston – I Look to You". Hung Medien. Retrieved April 23, 2017.
  104. ^ "Swedishcharts.com – Whitney Houston – I Look to You". Hung Medien. Retrieved April 23, 2017.
  105. ^ a b "Swisscharts.com – Whitney Houston – I Look to You". Hung Medien. Retrieved April 23, 2017.
  106. ^ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved July 1, 2023.
  107. ^ "Official R&B Albums Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved July 1, 2023.
  108. ^ "Whitney Houston Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved April 23, 2017.
  109. ^ "Whitney Houston Chart History (Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved April 23, 2017.
  110. ^ "South Korea Circle International Album Chart". On the page, select "2012.02.19~2012.02.25" to obtain the corresponding chart. Circle Chart
  111. ^ "Official R&B Chart Album Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved January 25, 2015.
  112. ^ "Whitney Houston Becomes First Woman With Three Albums In Billboard 200's Top 10". Archived from the original on March 2, 2012. Retrieved March 1, 2012.
  113. ^ "ARIA TOP 50 HIP HOP/R&B ALBUMS for 2009". ARIA Charts. Retrieved November 28, 2023.
  114. ^ "Austriancharts.at – Jahreshitparade 2009". Hung Medien. Retrieved May 30, 2010.
  115. ^ "Ultratop.be – Jaaroverzichten 2009". Hung Medien. Retrieved May 29, 2011.
  116. ^ "Dutchcharts.nl – Jaaroverzichten 2009". Hung Medien. Retrieved June 4, 2011.
  117. ^ "2009 Year End Charts – European Top 100 Albums". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. Retrieved July 15, 2011.
  118. ^ "Top 100 Album-Jahrescharts 2009" (in German). Retrieved November 28, 2023.
  119. ^ "MAHASZ".
  120. ^ "Annual Top 100 Albums – 2009". Polish Society of The Phonographic Industry. Archived from the original on September 29, 2011. Retrieved April 10, 2011.
  121. ^ "Sverigetopplistan – Årslista Album – År 2009 (Note: Go to Sök alla listor > Årslistor > Välj år 2009 > Visa!)". Swedish Recording Industry Association. Retrieved June 14, 2011.
  122. ^ "Swiss Year-End Charts 2009". Media Control. Hung Medien. Archived from the original on October 11, 2011. Retrieved February 6, 2009.
  123. ^ "U.K Year-End Charts 2009" (PDF). Retrieved February 6, 2009.
  124. ^ "Billboard 200 Albums - Year-End Chart: 2009". Billboard. Retrieved May 17, 2022.
  125. ^ "Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums Chart - Year-End Charts: 2009". Billboard. Retrieved May 20, 2022.
  126. ^ "Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums Chart - Year-End Charts: 2010". Billboard. Retrieved May 20, 2022.
  127. ^ "Austrian album certifications – Whitney Houston – I Look to You" (in German). IFPI Austria.
  128. ^ "Canadian album certifications – Whitney Houston – I Look to You". Music Canada.
  129. ^ "French album certifications – Whitney Houston – I Look to You" (in French). Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique.
  130. ^ "IFPI Middle East Awards – 2009". IFPI Middle East.
  131. ^ "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (Whitney Houston; 'I Look to You')" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie.
  132. ^ "Adatbázis – Arany- és platinalemezek – 2009" (in Hungarian). MAHASZ.
  133. ^ "The Irish Charts - 2009 Certification Awards - Platinum". Irish Recorded Music Association.
  134. ^ "Italian album certifications – Whitney Houston – I Look to You" (in Italian). Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana. Select "Tutti gli anni" in the "Anno" drop-down menu. Select "I Look to You" in the "Filtra" field. Select "Album e Compilation" under "Sezione".
  135. ^ "Wyróżnienia – Platynowe płyty CD - Archiwum - Przyznane w 2010 roku" (in Polish). Polish Society of the Phonographic Industry. Retrieved April 18, 2021.
  136. ^ "Russian album certifications – Whitney Houston – I Look to You" (in Russian). National Federation of Phonogram Producers (NFPF).
  137. ^ "Guld- och Platinacertifikat − År 2009" (PDF) (in Swedish). IFPI Sweden. Archived from the original (PDF) on May 17, 2011.
  138. ^ "The Official Swiss Charts and Music Community: Awards ('I Look to You')". IFPI Switzerland. Hung Medien.
  139. ^ "British album certifications – Whitney Houston – I Look to You". British Phonographic Industry.
  140. ^ "Whitney Houston plays first UK gig in 11 years | The Independent". Independent.co.uk. April 14, 2010.
  141. ^ a b Alan Duke (November 23, 2009). "Rihanna, happy to be back, hits AMA stage". CNN. Retrieved July 5, 2010.
  142. ^ Mark Edward Nero (November 3, 2009). "2009 Soul Train Awards: And the Winners Are". About.com. Retrieved July 5, 2010.
  143. ^ "The BET Honors Honorees: Whitney Houston (Entertainment)". Black Entertainment Television. January 16, 2010. Archived from the original on March 16, 2010. Retrieved July 5, 2010.
  144. ^ "2010 The 41st NAACP Image Awards Winners & Nominees - Recording Categories". naacpimageawards.net. February 26, 2010. Archived from the original on December 8, 2010. Retrieved July 5, 2010.
  145. ^ "ECHO-Awards - Alle Infos, Liveacts, Nominees, Videos uvm" (in German). Yahoo.com. February 25, 2010. Retrieved July 5, 2010.
  146. ^ "Lady Gaga, Whitney Houston lead 2010 Echo Award nominees". singersroom.com. February 19, 2010. Retrieved July 5, 2010.
  147. ^ "Whitney Houston präsentierte ihr neues Album in London!". UnionStreet. July 16, 2009.
  148. ^ "Whitney Houston torna Esce il 28 agosto il suo nuovo disco 'I Look To You'". MTV.it. August 10, 2009.
  149. ^ Leveringstid: 2-5 arbejdsdage. "I Look To You - Houston Whitney - Musik - CDON.COM". Cdon.dk. Retrieved September 4, 2009.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  150. ^ Toimitusaika: 2-5 arkipäivää. "I Look To You - Houston Whitney - Musiikki - CDON.COM". Cdon.fi. Retrieved September 4, 2009.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  151. ^ Leveranstid: 1-3 arbetsdagar. "I Look To You - Houston Whitney - Musik - CDON.COM". Cdon.se. Retrieved September 4, 2009.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  152. ^ "I Look to You by Whitney Houston". HMV.ca. Archived from the original on October 5, 2009. Retrieved September 3, 2009.
  153. ^ "Whitney Houston / I Look To You – Hmv Hong Kong". Hmv.com.hk. Archived from the original on September 24, 2015. Retrieved September 4, 2009.
  154. ^ "I look to you : Whitney Houston en CD album : tous les disques à la Fnac". Musique.fnac.com. June 17, 2009. Retrieved September 4, 2009.
  155. ^ "I LOOK TO YOU". musical.gr. Retrieved October 25, 2009.
  156. ^ "I Look To You, Whitney Houston | Muziek". bol.com. Retrieved September 4, 2009.
  157. ^ "Whitney Houston – I Look to You: 휘트니 휴스턴 새 앨범!". yes24.com. Retrieved August 30, 2009.
  158. ^ "Sanitity: I Look to You Whitney Album". Sanity.com.au. Archived from the original on September 16, 2009. Retrieved September 4, 2009.
  159. ^ "Whitney Houston: I Look to You 惠妮休斯頓:我期待". sonymusic.com.tw. Archived from the original on September 27, 2011. Retrieved September 19, 2009.
  160. ^ "click2music". sony official website. September 15, 2009. Archived from the original on June 6, 2009. Retrieved August 24, 2009.
  161. ^ "I Look To You【CD】-Whitney Houston". Hmv.co.jp. Retrieved September 1, 2009.
  162. ^ "I Look To You -Whitney Houston Brazilian release date". livrariacultura.com.br. Archived from the original on September 4, 2012. Retrieved September 18, 2009.
  163. ^ "Play: Whitney's UK release". play.com. August 13, 2009. Archived from the original on July 19, 2009.
  164. ^ "Whitney Houston I Look To You The Remixes Digital Album (MP3 Download)". SonyMusicDigital.com. December 24, 2009. Archived from the original on February 2, 2013.
  165. ^ "Whitney Houston I Look To You The Remixes Digital Album". Amazon.co.uk. December 24, 2009.

External links[edit]