Dick Clark Productions President, Orly Adelson, announced today that Whitney Houston will perform at the 2009 American Music Awards. Whitney Houston’s performance will mark the first time she’s performed on the show in ten years (“Until You Come Back” & “My Love Is Your Love” Medley with Babyface & Wyclef Jean in 1999) and her first primetime U.S. network performance in five years (World Music Awards in 2004). Whitney will perform her powerhouse ballad “I Didn’t Know My Own Strength” written by Diane Warren and produced by David Foster. In August, Houston’s seventh studio album, I Look To You debuted No. 1 in USA, Canada, Germany, Italy, Holland and Switzerland and marked the biggest first week sales of her career in USA and UK.
Houston will also be given the American Music Awards International Artist Award a unique honor presented only to those special artists who have gone beyond the borders of their own country to be acknowledged for their superstar status around the globe. To receive the International Award, an artist must have achieved outstanding sales and airplay success in every corner of the world, and must be recognized all over the world as a true icon, both as an artist and a concert attraction. The Award is so unique that it has only been presented seven times in the 36-year history of the American Music Awards. Whitney Houston will be the eighth artist to win the prestigious International Award, after Michael Jackson, Rod Stewart, Led Zeppelin, the Bee Gees, Aerosmith, Madonna and Beyonce.
“We’re honored to have Whitney Houston back on the AMA stage after ten years,” said American Music Awards producer Larry Klein. “She has won the most AMA’s of any female artist in history and is without a doubt an international superstar so it’s only fitting we honor her with the ‘International Artist Award’ this year at such an important time in her career.”
Whitney Houston holds the all-time record for being the solo and female artist with the most wins at AMAs. She has been nominated 37 times and won 21 AMAs in her career. Whitney Houston also holds the record for the most AMAs won in a single year, held by both Michael Jackson (for 1983’s Thriller), and Whitney Houston (for 1992’s The Bodyguard Soundtrack). With 170 million worldwide sales, Whitney Houston is the only artist to chart seven consecutive #1 Billboard Hot 100 Hits and the only artist with seven consecutive multi-platinum albums.
Whitney Houston will join other previously announced acts including Rihanna, Green Day, Shakira, Mary J. Blige, Keith Urban, Lady Gaga, Eminem, Jay-Z, Alicia Keys, Jennifer Lopez, The Black Eyed Peas, Kelly Clarkson, Carrie Underwood, Daughtry and Adam Lambert.
The show will be broadcast live from the NOKIA Theatre L.A. LIVE on SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 22 (8:00-11:00 p.m. ET/PT) on ABC. This year’s AMA tickets and VIP ticket packages are now on sale (please visit www.ticketmaster.com or call 1-877-AEG-TICKETS).