Kygo just released “Higher Love,” featuring posthumous vocals from the legendary Whitney Houston.
The Norwegian DJ put his spin on the singer’s powerhouse vocals, retrofitting her cover of an ‘80s classic into a chopped-up dance cut. This is Houston’s first posthumous release since the 2017 reissue of The Bodyguard soundtrack.
“We knew Kygo would be the right producer to enhance Whitney’s powerful vocal performance on ‘Higher Love' to the standards and expectations that Whitney’s fans have recognized for over three decades,“ the singer’s sister-in-law Pat Houston said in a press release. "The resurgence of this precious archival performance will carry Whitney’s musical legacy on to a younger generation for years to come. Everyone should be ready to dance to this uplifting and inspiring record–a testament to Kygo’s incredible talent, and a reminder of why we fell in love with Whitney from the very beginning.”
The original “Higher Love” was Steve Winwood’s first No. 1 hit, earning him two Grammys in 1986. The track features vocals by Chaka Khan – whose 1978 debut single “I’m Every Woman” later became a standard in Houston’s own discography.
Houston covered Winwood’s song in 1990, including her version as a bonus track on the Japanese edition of her third album, I’m Your Baby Tonight.
“I got it in my inbox,” Kygo told Apple Music’s Zane Lowe. “Whitney Houston, is this a joke? I saw the email about if I could make this work, and I ran to my studio and tried to produce around this amazing vocal. This is definitely a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. This is a collaboration I never thought was gonna happen, so I just thought I had to put all my effort into this and make it as good as I can.”
Houston’s music legacy continues to make its mark on pop culture. Last November, Metro Boomin and 21 Savage sampled Houston and Kashif’s “Are You the Woman” in their song “10 Freaky Girls.”
Read all the lyrics to the updated version of “Higher Love” on Genius now.
