Due to the enduring popularity of her debut, which Arista was maximizing by sending Whitney out on the road to establish a live presence - including gigs opening for Jeffrey Osborne and Luther Vandross alongside her own headlining tour - Houston's follow-up album was purposely delayed so as not to cut short its predecessor's sales and to allow her to come to terms with the fame its success had brought her.
Eventually released in June 1987, Whitney is very much a polished and poppy continuation of her debut due to it being crafted largely by the same team of writers and producers that had worked on that record. Her status had ensured there was no shortage of material or willing contributors, but Clive Davis stuck with the same team out of loyalty due to them seemingly taking a risk by working with Whitney when still an unknown artist. Narada Michael Walden, Michael Masser and Kashif all returned on production duties along with Madonna collaborator John 'Jellybean' Benitez - the only newcomer.With Whitney known primarily as a balladeer, Clive Davis was keen to push her towards a younger demographic and sought out strong uptempo material worthy of being singles. Lead 7" I Wanna Dance With Somebody (Who Loves Me) is a classic dancefloor anthem while So Emotional introduced a tougher element via its powerful synths and electric guitars.
Love Will Save The Day showcases Whitney's ability to take standard pop fare and elevate it while the utterly joyous Love Is A Contact Sport is a delight and a lost Whitney classic - she was spoilt for singles choices from this album. Michael Masser proves to be a perfect songsmith for his muse, co-writing the album's best ballads, Didn't We Almost Have It All and You're Still My Man, with Where Do Broken Hearts Go maintaining the high standard.
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