Whitney Houston’s final project

• Talented musician and actress left behind a souvenir for her fans having starred in a movie produced by popular televangelist TD Jakes and set for release later this year.

Even as celebrated songstress Whitney Houston was laid to rest in her native New Jersey on Saturday, the world is yet to see and hear the last of the world’s most decorated musician.

Whitney had just completed the filming of a new movie, Sparkle, when she died last week, and it is due for release in August.

The filming of the movie epitomises the real life struggles of a gifted woman fighting off drugs and working to keep her marriage.

This film is a remake of the film released in 1976 with the same title. The soul group, Supremes, inspired the scripting.

Whitney Houston was the producer of this film and she stars in it as the mother of the three sisters who form a group.

Set in the 1950s and 60s, the story shows how the sisters’ lives were dramatically changed owing to overnight fame after releasing a single, which became an instant hit; and how their lifestyle changed with drugs use ultimately destroying the relationship between them.

Whitney served as an executive producer and recorded several songs for the soundtrack.

Sparkle was poised to mark Houston’s acting comeback. This never came to be.

After Whitney’s death, Sony Entertainment released a statement, explaining: “Like all those who knew and loved her, we are shocked and saddened and the world has lost an incomparable talent. Right now, our thoughts are with her daughter, her family and her friends.”

Her last film

Debra Martin Chase, televangelist TD Jakes and Curtis Wallace are producing along with the Akils, while Whitney, Howard Rosenman and Gaylyn Fraiche were the executive producers.

Last Sunday morning, Bishop Jakes spoke about the experience of working with the celebrated songstress on what has turned out to be her last film.

“I had the privilege of working with Whitney in the remaking of Sparkle in Detroit. It’s an amazing thing we were able to finish the project, and to capture the final film. We did not know it was going to be the final film.

"Little did we know that when those cameras stop rolling that that would be the last capturing of her in film. It pays so much to do what God says you do, when God says do it, with whom God says do it, for you don’t know the day nor the hour ... you just don’t know,” said Bishop Jakes.

The video of the message he delivered before his Sunday morning sermon was posted on Youtube.

“I share the shock and was just deeply stunned. I’m going to ask the church to really reach out in prayer for her family.

"Sometimes when you are a celebrity, people forget that you are a person. But she’s somebody’s daughter. She’s somebody’s mama. And hearts are broken and they are grieving,” Bishop Jakes added.

He said that Whitney brought out high quality and was probably the most gifted musician of this generation.