Deborah Cox is ready to channel her inner Whitney Houston in a musical version of The Bodyguard.
As you may recall, in 2015, the R&B singer lent her vocals for the Lifetime biopic surrounding a young Houston’s (played by “America’s Net Top Model” alum Yaya DaCosta) rise to fame.
Now, the powerhouse vocalist is sounding off on how it feels to be stepping into the iconic role of Rachel Marron for the national tour of “The Bodyguard,” a musical production which first premiered in London in 2012.
“For me, it’s about bringing this to a whole new generation,” Cox, 42, recently told ET. “There are so many people that don’t know of the movie and the music and her songs and that kind of thing, so this is an opportunity to do that.”
“The two of us were label mates,” Cox, a multi-platinum recording artist shared, referring to their affiliation with Clive Davis’ Arista Records. “We became very good friends. She was a mentor. There was a real sisterhood between the two of us.”
According to Cox, it was this very affiliation that helped sway approval from Houston’s family. “I do have a history with some of the family members, and thankfully with my involvement, I do have their blessing,” she said.
As for her all-time favorite Houston track, Cox revealed she’s got love on the brain. “That is the hardest question ever,” Cox says. “I love the beginning of Act Two where she sings ‘All the Man That I Need,’ because I think that’s really at the core of who she is and where she is in this moment. She’s in love. She’s just a girl in love, and I think that moment really captures that. It’s a beautiful moment.”
Fortunately for Cox, the score is packed with irresistible ballads and classics like “Saving All My Love”, “I Have Nothing”, “I Wanna Dance With Somebody”, “One Moment in Time”, “So Emotional”, “Queen of the Night”, “Run to You”, “I’m Your Baby Tonight” and “I Will Always Love You.”
Based on the 1992 blockbuster starring Houston and Kevin Costner, the stage musical follows closely to the original screenplay as singer-actress Rachel Marron hires former Secret Service agent Frank Farmer to protect her from an unknown stalker. Their relationship strays from the professional realm when they fall in love.
What are your thoughts on Cox stepping into Houston’s iconic shoes? Do you think she has what it takes? Sound off in the comment section below.
