Mattel turns Whitney Houston into a Barbie after 20 years of negotiations
Already in life, the singer had played with the idea of having a doll of the iconic franchise in her image
BarcelonaWith his very curly hair as it appeared in their first big hit I wanna dance with somebody (who loves me), and a microphone as an accessory, the first Barbie honoring the legacy of singer Whitney Houston is ready. Its creation has not been easy: according to her sister-in-law, who has been conducting negotiations with the company, there have been 20 years of intermittent talks and trials until the current model could be presented.
In fact, the singer and actress – who died in 2012 – had already negotiated with Mattel years ago when, following the success of the film The bodyguard, the proposal arrived to be immortalized with that look with a doll from the franchise. He liked the idea in Houston, but agenda reasons meant he gave up dedicating the necessary time to move the project forward.
The Whitney Houston Barbie arrives a few days after what would have been the artist's 63rd birthday and coincides with this year's celebration of the 40th anniversary of the start of her career, which has brought her some posthumous honors, such as the Recording Academy's lifetime achievement award. “We want to celebrate a career full of records and timeless music that has inspired entire generations of artists and continues to resonate with fans worldwide,” Mattel explained in a statement.
The girl in question reproduces with great accuracy the colorful clothing and makeup that the singer wore in the music video that made her world famous. From the violet top to the earrings, or the details on the shoes, maximum fidelity has been sought to capture that foundational moment of her career. I wanna dance with somebody (who loves me) was the first single from the vocalist's second album. Although initial reviews were not enthusiastic, the song climbed to number 1 on the sales charts in 17 countries. With over 18 million copies worldwide, it became the single best-selling by a female soloist in the 1980s, and the best-selling single that year 1987.