What Whitney Houston’s Biggest Hit Teaches As About Public Speaking

The incredible Whitney Houston was born on August 9, 1963 - and in honor of her birthday, here are three lessons on public speaking that we can learn from her biggest hit.

In 1992, singer Whitney Houston recorded a song for her debut film, The Bodyguard.

The song – I Will Always Love You – spent a record-breaking 14 weeks at the #1 spot and was the biggest hit of Houston’s career.

But before it was associated with Whitney, I Will Always Love You had been a country hit for Dolly Parton, who wrote and recorded the song nearly 20 years earlier. 

Whitney’s version showcases her powerhouse vocals – and it also offers insights for public speakers.

Here are three lessons:

1.Grab their attention

Whitney begins her four-and-a half minute version of I Will Always Love You with 42 seconds of her singing acapella. It’s different. It’s not how songs on the radio sound. 

And that’s what makes it so creative – and special. It grabs your attention and makes you take notice. It makes you curious. You want to hear where this song is going.

The same applies to presentations. You want to grab attention and make your audience curious. You want them leaning in, listening intently – eager to hear more.

2. Make your message stick

Dolly’s lyrics tell a story. It’s time for her to go – but she will always love the person she’s leaving. She emphasizes that she has no ill will, and wishes them a life of joy, happiness, and love. And she repeats I Will Always Love You throughout the song. 

Her message is short, simple, and clear – and it sticks.

Your goal when you give a speech is to be as clear with your message. What do you want the audience to think or do? How do you want them to feel at the end of your speech? What do you want them to take away? 

Make sure your message is short, simple, and clear – and make it stick.

3. Do something different

When Whitney recorded I Will Always Love You the song had already been a country hit for Dolly Parton – twice. It first reached #1 in 1974 and then again when Dolly re-recorded it in 1982. It had also been recorded by singer Linda Rondstadt.

But Whitney’s version is unique. The arrangement, the acapella introduction, and the pace are all different from what had been done before. She puts her stamp on the song and makes it her own.

The same applies to presentations. Your topic may have been discussed before. You might be one of several speakers at a town hall or a conference. How will you make your presentation different? How will you make it stand out?

Whitney didn’t copy or imitate what Dolly had done before. Instead, she brought her unique talent and creativity to the material and made the song her own. She made it memorable. 

Bring your talent and creativity to your material and make it your own. Do something different – and make it memorable.

Beth Collier helps leaders and teams improve their communication skills, including storytelling, writing, and public speaking. She may not be able to teach you how to sing like Whitney (who could?) but she can definitely help you become a more confident and capable speaker and leader.

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