Is Whitney Houston’s BFF, Robyn Crawford, Releasing A Tell-All?

Whitney Houston’s sudden and devastating passing left the world mourning and questioning all that could have been for the entertainer. She was on the cusp of a comeback, with a new album and starring in, as well as producing, the 2012 remake of the classic film, Sparkle. 

Houston was known as the greatest voice of the last century and continues to leave a mark in music and beyond. Her estate releases new projects for fans to enjoy almost yearly, with various behind the scenes moments. Almost every Houston family member and close friend has shared their memories with the late icon, with the exception of her lifelong friend and rumored lover, Robyn Crawford. That all changed with the announcement that Crawford was ready to finally share her side of the story with the release of a memoir.

Who Is Whitney Houston’s BFF, Robyn Crawford?

Robyn Crawford met Houston when the icon was just 16-years-old. The two worked together at a community center in East Orange, New Jersey. They clicked instantly and would embark on a lifelong friendship.

Crawford was with Houston before her rise to fame. At the beginning of their friendship, Houston was a model for the legendary Wilhelmina Modeling Agency but was torn between her commercial modeling career and her dreams of being a singer. Houston eventually traded full-time photoshoots for studio sessions and a record deal with Arista Records under the tutelage of Clive Davis.

Crawford began as Houston’s personal assistant. She later moved up to her executive assistant before being promoted to her creative director, working side by side with record industry executives to create Houston’s overall look and public image, assist in directing videos and work to promote Whitney Houston as a brand.

Whitney Houston and Robyn Crawford reportedly had a romantic relationship 

For years, there was speculation that Houston had a romantic relationship with Crawford, both before and during her marriage with Bobby Brown. Houston denied that she and Crawford were more than friends on numerous occasions. But relatives and close friends would later paint a different picture of their close friendship in the 2018 documentary, Whitney.

The documentary revealed that there was a lot of tension between the very religious, and alleged homophobic and judgemental Houston – who did not approve of the relationship between Houston and Crawford. It was alleged that the two were at one point lovers. Houston’s brother, Gary Houston, expressed his disdain for Crawford. He said, “Robyn was a nobody, she was an opportunist.” 

While Houston’s family were not fond of Crawford, those who worked closely alongside Houston felt otherwise. They felt that out of everyone, Crawford was the most concerned for Houston’s well-being and cared deeply about her on a personal and professional level. According to insiders on the 2017 Showtime documentary, Can I Be Me, Crawford acted as Houston’s protector. After years of alleged drug use and a declining positive public image for Houston, Crawford was said to give Houston an ultimatum: leave her husband or sober up and continue her career. Close friends said that Whitney accepted Crawford’s resignation and the two would have a strained relationship for years.

Robyn Crawford’s memoir about her relationship with Whitney Houston 

Crawford spoke openly of her close relationship with Houston only once since the singer’s tragic death in 2012. In a personal essay for Esquire, Crawford wrote in part:

“We went around the world. I was her assistant and then her executive assistant and then her creative director. I was her point person for the day-to-day. I traveled all around the world first-class and anyone who ever worked for her will tell you her checks never bounced. You knew she was going to take care of you. She wasn’t going to be in a five-star hotel while you were in a two. I flew the Concorde the way some people ride the bus. She shared the fruits, and she changed a lot of lives. The record company, the band members, her family, her friends, me — she fed everybody. Deep down inside that’s what made her tired.”

Esquire

Since then, Crawford has been silent amongst the noise. It wasn’t until the April 2019 announcement of Crawford’s memoir, A Song For You: My Life With Whitney Houston, where she promised to reveal the truth after so many years. The book’s summary promised to share the inside details of how their friendship began, Houston’s marriage to Brown and Crawford’s involvement in her career. According to People Magazine, the press release states that Crawford “breaks her silence to share the moving and often complicated story of her life and relationship with Whitney.”

The book will be released on November 5, 2019