Whitney Houston’s First Posthumous Track Just Arrived via Kygo

Whitney Houston is back and we have Kygo to thank for it.

It’s a special day when we get to hear new vocals from our guardian angel, Whitney Houston. Today, Norwegian DJ Kygo dropped his remix to Whitney’s cover of Steve Winwood’s 1986 hit “Higher Love.”

Houston’s 1990 cover, little known to even her most devoted fans, was originally recorded for her third album I’m Your Baby Tonight. The song only made it onto the Japanese edition of the album as a bonus cut.

RCA Records and the late icon’s estate approached Kygo with the vocals and the prospect of a collaboration. Once the 27-year-old producer accepted, however, the estate was completely hands-off, giving Kygo the creative freedom to put his spin on the song.

The result is Kygo’s signature mastering over Houston’s never-surprising, always-astounding vocals. The “Higher Love” arrangement layers a peppy horn section and impressive drum licks and fills with oscillations of Houston’s voice and perfectly timed delays of her vocal runs.

It’s not uncommon to see EDM artists remixing oldies. What is surprising—in the best way possible—is just how perfectly Houston’s voice works in a dance mix. You know a remix does its job when it feels like the original intent of the song.

“Higher Love” is the legend’s first posthumous release since her passing seven years ago, but it certainly isn’t her last. According to the New York Times, Houston’s estate signed a deal with Primary Wave Music Publishing, a boutique music and marketing company in New York, in May. The estate is currently considering future projects, which could include a hologram tour, possible Broadway musical and a record of unreleased tracks.

As for “Higher Love,” Pat Houston, Whitney’s sister-in-law and the sole executor of her estate, told Rolling Stone that it felt like the perfect time to release the rendition. “The current cultural environment has been thirsty for something uplifting and inspiring,” she said. “Who better to inspire than Whitney, the most exhilarating vocalist of all time?

We don’t disagree. Listen to the Kygo x Whitney track below.

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