I felt kind of lost

And it was the superstar diva herself who best summed up the excitement for her return when she took centre stage at a VIP-only album listening party in Beverly Hills on Thursday, Eonline reports. “I’m back home,” she said. “I’m back home where I belong.” Among the VIP guests packed into a ballroom at the […]

And it was the superstar diva herself who best summed up the excitement for her return when she took centre stage at a VIP-only album listening party in Beverly Hills on Thursday, Eonline reports.

“I’m back home,” she said. “I’m back home where I belong.”

Among the VIP guests packed into a ballroom at the Beverly Hilton hotel to hear nine songs from I Look to You were Halle Berry, Stevie Wonder, Magic Johnson, Barry Manilow, Penny Marshall, model Beverly Johnson and a slew of music industry heavyweights.

Sitting in a front row seat was Jane Fonda, who attended with her music producer boyfriend Richard Perry.

“When they told me you were here tonight, I almost croaked,” Houston said to the Oscar winner after the two embraced. “I was like, ‘Jane Fonda is at my listening party? How cool am I?’”

Sony music honcho and Houston’s mentor since he discovered her many years ago, Clive Davis, hosted the evening. And Ms Whitney looked fantastically fabulous (she kept it simple with a short black dress, killer heels and little makeup).

The music was true Houston. Among the songs Davis introduced and played for the crowd were the Alicia Keys-written “Million Dollar Bill”, the up-tempo “Nothing But Love”, the ballad “I Didn’t Know My Own Strength”, the island song duet with Akon “Like I Never Left”, and the title track, one of two collaborations with R. Kelly.

The album took about three and a half years. “For the years we were apart, I felt kind of lost”, Houston said to Davis, referring to her troubled past. “But I’m home where I truly belong, don’t ya think?”

The audience went wild.

Pointing to Bobbi Kristina, her daughter with ex-husband Bobby Brown, Houston smiled, “There’s my baby, my inspiration. Mama loves you so much”.