Whitney Houston Gets Her Own Barbie, Recreating Iconic ‘I Wanna Dance With Somebody’ Look
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Mattel has launched a Barbie Signature doll modelled on Whitney Houston, recreating the singer's look from her 1987 music video for "I Wanna Dance With Somebody (Who Loves Me)". The $60 collectible went on sale on 8 August at Target stores and online through Amazon, Walmart, Target and Mattel Creations, marking the latest addition to Barbie's line of dolls honouring musicians and cultural icons.
The doll reproduces Houston's outfit from the video, including a purple tank dress, colourful drop earrings and bold eye make-up, and comes with a microphone stand. Houston's estate, led by executor Pat Houston alongside Primary Wave Music, worked closely with Mattel's design team on the doll's wardrobe and glam. It will officially debut on Saturday at the Whitney E. Houston Legacy Foundation's fifth annual Legacy of Love Gala in Atlanta, and joins previous Barbie Signature tributes to Tina Turner, Stevie Nicks, Gloria Estefan and Mariah Carey.
- Mattel releases $60 Whitney Houston Barbie based on 1987 video look
- Houston's estate collaborated closely on the doll's design
- Debuts Saturday at Atlanta's Legacy of Love Gala
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Whitney Houston was one of the best-selling and most acclaimed singers of the 1980s and 90s, known for hits including "I Wanna Dance With Somebody (Who Loves Me)". She died in 2012, and her estate is now managed by executor Pat Houston, working alongside the music rights company Primary Wave Music to oversee her image, music and legacy.
Barbie's manufacturer, Mattel, has a "Barbie Signature" range that produces collectible dolls modelled on real people, mainly musicians and other cultural figures, rather than the standard toy dolls sold for children's play. These are aimed at adult collectors and fans, and past subjects have included Tina Turner, Stevie Nicks, Gloria Estefan and Mariah Carey. Such projects typically require sign-off from the person's estate or representatives, since they involve using someone's likeness commercially.
The Whitney E. Houston Legacy Foundation is a charitable organisation set up in her name that holds an annual fundraising event, the Legacy of Love Gala, in Atlanta. This context helps explain why a doll tied to Houston is being launched now and tied to that event.
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