Written by Tanya Terry, with photos courtesy of FIM
Belinda Davids-Romanato started life in the small coastal town of Port Elizabeth in South Africa and will be Whitney in the upcoming “The Greatest Love of All: A Tribute to Whitney Houston” show at FIM Whiting Auditorium.
Belinda Davids-Romanato shared that the October 21 Whitney Houston Tribute coming to FIM Whiting Auditorium she will have the leading role in is definitely not a musical, but a concert performed the way Whitney Houston herself would have performed one of them.
“We have costume changes; we have a whole band, and it’s just really a great show to get a look at, with at least 21 of the number one hits,” Davids-Romanato stated.
She said audiences would likely experience a sense of nostalgia during the two-hour show, consisting of one twenty minute break.
“She pretty much sang the soundtrack of our lives,” Davids-Romanato added. “People will walk away with a lot of memories I hope—good memories.”
Davids-Romanato told the Courier: “I’m not Whitney.”
Yet, Davids-Romanato has graced many well-known stages with her own special magic. She has appeared on “Britain’s Got Talent” and “Showtime at the Apollo” and was the winner on winner of the “BBC’s Even Better Than the Real Thing.”
“I was also on ‘Spain’s Got Talent’ All Stars. I got a ‘golden buzzer’ on there.”
Davids-Romanato started singing in church while growing up in the small coastal town of Port Elizabeth, in South Africa. Davids-Romanato explained there were seven siblings, but since her sister passed away at a young age, there are now six. Her grandmother was the pastor of the Christian congregation the family attended, which was called Open Door Mission. Davids-Romanato told the Courier she was the only one of her siblings “who could sing.”
“I didn’t have too many problems when I was a child. I had a pretty happy childhood. I remember being able to sing when I was 5 years old, and when I was 14, my professional singing career started. I was signed to a record label at the age of 16….The label was Tusk Records, and they are now Gallo Records. It’s worldwide. The album was self-titled ‘Belinda Davids.’”
Davids-Romanato first saw Whitney Houston when she was only 8 years old. At the time, Whitney Houston was 17 and singing a song called “Hold Me” with Teddy Pendergrass.
As Davids-Romanato traveled the world, which she has done since age 20, Whitney Houston songs were always on her lists of favorite songs.
Davids-Romanato’s own next album is being released next year.
Songs to be performed at the upcoming Whiting show include “I Wanna Dance With Somebody,” ”I Will Always Love You,” ”Greatest Love of All,” ”How Will I Know,” “One Moment in Time,” “I Have Nothing,” “Run to You,” “Didn’t We Almost Have It All,” “I’m Every Woman,” “ Where Do Broken Hearts Go,” ”Queen of the Night,” “Higher Love” and more.
“Doing ‘I Have Nothing’ at the end of the show is probably the most challenging, but also one of my favorite songs to do because even though after doing 21 shows throughout the show, all of the songs are really big belters. I am not Whitney. Whitney was Whitney. So, for me to be able to do that song at the end-it’s a beautiful rendition that we are doing. It’s probably one of my favorites to do.”
Davids-Romanato shared that there is a memory behind every Whitney Houston song for her.
“Where Do Broken Hearts Go,’ oh yes, I remember this. I was at school, and I was interested in boys. So, I was breaking up with boys. Y’know, that’s the kind of memories that I have of the songs. I hope that people can walk away with really good memories-nostalgia.”
For more information or tickets to “The Greatest Love of All: A Tribute to Whitney Houston” show at FIM Whiting Auditorium visit https://thefim.org/event/greatestlove/.
