Whitney Elizabeth Houston, born on August 9th, 1963, Newark, New Jersey, U.S., was a singer, actress, film and record producer, and model. In 2009, Guinness World Records cited her as the most awarded female act of all time. She released seven studio albums and two soundtrack albums, all of which have diamond, multi-platinum, platinum, or gold certification, with 200 million records sold worldwide. Houston's crossover appeal on the popular music charts, and her prominence on MTV, starting with her video for How Will I Know, influenced other African American women artists, who followed in her footsteps.