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Whitney Houston, 48, Reported Dead at the Beverly Hilton Hotel [UPDATED]
Whitney Houston has died at the age of 48, the singer's publicist confirmed with the Associated Press this evening.
The singer's publicist Kristen Foster wouldn't say how the singer died or where she was found. However, TMZ is reporting that she died while she was at the Beverly Hilton Hotel this afternoon. Sources tell the gossip site that Houston was found unresponsive in her hotel room, but paramedics could not revive the singer. CNN reporter Justin Lear tweeted that her on-again, off-again boyfriend Ray J is the one who first came upon her.
Gossip site Hollyscoop noted that Houston gave a rare performance this week in anticipation of tomorrow's Grammy Awards. She wowed the crowd with her singing, but she seemed to be acting erratically afterward. TMZ just posted some pictures of Houston looking pretty rough on Thursday night.
UPDATE 7:30pm: Conflicting reports! TMZ says the party is still going on as planned—it's just that Davis will not be in attendance. Houston was supposed to open the party tonight with a performance.
UPDATE 7pm: Houston's cousin Dionne Warwick and her mother Cissy Houston both spoke with the singer on the phone just before she died today, but neither of them noticed anything unusual, TMZ reported. They spoke to Houston about going to Clive Davis' pre-Grammy party later tonight. It has since been called off because of Houston's death.
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