Jennifer Hudson to Pay Tribute to Whitney Houston at Grammy Awards

12th OF February 2012

Jennifer Hudson has been chosen to perform a tasteful tribute to music legend Whitney Houston at the 2012 Grammy Awards.

From the description given to CNN, the tribute to Whitney Houston at the 2012 Grammy Awards will be on the small and tasteful side.

“We’re very saddened, and we don’t want to rush into anything that wouldn’t be respectful,” Grammys executive producer Ken Ehrlich said. He added, “I’ve asked Jennifer Hudson to come, and we’re really at this moment talking about what she’s going to do. It’s going to be something respectful. It’s not going to be a full-blown tribute, that’s too early and it’s too fresh at this moment.”

Details about the Grammy tribute are still largely unknown, so it's unclear whether Hudson will be the only singer paying tribute to the iconic figure, who was found in her hotel room Saturday afternoon. Hudson previously ran into Whitney Houston at the Grammys when she won the award for Best R&B Album at the 2009 show and Houston presented her with the trophy.

The Grammy Awards famously focus on performances instead of awards and speeches, with most of the actual 78 awards are presented off-camera.

In addition to Hudson’s tribute, other performances slated for tonight include an Etta James tribute by Alicia Keys and Bonnie Raitt, a duet between Rihanna and Coldplay, a duet between Tony Bennett and Carrie Underwood and Adele’s highly anticipated first big performance since her vocal cord surgery.

Taylor Swift, Nicki Minaj, Paul McCartney, Bruno Mars are also expected to perform, among others.