To date, she has sold more than 170 million albums and still holds the record for the most Grammys won by a female artist.

Her success in China came in the early 1990s, following the global hit The Bodyguard, for which she recorded I Will Always Love You. At the time, the only way for many people to hear about Western pop acts was through limited edition tapes and music magazines.

Her only performances in China were in 2004, when she appeared in concert in Beijing and Shanghai. She traveled from the US with her then-husband, Bobby Brown, and their daughter.

Following her divorce from Brown in 2007, Houston is reported to have struggled with alcohol and drug problems, which some critics say seriously affected her vocal range.

"From looking at the news of the last few years, we can see that her physical and mental health has suffered. That's inevitably a bad sign for such an established singer," Song said.

Last year, Houston canceled several dates on her world tour, including concerts in China, citing illness.

However, despite all her offstage problems, the soul diva has remained a huge draw for Chinese music fans.

Houston (right) poses with her husband, singer Bobby Brown, at the Eighth Annual Soul Train Music Awards on March 15, 1995. [Vince Bucci/AFP]