"Not everything is demonic": Cece Winans sparks controversy over Whitney Houston lyrics criticism

In a recent sermon, Cece Winans, the American gospel singer, revealed that she turned down the opportunity to feature in the video of her best friend, Whitney Houston's 1993 hit single I'm Every Woman.

In her sermon, Winans preached about refraining from doing things that are deemed "ungodly." To emphasize her point, the Believe For It singer gave an example of the time she refused to feature in Houston's video. She reasoned:

She added that Houston knew that Cece would refuse the offer. Replying in the affirmative, she said:

Cece Winans continued to preach that people get so "caught up in the beat" that they don't realize what they're listening to and called it "demonic."

Her comments sparked controversy online, with a clear divide between those who supported her and those criticizing her. One user @kierasharice explained:

Cece Winans took the line "I can cast a spell..." too literally": Netizens stand divided over singer's comments

As news of Cece Winans's sermon spread, internet users took to social media to give their two cents on her comments. Two very distinct opinions were seen online, with one speaking against her conservative views and the other stating that Cece was not wrong.

Those defending Whitney Houston commented on the gospel singer's taking the lyrics of the song too literally. They stated that she was "deceiving listeners" by producing her own narrative.

Twitterati remarked that the song was meant to empower women and that the lyrics were metaphorical.

The other half of Twitter supported the 58-year-old. They remarked that Cece was right in her belief and that she had a right to express them. Some stated that while Houston's video was released, it would have been too risky for her career.

Cece Winans and Whitney Houston were great friends and shared their love for Church and gospel music. Houston was a fan of the former's work and approached her following the 1987 NACCP Image Awards.

About the author

Nirali has been a popular culture writer at Sportskeeda for the past 1.5 years, covering celebrity/influencer trends and profile/histories, political news, crime reports, and lifestyle. She completed her Bachelor's in Architecture from University of Mumbai and Masters in Heritage Conservation from University of Southern California. Professionally, Nirali has a strong 7.5-year experience working as an architect, an Assistant Archivist and a Digital Archivist across three companies.

Nirali’s educational qualifications and unique career trajectory put great emphasis on research and writing, which along with her personal interest in popular culture, led her to the current role at Sportskeeda. Her specialties are researching histories, crime stories, and developing general knowledge pieces.

The most crucial step in Nirali’s reporting is rigorous fact-checking, and she relies on information from primary sources only for her news. In the absence of a primary source, Nirali double, and even triple-checks information from multiple sources before presenting them to her readers. Strictly anti-AI, she believes in giving credits wherever necessary.

Nirali’s favorite celebrities are Mark Ruffalo and Dolly Parton, and she admires them for their support of humanity and advocacy for what is right. An avid reader, Nirali can be found nose-deep in a new book when she is away from her keyboard. Nirali also loves to illustrate in her free time.

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