Originally Posted by
Jaap
“What if” are interesting games to play, and yes, with different choices, the RCA years of Ross could have been [[even) more successful. Yet, the post-disco 1980s were tough for all African American female "pop" singers of the same generation as Ross. Aretha and Donna both had some hits but many misses, like Ross struggling to find the right niche in a changing pop market. Tina Turner is one exception, but her success was partially based on her comeback narrative and the surprise hit of “What’s Love Got To Do With It.” And then there was of course Janet with Control and Whitney. Just imagine if Ross would have made those records [[which would have fitted her image), but they wouldn’t have had the extra narrative that made these records successful: Janet’s Control had the same surprise factor as the “diana” album six years earlier and the album also reinforced Janet’s personal story of wanting to get control over her own life away from her famous family, father, and brother. For Whitney, the big difference was her voice. The material on her debut album is actually rather formulaic [[as was recognized at the time) – her voice and her youth made the difference. Just imagine that Ross would have made the exact same album [[4 of the 10 songs were Michael Masser ballads); it would have been a nice album, but would not have had the same impact, as it probably wouldn’t have been a “surprise” record that stood out in the way “Whitney Houston” did. One of the biggest missed opportunities and “what if’s” of the 1980s is the fall-out that Michael Jackson had with Ross. She would have been perfect for the “I Just Can’t Stop Loving You” duet of 1987. I’m not a big fan of the song, but it would have been a match made in heaven. And of course, a full Luther Vandross produced album… that would have been nice.