The official video for "Celebrate" -- the last song ever recorded by music legend Whitney Houston, which also features Jordin Sparks -- has finally dropped. The late singer recorded the track just before her death for the soundtrack to the film "Sparkle."
In the video, Sparks hosts a party for her "Sparkle" co-stars. Sadly, Houston is absent from the celebration, but the video features footage of Houston from the film. (The clip was shot in May.) Toward the end, Sparks is seen wearing a Whitney Houston t-shirt, as she delivers her last line, "We love you Whitney." “Celebrate” is dedicated to Houston's memory.
"We planned on it being Whitney and me, but she's not here, so we wanted to make it a tribute to her," Sparks told BET. Unfortunately, the young singer never got to record the song with Houston because of scheduling conflicts. "But it was amazing to be able to go in after she had already finished her part… It was so cool because you could just hear the smile in Whitney's voice when she was singing it," said Sparks.
The inspirational track was written by R&B crooner R. Kelly, who performed a tearful rendition of "I Look To You" at Houston's New Jersey funeral in February.
On the uptempo song, Whitney sings, "Everybody's been so uptight / And forgetting to live their life / Let all the problems get them down / 'Til it makes you want to shout." Sparks then follows Houston, singing, "See everybody been down on luck / Finally things are looking up / The sun has chased all the rain away / No more obstacles in our way."
A remake of the 1976 film of the same name, "Sparkle" stars Houston as the mother of three girls who form a singing group and then face struggle with fame and drug addiction. The late singer will also perform the gospel song "His Eye Is on the Sparrow" in the film.
Houston was found dead on Feb. 11 by her bodyguard at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Los Angeles. Her death came one day before the 54th annual Grammy Awards, during which Jennifer Hudson sang a tearful tribute to her idol, covering Houston's seminal ballad "I Will Always Love You."
In March, the L.A. County Coroner ruled her official cause of death as accidental drowning. They also confirmed that Houston used cocaine immediately before her death, leading to a "cardiac event," as first reported by TMZ.
Houston's "Sparkle" co-star paid tribute to the music legend in May, at the Billboard Music Awards. Sparks also sang "I Will Always Love You" to her late idol.
"Sparkle" hits theaters on August 17.
PHOTOS: Whitney Houston's life and career.
