Robin Thicke covers Whitney Houston’s “Exhale (Shoop Shoop)” on “The Ellen DeGeneres Show”

Grace Stanisci

On "The Ellen DeGeneres Show," R&B artist Robin Thicke gave an emotional performance in tribute to a singer who his mother introduced him to at an early age, Whitney Houston.

Before appearing on the show, Thicke sent a touching tweet to Houston, writing, "We miss you dearly. Your legacy will live on with us forever." This sentiment would only grow as Thicke delivered his heart-breaking rendition of the 1995 hit, "Exhale (Shoop Shoop)."

During his performance, photos of Houston as a child, a mother and a singer played through three large television monitors and reminded us of the quiet elegance and grace that she possessed.

While speaking with DeGeneres during the broadcast, Thicke apologized to the audience for his emotional state, saying, "I'm sorry, I got a little choked up everybody. I was actually thinking about her the whole time."

The song, "Exhale (Shoop Shoop)," was part of the soundtrack to the 1995 film, "Waiting To Exhale." The movie was Houston's second attempt at a leading role and landed her an NAACP Image Award nomination for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Motion Picture.

During its prime, "Exhale (Shoop Shoop)" spent 21 weeks on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and even went all the way to number one. Although it hasn't been covered as much as "I Will Always Love You" since Houston's passing in February, it still remains one of her greatest hits and is still relevant today.

"Exhale (Shoop Shoop)" by Whitney Houston

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