Nearly eight years after the world was stunned by the news that Whitney Houston had died at the Beverly Hills Hotel during Grammy Awards weekend, her best friend, Robyn Crawford, is sharing surprising stories about the singer. Over the years there have been rumors that Whitney and Robyn had a secret love affair, but Robyn hasn't spoken much about it until now. Robyn has penned a memoir titled A Song For You: My Life with Whitney Houston, and she's detailing everything she experienced with the late icon.
The pair reportedly met in New Jersey back in 1980 when Robyn was 19 and Whitney was 17. "I’d come to the point where I felt the need to stand up for our friendship," Robyn wrote in her book, according to PEOPLE. "And I felt an urgency to stand up and share the woman behind the incredible talent.”
"We wanted to be together, and that meant just us," Robyn stated. However, not long after she inked a deal with Clive Davis, Whitney cut off their physical relationship. "She said if people find out about us, they would use this against us," Robyn said. "And back in the ’80s that’s how it felt." She also revealed that Whitney's mother didn't approve of a lesbian relationship, although they didn't label themselves to be gay.
"Whitney knows I loved her and I know she loved me," Robyn wrote. "We really meant everything to each other. We vowed to stand by each other." Not only is Robyn breaking her silence by releasing a memoir, she's also sat down with Dateline in her first live interview where she discusses her relationship with Whitney.
"It was during that first summer that we met, was the first time our lips touched," she told NBC News’ Craig Melvin. "And it wasn't anything planned, it just happened. And it felt wonderful. And then, not long after that, we spent the night together. And that evening was the night that we touched. And that just brought us closer."
Robyn's book is set to be released next week and her appearance on Dateline airs Saturday. She'll also join NBC News’ TODAY for her first live interview on Monday, November 11, just a day shy of her book release. Check out a clip below.