:::::We seem to have a lot in common regarding who we like. Whitney has always been one of my favs too. During her vocal peak, no one could touch her (yes, including Mariah!). Just listen to this. I love her live performances the best, because she really knows how to milk every last note out of a song (that flourish at 3:45. Hmmm.). I'm more a fan of classic Whitney, up to and including Preacher's Wife Soundtrack. After that, her vocal change just got to me.  
 :::::To be honest, I have weird taste in music. I'm a bit of a romantic, and sometimes I can love something because I have an emotional connection to it, despite it being technically sub-par. "H.A.T.E.U" is probably one of these. It was released around the time of my worst break-up (I know: TMI), and the song brought me through a lot. And it's been a favorite of mine ever since. Emancipation of Mimi is my all-time favorite album, with "Stay the Night" being the best track. But I don't like "Through the Rain"- I like only the climax. I was never a fan of her breathy vocals, and esp on the second chorus where she sang the last word of every line in falsetto (listen to it!), it just annoyed the hell out of me.  
 :::::And I'll tell you why Adele is such an amazing singer. There are those technically proficient singers who give me goosebumps with how high they can sing, or how strong their voice is. But in cases like these, I'm not in awe of the song, I'm in awe of the notes the singer hits. For Adele, when she sings, you don't hear the high notes- you hear the pain and conviction in every word she sings. That's the difference between having a good voice, and being a good singer. Adele is the latter. Adele+Amy Winehouse= greatness.  
 :::::I'd join the Wikiproject, but to be honest, I'm not on here often, though I can def help out. Her main page went up to FA status with a lot of input from yours truly ) And I know the writer of the article personally.