In 1992, Whitney Houston released her iconic cover of Dolly Parton’s “I Will Always Love You.” The song reached the number one spot on the Billboard chart, partially thanks to Houston’s ability to connect to the lyrics. Even though she didn’t write the song, the pain, the hurt, and the raw emotion were all there in her voice for the world to hear.
Now someone has honored Houston the same way she did Parton all those years ago. Nine-year-old Dane Miller nails “I Have Nothing” so hard it makes you wonder where the pain is coming from.
We get it Dane, that first break up is rough. Just hang in there. With a voice like that, you’ll be breaking hearts yourself soon enough.
Dane’s mom, Danna Miller, told ABC News that the reaction to the video has been “exciting and stressful all at the same time”
“When we had Dane, we didn’t know that he had Down syndrome, but it wouldn’t have mattered,” she said. “He has been probably the biggest blessing of our lives. He is just so loving and joyful. He is what’s good about this world.”
Dane’s aunt, Jeanne Miller, who first posted the video to Facebook, says the boy loves music in general. “He’s very high-functioning so if he hears music, it’s just something that sticks with him. He’s very proud [of the video]. He just smiles and giggles.”
If, as Whitney Houston taught us, children are the future, it seems we’re in good hands.
By the way, if you’re now dying to hear the song in its entirety, here’s the original video, as sad and powerful as it was in 1992