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TRIBUTE: Singers Monica and Brandy remember Whitney Houston

BRANDY AND Monica have opened up about their grief following the sudden death of Whitney Houston.

The R'n'B singers told E! Online that they had spent the last few days sharing fond memories of the star.

"It hasn’t always been easy for me but I think that I pushed through because so many people have loved, uplifted and supported me and she was at the top of that list," Monica said.

She continued: "She always liked for me to come and sing because she told me, ‘I’ve never met anybody that I saw myself in.’ The fact that I was signed and discovered singing The Greatest Love of All, you know…it’s just been a rough week overall."

However, fellow songstress Brandy, whose brother, Ray J, was rumoured to be dating the late singer, found it harder to speak about her former mentor.

"I really don’t want to talk about Whitney right now," she said.

"Whitney meant everything to me—everything. She’s the reason that I sing. It’s crazy, so crazy. I just want to make her proud. Every step I make I’m just going to do my best to make her proud," she added.

Whitney's body was found in the bathtub of her fourth-floor room at the Beverly Hills hotel on Saturday. She had been staying there ahead of Sunday's Grammy Awards ceremony.

The 48-year-old is believed to have died from a combination of Xanax and other prescription drugs, which had been mixed with alcohol, family sources told gossip site, TMZ.

The I Will Always Love You star will be laid to rest on Saturday in New Jersey.