It was Houston's final movie project before her untimely death back in February, but Sparks explained that it was an incredible opportunity and she developed a great relationship with her that was "nurturing":

"It was the scariest thing I’ve ever done and I never performed that song before in a concert, so I remember being on stage being ready to walk out and hearing her going, ‘You got this, you got this'. She put my head in her hands and looked at me and said, ‘You’re everything that we wanted'."

“To have your idol tell you that — that was the type of woman she was. She was so nurturing and wanted to see everybody else succeed. She just wanted to see us do well.”

When asked about her reaction to the tragic news that the 'I Will Always Love You' superstar had died, Sparks admitted that she was left feeling as though she couldn't breathe:

"I lost all feeling. I couldn’t move, I couldn’t say anything. I don’t think I was breathing. I still have moments where it hits me and it’s like, she’s not here, there’s this void."

Billboard reports that Adele's chart behemoth '21' has lorded over the list with a massive 3.69 million copies sold this year.

Pop tykes One Direction meanwhile are third on the chart with their debut effort 'Up All Night', which has managed to sell 899,000 units so far in 2012.

Other names on the chart include Madonna with her release 'MDNA' - which managed to shift 484,000 copies - and Whitney Houston's 'Whitney: The Greatest Hits', which has sold 818,000 units.

In terms of the top selling digital songs in the US this year so far, Gotye's 'Somebody That I Used to Know' is the big-hitter at 5.5 million copies sold, whilst fun.'s 'We Are Young' has shifted 5.09 million units.

The scheduled events include the final installments of the Songwriters Music Series for 2012 occurring in September in Napa, CA at the exquisite William Hill Estate and Songwriters: New York in the "Big Apple" this October.  

Additionally, the Foundation is eager to announce 2013 plans, which include: the VH1 "DIVAS" Screening and Dance Party celebrating Whitney Houston in Los Angeles this December, the Second Annual Family Day event taking place next March in NYC and the return of the Songwriters Music Series, which will once again travel around the country raising awareness about the power of music. All events will raise funds for the VH1 Save The Music Foundation, which is a non-profit organization dedicated to restoring and keeping instrumental music education programs in our nation's public schools alive.

Since its inception in 1997, the VH1 Save The Music Foundation has provided more than $48 million in new musical instruments to 1,800 public schools in more than 100 cities around the country, impacting the lives of over 1.8 million children. Through generous partners and charitable special events, the Foundation is able to work towards a goal of having no child deprived of a complete education, which includes music.

The renowned Songwriters Music Series, which originally featured performances by Rob Thomas, Jewel, The Neptunes (Pharrell Williams and Chad Hugo), Darius Rucker, BeBe Winans, Cyndi Lauper and more, re-launched in 2011. 

The newly designed Series offers a unique platform for energized and socially conscious professionals to network amidst great music, a sponsored bar and food.  Each event features an up close and personal acoustic performance with chart-topping artists and up-and-coming musicians. Past performers for the revitalized Music Series includes: Glee's star Matthew Morrison in New York, ACM Award-winning sibling trio The Band Perry in Nashville, Tennessee and Grammy® Award winning musician Colbie Caillat, as well as Billboard Magazine's "2011 Artist To Watch" Andy Grammer in Los Angeles and soul singer-songwriter Robin Thicke in Chicago. In 2013, this legendary series will once again make a lasting impression in Chicago, IL (city subject to change) and Napa, CA. In total, the Songwriters Music Series has raised over $388,000, which continues to help restore 12 music education programs nationwide.

VH1 "DIVAS" is returning this December, honoring the one-and-only Whitney Houston. In collaboration with the special tribute, VH1 Save The Music will host a Screening and Dance Party in Los Angeles. This exceptional evening will simultaneously screen the show before it broadcasts on VH1. Post screening, partygoers can dance the night away and celebrate Whitney's incomparable collection of music. 

During the month of March 2013, which is the nationally proclaimed "Music in Our Schools" month, the Foundation will host the Second Annual free family fun-day, open to the public, at the Anderson School in NYC. This event, in partnership with VH1 and Parenting Magazine, gives children of all ages a chance to express their love of music, their creativity and their individuality.

"We are extremely excited to announce our plans for the upcoming year! Through our various tentpole events, we are able to reach a diverse and engaged audience. The Foundation invites interested companies to join us in our efforts to ensure that our nation's underserved public school students are provided the tools that allows each child to express themselves, work together in teams and imagine the possibilities of life," Paul Cothran, Vice President & Executive Director of the VH1 Save The Music Foundation.

For more information on these events or to see how you can get involved as a sponsor please visit www.vh1savethemusic.org/sponsors and follow us on Twitter.com/vh1savethemusic.

SOURCE VH1 Save The Music Foundation

Houston collaborated with Jordin Sparks on the track 'Celebrate', which was created for the forthcoming film 'Sparkle'.

The video sees Sparks and her friends having a good time - but she told BET that Houston was originally planned to feature in the video. She said:

"When we did the song, we planned on [the video] being Whitney and me, but she's not here, so we wanted to make it a tribute to her. So it's fun, upbeat and exciting - there are clips from the movie and the main cast is in the video, too. It's me, Tika Sumpter, Carmen Ejogo, Derek Luke, Omari Hardwick, Goapele is in it and Mike Epps. We're all just having a good time [and the premise is] they all come over to my house singing along to Whitney's music. And we're missing her and celebrating her as well. It's actually pretty simple, but when you watch it and hear her voice along with it, it makes it so much more."

The vocal sensation tragically passed away back in February and her mother will now pour her memories on to the pages of a special book to honour her incredible life.

Cissy issued a statement on the exciting news and explained that it will be something that Houston fans can treasure: "When I lost my daughter Nippy [Whitney Houston's nickname], the world lost one of the most beautiful voices and an extraordinarily beautiful and charitable woman."

"In sharing our story in this book, I hope to give her fans something to treasure, the way we all treasured Whitney... I hope reading this book will provide a deeper understanding into my daughter's true story."

Last month, it was announced that the 'I Will Always Love You' hitmaker's family had signed up to take part in a reality television series that will "bravely reveal their lives as they bond together to heal, love, and grow".

Produced by R. Kelly, ‘Celebrate’ is a duet with American Idol winner Jordin Sparks, and is taken from their upcoming movie, ‘Sparkle,’ a remake of the 1976 film about a girlband’s struggle to deal with the pressures of fame.  

The track, which was recorded shortly before Houston’s death at a Beverley Hills hotel in February, received its world premiere on Ryan Seacrest’s radio show the day after Sparks paid tribute to the late singer at the Billboard Awards with a rendition of 'I Will Always Love You.'

Sparks later took to Twitter to express her excitement at the song’s debut, posting: “I celebrate YOU, you celebrate ME!' #Celebrate #Sparkle.”

The star was nominated in 18 categories at the ceremony last night (May 20), managing to win the likes of Top Artist and Top Album.

Other winners on the night included LMFAO for their track 'Party Rock Anthem', which won Song of the Year.

Chris Brown bagged the award for R&B Artist of the Year, whilst the likes of Justin Bieber and Katy Perry performed live.

The late Whitney Houston meanwhile was honoured with the Millennium Award, with her mother and daughter collecting the award on her behalf. Daughter Bobbi Kristina Brown said:

"I'm just blessed to have been in such an incredible woman's life, there will never be another one ever."

The 'I Will Always Love You' sensation, who tragically died on February 11 at age 48, will be remembered posthumously with the Billboard Millennium Award in a tribute performed by Jordin Sparks and John Legend at the 2012 Billboard Music Awards.

Billboard.com has reported that Houston's daughter, Bobbi Kristina, and sister-in-law, Pat Houston, will be in attendance at the ceremony to collect the award on her behalf.

It was also announced recently that Houston's family have signed a deal with the Lifetime network to star in a reality television series that will centre around "their lives as they bond together to heal, love, and grow".

The 2012 Billboard Music Awards will take place in Las Vegas at the MGM Grand Arena on May 20.

Houston's daughter Bobbi Kristina, her mother Cissy, sister-in-law and manager Pat Houston, Pat's daughter Rayah and the 'I Will Always Love You' superstar's brother Gary will all feature in the programme entitled 'The Houston Family Chronicles'.

The executive vice president of programming at Lifetime Networks, Rob Sharenow, issued an official statement on the exciting new show that will chronicle the family's lives following the death of Houston and explained:

"The tragic loss of Whitney Houston left a void in the hearts of people all over the world, but certainly none more so than her beloved family. In this series, the multi-generations of the Houston family will bravely reveal their lives as they bond together to heal, love, and grow."

Pat Houston also spoke about the project, which will feature 10 episodes and hasn't yet been given a release date, adding:

"The unexpected passing of Whitney certainly affects the direction of the show. However, it is my hope that others will be enlightened as they watch our family heal and move forward."

Watch Bobbi Kristina's recent interview with Oprah Winfrey below: