Which singer recorded the 1987 hit "I Wanna Dance with Somebody (Who Loves Me)"?

Whitney Houston recorded the 1987 hit “I Wanna Dance with Somebody (Who Loves Me).”

The song was written by George Merrill and Shannon Rubicam, the duo known as Boy Meets Girl, and produced by Narada Michael Walden. It appeared on Houston’s second studio album, Whitney, released in 1987. Although its bright dance-pop sound made it feel like a carefree party anthem, the lyrics express a desire for companionship and romantic connection.

The single became one of Houston’s signature recordings. It topped the Billboard Hot 100 and charts in numerous other countries, helping make Whitney one of the defining pop albums of the late 1980s. A common mix-up is to associate the track with Diana Ross or Janet Jackson because both were major dance-oriented singers of the era, but Houston’s powerful vocal performance is unmistakable.