Music Video
The music video for "How Will I Know", directed by Brian Grant, was filmed prior to the release of the single and album. Unlike her previous music videos, Houston was given the opportunity to move beyond the staged performance settings to demonstrate elementary dance moves. The video is set against a strikingly designed, vividly colored setting of video screens and partitions. Houston's hair is dyed a honey color, and is held up by a dazzling colored bow. She is also seen accented by a tight, sleeveless gray dress made of metal mesh, reaching almost to her knees, accessorized with matching arm-bracelets. Houston is also seen interacting with animated dancers, in black outfits and wearing French-style makeup. The video also has a scene of splattering of paint and it's dripping down the screen. Houston's godmother and her family's close friend, Aretha Franklin, also makes a cameo on the music video. In 2011, Kyle Anderson of MTV wrote that the video was "eye-opening to watch her cut loose in a fun environment," since her previous songs were ballads.
The music video received heavy rotation in music channels like MTV and gave Houston exposure to a wider audience, something which the African-Americans had found difficult to achieve. Also, the video was nominated for two awards at the 1986 MTV Video Music Awards, in the categories of Best New Artist in a Video and Best Female Video, winning the latter.
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