Pop diva Whitney Houston has created more questions than rave reviews following her less than impressive Australian tour opening night.

Visiting down under for the first time since 1988, Houston looked plainly jaded and out of condition, prompting many to wonder whether her years of high-profile drug abuse have finished her singing career once and for all. It was only two songs into the evening when the 46-year-old Houston was forced to take a break, looking breathless and nearly exhausted. The crowd at the Monday night performance at the Brisbane Entertainment Centre then watched as the singer carried a towel around the stage with her during the next few numbers.

The next batch did not go down so well either, with a coughing Houston eventually departing backstage for another break, leaving brother Gary to perform a couple of numbers by himself. The backing vocalists and the band then did a far livelier rendition of Queen of the Night without a hint of irony.

Upon her return to face the music, Houston nestled into a seat where she proceeded to sing husky acoustic versions of some of her more famous earlier hits.

However, at the end of the show Houston again seemed vague and disorientated as she attempted to introduce her band, with several glitches in remembering names. She then serenaded Bobbi, her teenage daughter before finally getting the crowd moving to a Michael Jackson tribute, only to end on a disastrous and high-note omitting rendition of I Will Always Love You. Houston, we definitely have a problem.