Beyoncé Knowles has revealed she has nothing but sympathy for Whitney Houston because life at the top of the music business is so hard.

Whitney is currently recording a comeback album after reportedly going through rehab and therapy to get over her drug addiction and the breakdown of her marriage to Bobby Brown.

Beyoncé said recently: “I once queued for Whitney’s autograph when I was a kid. I had her photograph pinned up inside my wall and thought she was the very best around.”

“I think it’s very easy to get yourself into trouble [like Whitney did]. We live an unrealistic life in a crazy world. The demands are huge and the fallout can be equally big.”

“You can get swept along by events. It is very hard for a woman in the music business to maintain a long term career. There are demands you cannot even begin to imagine.”