'Forever an Icon': Mariah Carey pays tribute to her friend Whitney Houston with throwback picture of the two

By Sarah Jones For Dailymail.com

Published: 13:43 EST, 24 October 2015 | Updated: 06:18 EST, 25 October 2015

They were rumoured to be rivals following their meteoric rise to fame in the 90s.

But Mariah Carey paid homage to her fellow diva Whitney Houston in a Friday fallback pic on Instagram.

The 45-year-old named the late singer an icon as she captioned the photo, '#FBF Forever an icon. #WhitneyHouston​ #icon #moments #whenyoubelieve.' 

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Mariah's memories: Mariah Carey paid homage to her longtime friend Whitney Houston in a Friday fallback pic on Instagram with the caption, '#FBF Forever an icon. #WhitneyHouston​ #icon #moments #whenyoubelieve'

Mariah's memories: Mariah Carey paid homage to her longtime friend Whitney Houston in a Friday fallback pic on Instagram with the caption, '#FBF Forever an icon. #WhitneyHouston​ #icon #moments #whenyoubelieve'

Houston died after accidentally drowning in the bathtub of a Beverly Hilton Hotel room in 2012.

Back then, Mariah took to Twitter to write: 'Heartbroken and in tears over the shocking death of my friend, the incomparable Ms. Whitney Houston.'

Tragically Houston's daughter, Bobbi Kristina, who had an incredibly close bond with her mother died in a similar fashion only three years later at the age of 22.    

Rumored rivals: Houston and Carey shut down all the rumors that the two were rivals as they put on a comedic battle of who wore it better at the 1998 MTV Video Music Awards as they took to the stage in the same gown

Rumored rivals: Houston and Carey shut down all the rumors that the two were rivals as they put on a comedic battle of who wore it better at the 1998 MTV Video Music Awards as they took to the stage in the same gown

With their strong voices and diva reputations, Mariah and Whitney were often painted as rivals in the press.

But they memorably responded to rumors that they were rivals with a comedic battle of who wore it better at the 1998 MTV Video Music Awards.

As they co-presented an award they took to the stage from opposite sides in the same gown.

Later that year the ladies met up in the studio to record When You Believe for DreamWorks The Prince of Egypt.  

I Will Always Love You: When Mariah heard the news she took to Twitter, 'Heartbroken and in tears over the shocking death of my friend, the incomparable Ms. Whitney Houston'

I Will Always Love You: When Mariah heard the news she took to Twitter, 'Heartbroken and in tears over the shocking death of my friend, the incomparable Ms. Whitney Houston'

Talking to Good Morning America after her friend's death, Mariah said she was finding it hard to express the loss she felt.

'I'm almost incapable to talking about this still, I think we all are. It's very heavy emotionally.'

And she said of their friendship: 'I don't think people could ever really understand our relationship. There was always this supposed rivalry in the beginning and then we did the duet and became friends.

'I saw her towards the end. I loved her. We all loved her and we were all inspired by her.'

Red hot red carpet: Mariah dazzled in red as she attended The Intern film premiere in New York last month

Red hot red carpet: Mariah dazzled in red as she attended The Intern film premiere in New York last month

Tragic loss: Houston's daughter, Bobbi Kristina, who had an incredibly close bond with her mother died in a similar fashion only three years later at the age of 22

Tragic loss: Houston's daughter, Bobbi Kristina, who had an incredibly close bond with her mother died in a similar fashion only three years later at the age of 22

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