STAGE TUBE: Monica and Brandy Talk Whitney Houston Memories on E! News

Last Thursday, before the Grammys, Whitney Houston crashed E! News' interview with Monica and Brandy for a touching, if erratic, lovefest. It turned out to be one of Houston's last videotaped appearance with the press. Yesterday, E! News caught up with Monica and Brandy as the duo were promoting their new duet, "It All Belongs to Me," and the duo spoke about their dearly departed friend. And they shared their thoughts about Houston and that final moment they had together.

Monica said she had been blessed with Houston's friendship since the age of 14, and the legendary singer had a very close bond with her because she admitted to seeing a part of herself in Monica.

"She told me, ‘I never met anybody that I saw myself in,'" Monica recounted. "And the fact that I was signed and discovered singing ‘The Greatest Love of All,' you know...it's just been a rough week, overall. But I recognize that she and I both, outside of music, had a lot in common. And our love for God and our belief in Christ was one of those things and it's kept me strong and kept me fighting for what it is she loved, and that is family first, music and the rest is second."

The singer shared that Whitney was at the top of her list when it came to supporters and provided her with profound advice of allowing her love to lead her and to be OK with who she was.

Unfortunately, it wasn't as easy for Brandy to speak about losing someone she was so closely tied to, and someone she had seen just days before her death.

"Yeah it was a surprise, it was great to see her," said Brandy, referring to the moment E! News cameras caught on tape last week. During that session, Houston (who had been linked to Brandy's younger brother, Ray J, in recent weeks), was seen passing a note to Brandy. "I'm going to just not say what it was and just keep it to myself for my own personal reasons," a distraught Brandy explained.  "It's just so unfortunate. Whitney meant everything to me-everything. She's the reason that I sing. It's crazy, so crazy."

To see the E! interview in its entirety, click below!

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