Whitney Houston: "I Felt Kind of Lost"

Get the inside scoop on last night's celeb-studded party celebrating the singing superstar's new comeback album, I Look to You

Whitney Houston's comeback album drops in just six weeks.

And it was the superstar diva herself who best summed up the excitement for her return when she took center stage at last night's VIP-only album listening party in Beverly Hills.

"I'm back home," she said. "I'm back home where I belong."

Among the VIP guests packed into a ballroom at the Beverly Hilton hotel to hear nine songs from I Look to You were Halle Berry, Stevie Wonder, Magic Johnson, Barry Manilow, Penny Marshall, model Beverly Johnson and a slew of music industry heavyweights.

Who was the Hollywood legend Houston met for the first time at the soiree? And how was Houston looking and sounding? Read on to find out.

Sitting in a front row seat was Jane Fonda, who attended with her music producer boyfriend Richard Perry.

"When they told me you were here tonight, I almost croaked," Houston said to the Oscar winner after the two embraced. "I was like, 'Jane Fonda is at my listening party? How cool am I?'"

Sony music honcho and Houston's mentor since he discovered her oh-so-many years ago Clive Davis hosted the evening. And Ms. Whitney looked fantastically fabulous last night (she kept it simple with a short black dress, killer heels and little makeup).

The music was true Houston. Among the songs Davis introduced and played for the crowd were the Alicia Keys-written "Million Dollar Bill," the up-tempo "Nothing But Love," the ballad "I Didn't Know My Own Strength," the island song duet with Akon "Like I Never Left," and the title track, one of two collaborations with R. Kelly.

The album took about three and a half years. "For the years we were apart, I felt kind of lost," Houston said to Davis, referring to her troubled past. "But I'm home where I truly belong, don't ya think?"

The audience went wild.

Pointing to Bobbi Kristina, her daughter with ex-husband Bobby Brown, Houston smiled, "There's my baby, my inspiration. Mama loves you so much."

Looking out to Berry, Houston cooed, "How's the baby?"

"Fantastic," Berry said.

And we have a feeling Houston's fans will be saying the same and a whole lot more when I Look to You drops on Sept. 1.