Ex-husband Bobby Brown reacts to Whitney Houston’s tragic death

It was a sad night for Bobby BrownBobby Brown, who took the stage as a part of his band, New EditionNew Edition, a few hours after learning about the sudden death of his ex-wife, Whitney Houston.

The 43-year-old soul singer was scheduled to perform with New Edition Saturday night in northern Mississippi in front of thousands of his fans, but he admitted that it was a daunting task, as he had just learnt about the tragic death of his ex-wife.

"First of all, I want to tell you that I love you all. Second, I would like to say, 'I love you, Whitney,'” a teary-eyed Bobby Brown said, pointing to the sky.

“The hardest thing for me to do is come on this stage,” he added.

Pop legend Whitney Houston, 48, was found dead in her room in a Beverly Hills hotel Saturday afternoon. The cause of her death was not known immediately. Her death came hours before she was scheduled to appear at an annual pre-Grammy Awards dinner party held by her long-time mentor, Clive Davis.

According to TMZ.com, R&B singer Bobby Brown was “in and out of crying fits” upon hearing the news of the untimely demise of Whitney Houston. However, the singer and the rest of the group decided to perform on schedule in Mississippi last night, with Brown in tears at the end of one of his songs.

New Edition released a statement Saturday afternoon. The statement, in part, says, "We are absolutely shocked and saddened by the sudden and untimely death of our dear sister Whitney. As a group, we are extremely close; when one of us hurts, we all hurt."

Bobby Brown and Whitney Houston had parted ways in 2007 after 14 years of marriage. They had a daughter, Bobbi Kristina. The celebrity couple had a highly-publicized, messy relationship and often made headlines for domestic abuse. Houston said in 2009 that Brown "slapped her" and "spit in my face" during one argument.

In his first official comments about the tragic death of his ex-wife, Bobby Brown released a statement to PEOPLE magazine, saying, "I am deeply saddened at the passing of my ex-wife, Whitney Houston."



"At this time, we ask for privacy, especially for my daughter, Bobbi Kristina. I appreciate all of the condolences that have been directed towards my family and I at this most difficult time," he added.



A relative of Brown's says that he is "beside himself" with grief.

Another source close to the family said of 18-year-old Bobbi Kristina, "Her world will be shattered. She was really her mom's caretaker and biggest cheerleader and biggest fan."