Amy Winehouse is a household name in both British media and culture, and there are several reasons for this. She was an astounding musician, best-known for her love-inspired jazz and R n’ B blend, and for her immaculate, unique vocal ranges that took the world by storm when she began to release music. Her expressive vocals and eclectic knowledge of musical genres made her appealing to all demographics, and demonstrated that she was a true musical talent.
Many people began to recognise Amy Winehouse either later on in her career, or after her unfortunate death in 2011. Her songs are still played on repeat to this day, and with artists as influential as her, it’s important to detail her rise to fame. On the Jonathan Ross Show in 2004, the presenter conducted an interview with Winehouse that gave us all a glimpse into her life before things started to take a turn. Watch her glamorous interview and performance of “I Heard Love Is Blind” below:
In the interview, we can see her vibrant personality come out through her naturally shy exterior, and also parts of her naturally funny nature. She seems vibrant and is full of honesty as she shares some of the meanings behind her songs and her attraction towards love songs despite telling herself she’d never do such a thing. She also shows that she’s down-to-earth and true to herself, by declaring that the music industry couldn’t change her or mold her into any shape.
We also see in the interview/performance that Winehouse’s home was on the stage. Her acoustic performance of “I Heard Love Is Blind” is mesmerizing and jazzy, and features near-perfect vocals from the late great musician. Before her life deteriorating, her live performances were something to behold. Her most popular song was arguable “Back To Black”, which she performed live many times and featured some of her most iconic vocal performances. Watch her perform it live in 2006 in the video below:
Sadly, Amy Winehouse’s life was cut far too short at the age of 27. She still had the world to give, and despite all the fame and recognition, she never accepted that her music was impactful. Little did she know that she is still missed to this day. Despite this, media outlets were quick to dive into her personal life and this led to multiple discussions around her drug and alcohol use over the years.
The media also made comparisons to other musicians who died at her age, and by proxy entered the so-called ‘27 Club’ by the mass media. This is an informal list created by the media that has become somewhat of a phenomenon, as the celebrities in the 27 Club led mostly high-risk lifestyles. Some celebrities who also died at the age of 27 include Nirvana’s Kurt Cobain, Jim Morrison, Janis Joplin, and the legendary guitarist Jimi Hendrix. All of these incredible artists left us too early, and it is a curious thought to wonder what more they could have done to the world of music had they continued to live.