Illustration & Article by Savannah Cooks, Entertainment Editor & Staff Writer
Amy Jade Winehouse was born on Sept. 14, 1993, in Enfield, United Kingdom. Growing up, Winehouse was surrounded by jazz music. Most of her uncles were professional jazz musicians and her grandmother was a singer who happened to be dating the jazz saxophonist Ronnie Scott. In 1992, her grandmother suggested she should join Susi Earnshaw Theatre School and for four years she attend on Saturdays to further her vocal education and to learn tap dance. During her time there, she founded a short-lived rap group called “Sweet N’ Salty” with her childhood best friend Juliette Ashby. After her time at Susi Earnshaw Theatre, she joined many other schools such as Slyvia Young Theatre School, Mount School, Mill Hill, and BRIT school before dropping out at the age of 16.
When she was 14, she bought her own guitar and started writing music. Around the same time, she worked as an entertainment journalist at the World Entertainment News Network while also singing in a local group named the Bolsha Band. In Jul. 2000, she became a featured artist at the National Youth Jazz Orchestra. Her friend and soul Singer, Tyler James, sent her demo tape to an A&R person.
She was signed to Simon Fuller’s 19 Management in 2002 and was paid 250 pounds, equivalent to $327 in today’s money, against future earnings. Her management kept her a secret even though she was a regular jazz singer at Cobden Club.
Winehouse’s fame skyrocketed after winning five Grammys for her album Back to Black in 2008. The album was a success in Europe and when it hit America, it earned a spot at number seven on the Billboard Top 200, the highest debut position held by a British woman at the time. She was loved for her soulful voice and her music took on a Motown, the 70s, and 60s feel. After she gained her fame, she adopted her well-known bee-hive hair and thick eyeliner.
She had an on and off relationship with Blake Fiedler-Civil, they married in May 2007. This is when she started to behave erratically and canceled shows on her tour. She began to behave poorly in public, did drunken performances, and got arrested in Norway for marijuana possession- she also noticeable began to lose weight. A video began to circle around of Winehouse smoking Crack Cocaine and she was admitted into rehab. It didn’t last long, she still continued to abuse substances.
In Jul. 2009, Winehouse and Fiedler-Civil divorced and two years later, Winehouse attempted to do a comeback tour. The tour was soon canceled after she was found to be intoxicated on the first date. The following month on Jul. 23, Winehouse was found dead inside her London apartment.
Her death was a tragedy and a huge loss in the musical industry. Her unique voice, beautiful writing, and expressive style gained a lot more popularity even after her death. A lot of people sympathize with her- they feel as though she was taken advantage of through her relationship with Fiedler-Civil and claim there was more for people to do to save her.
