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Amy Winehouse, born 1983, grew up surrounded by Jazz influences from her relatives to stars she idolised. In October 2003, her debut album 'Frank' was released. By January 2004 it entered number 13 on the UK Albums Chart. This album led her to being nominated for British Female Solo Act and British Urban Act at the 2004 BRIT Awards.

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This article delves into the album 'Frank'. The author notes that the album had a strong themes of 'pain, rejection, love, lust, and betrayal'. They state that much of the album is based around a breakup, potentially her ex-boyfriend Chris Taylor.

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Happy 20th Anniversary to Amy Winehouse's debut album Frank, originally released October 20, 2003.

About five years ago, Mitch Winehouse, father of singer Amy Winehouse, announced that his daughter was going on a world tour. That would normally be unsettling, considering that she'd been deceased for nearly a decade. But what Mitch had in mind is a concert tour featuring a hologram of the iconic singer. The shows would have a live band playing her songs and one of those elaborated conceived and executed holograms "singing" obviously pre-recorded vocals for the audience to enjoy.

Naturally, the announcement didn't go over particularly well. It was seen as a publicity grab by a father who both used and enabled his troubled daughter in life, and was now searching for further ways to cash in after her death.

Plans for the tour were quietly scuttled a few months later. With the rise in usage of AI over the past few years, I'm a little surprised that the elder Winehouse hasn't revived the idea. But no matter what, a fake Amy Winehouse performing "live" in concert seems particularly sacrilegious. She was, for lack of a better term, just too fucking real.

Amy Winehouse was a young, Jewish, streetwise woman from North London, and her music reflected it. She had grown up on Frank Sinatra, Tony Bennett, Sarah Vaughn, and Dinah Washington, but the persona she created for her own material was completely unvarnished. Her first album Frank, released 20 years ago in the United Kingdom, reflects this approach.

Amy Winehouse was a once in a lifetime talent, an absolute rarity of artist who seemed to be great at everything. She was a gifted songwriter with a powerfully distinctive voice, singing ability, and dominating presence. She was a solid guitar player, with an encyclopedic knowledge of many genres of music, especially jazz. Making things even more amazing was that she was only 20 at the time of Frank 's release.

Frank is very much a jazz album. It's Winehouse's response to what she perceived as the phoniness of the UK's pop music scene during the early 2000s, which she thought was populated by talentless airheads. Winehouse prided herself on her songwriting ability, and as a songwriter, she was wise beyond her years, while still every bit a coarse 20-year-old woman.

Like much of her United States-based audience, I didn't hear Frank until after the smashing success of her sophomore album Back to Black(2006). Back to Black had made her a mega-star, so I was interested in exploring her beginnings. I scooped up Frank when it was re-issued stateside and marveled at the way she seems to personify a seasoned jazz vocalist.

And, truth be told, I was a bit surprised when I really delved into the lyrics. Winehouse pulled no punches when it came to the subject matter of her songs. She spoke about pain, rejection, love, lust, and betrayal, but she did so with a bluntness not found among traditional jazz vocalists. It was simultaneously refreshing and a little off-putting, until I set aside my pre-conceptions and recognized that, yes, 20-year-old women can be skanless too.

Much of the album's production is handled by Salaam Remi, a New York-born producer at the time best known for his collaborations with hip-hop and dancehall artists. Though he'd produced tracks for rappers and groups like Craig G, Da Bush Babees, and Zhigge, he really made his name producing a pair of remixes for the Fugees ("Nappy Head" and "Vocab") that set the stage for the group's "rebirth" with (1996). He'd also produced for such reggae dancehall luminaries as Shabba Ranks, Patra, and Bobby Konders, and was best known for working behind the boards on Ini Kamoze's "Here Comes the Hot Stepper."

By the early 2000s, Remi had begun re-establishing himself through his production for Nas. He'd met Winehouse soon afterwards and began a musical partnership that would last the rest of her career. His production meshed well with her more "hip-hop" sensibilities, even though the soundscape that they created was very much steeped in jazz traditionalism.

Much of Frank 's subject matter seems to deal with Winehouse's break-up with her boyfriend at the time, Chris Taylor. It's a bit hard to know for sure, because Winehouse was relatively private about the meaning of her songs. "Stronger Than Me," the album's lead-off track and first single, is a harsh kiss-off song dedicated to "someone" she had recently been in a relationship with. The musical backdrop, led by Winehouse playing her guitar along a programmed drum track and accompanied by a full horn section on the chorus, belies a deep sea of bitterness and anger.

Winehouse, who co-wrote the song with Remi, remains insistent that she needs her man to take the lead in their relationship, something she insists was lacking with the nameless someone who is probably Taylor. She gets downright mean, questioning both the former boyfriend's masculinity and sexuality, deriding him as a "lady boy" and mocking him for not "liv[ing] up to his role." Two decades later, it's toxicity is extremely off-putting, but it certainly set the tone for the album.

"You Sent Me Flying," another of the album's singles, also deals with her break-up with someone who could well be Taylor. Here she reflects on her ex unceremoniously dumping her due to their difference in age. ("You Sent My Flying" = you kicked me to the curb). She wrestles with her mixed emotions throughout the song with an amazing amount of depth, measuring her feelings of rejection with her own deep feelings about the person she seemed to love. She sings, "And although he's nothing in the scheme of my years / It just serves to bludgeon my futile tears / And I'm not use to this, I observe, I don't chase / But now I'm stuck with consequences, thrust in my face." Much of the song features Winehouse singing over a melody played by a lone piano, with Remi dropping the famous "Hihache" drum-break by the Lafayette Afro Rock Band (best known for its usage on Biz Markie 's "Nobody Beats the Biz") about halfway through.

"In My Bed," the album's second single, is one of Frank 's more interesting compositions. Remi re-uses the "Apache"-sampling beat he created for Nas' hit "Made You Look," adding in a full horn section to enhance the track's majesty. For her part, Winehouse sings to an ex-boyfriend that she is now content in only using him for sexual release. She sings in her typically candid fashion, "Now it's not hard to understand why we just speak at night / The only time I hold your hand is to get the angle right."

Winehouse's "I don't give a fuck" attitude permeates Frank, often manifesting itself in the form of dark humor. On "Fuck Me Pumps," the album's fourth single, Winehouse lampoons scenester women who seem to flood London clubs in search of rich men to begin a relationship with, only to end up in a parade of one-night stands. Winehouse is completely brazen about cheating on her boyfriend on "I Heard Love Is Blind," the most laid-back, lackadaisical song about unapologetic infidelity that I've ever heard. She attempts to downplay her infidelities with another man who looks suspiciously like her partner by telling him, "I can't even remember his name, why're you so upset? / Baby, you weren't there, and I was thinking of you when I came" and "I pretended he was you / You wouldn't want me to be lonely."

But she is also able to shift gears as a songwriter, effortlessly switching from wry humor to deep self-reflection. On "Take the Box," she wrestles with feelings of anger and regret as she ends her relationship with her ex. On the deep and complex "What Is It About Men?" she ponders her own self-destructive nature in trying to form relationships that are doomed to fail, or worse, making all the same mistakes that her father made before. She laments, "I just wanna do my thing / And I'll take the wrong man as naturally as I sing / And I'll save my tears for uncovering my fears / Our behavioral patterns that stick over the years."

Winehouse also does an excellent job infusing a few jazz standards with her own flavor. She lends her unique vocal tones to a reasonably straight-laced cover of "Moody's Mood For Love," best known for its version by King Pleasure during the 1950s, which itself was an adaptation of James Moody's cover "I'm In the Mood For Love." Winehouse uses her song to showcase her vocal range and nimbleness, as she dances through the phrases with ease, backed by a saxophone and echoing percussion.

She follows this up with an understated cover of "(There Is) No Greater Love," a jazz standard originally composed by Isham Jones and Marty Symes, but also performed by the likes of Billie Holiday, Miles Davis, Nat King Cole, Aretha Franklin, and Etta James. Like many of these iconic artists, Winehouse performs it as a ballad, backed notably by a soft guitar, a flute, keys, and occasional sax riffs. Winehouse gets really creative with her reinterpretation of "Mister Magic," one of the album's two bonus tracks. She creates a vocalized version of the instrumental opus by famed saxophonist Grover Washington, transforming the jazz-funk track into a dedication for her love of marijuana.

"Amy, Amy, Amy" features Winehouse at her most sultry. The track practically oozes sex, as she describes her effort to seduce the object of her desire, so thoroughly distracted that she can barely complete writing the song. Musically, the song is dominated by a buoyant bassline and slinky muted trumpet track and is arguably the funkiest entry on the album. Paralyzed with lust, she croons, "From the picture my mind drew, I know I'd look good on you."

Everything completely changed for Winehouse after Frank, both for the better and the worse. She moved to the Camden Town neighborhood of London, where she met Blake Fielder, her future husband and an extremely shady character. By 2006, she'd recorded and released Back to Black, which earned her the fame she completely deserved, but was also completely not ready to deal with.

Even as Back to Black sold millions of copies and turned her into a household name, she was spiraling out of control. She contended with addictions to alcohol, heroin, cocaine, and crack, as well as dealing with crippling eating disorders. She tragically died in 2011, at the age of 27, due to the ravages of her vices and diseases.

Frank is a fascinating look into the musical life of an artist with a wealth of talent who was just discovering how great she could be. It would have been interesting to see if she would have eventually returned to her jazz "roots" as her career progressed. By all accounts, she was talking about forming a jazz/rap group with The Roots' Questlove, Yasiin Bey/ Mos Def, and Raphael Saadiq, and was planning a new solo album with producers Remi and Mark Ronson (who co-produced Back to Black).

Of course, it's all speculation now, as Winehouse is gone far, far too early. But with Frank, we're left with a stunning portrait of a woman who could have had it all.

Editor's note: this anniversary tribute was originally published in 2018 and has since been edited for accuracy and timeliness.

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Rediscover Amy Winehouse's Debut Album 'Frank' (2003) | Tribute

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Everything completely changed for Winehouse after the release of her jazz-imbued debut LP, both for the better and the worse.

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Released in October 2006 by Island Records was Winehouse's second and unfortunately final album. This album was based on her rocky relationship with Blake Fielder-Civil, who briefly left her for his ex-girlfriend. Back to Black still remains the UK's second best selling album of the 21st century. Back to Black was all written by Winehouse and co-produced by Salaam Remi and Mark Ronson.

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Arguably Winehouse's most notable song which won 3 Grammy's, explores her battle with drug and alcohol abuse. The lyrics address her refusing to attend rehab for addiction

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Amy Winehouse's battle with drug and alcohol abuse was a very public matter, which her song 'Rehab' explores. This author retells a fatal pub crawl that ended in an overdose. Medics reported she had a fatal mix of 'alcohol, heroin, cocaine, ecstasy and ketamine' in her system. After being hospitalised she had to cancel her first US tour and management encouraged her to enter rehab, possibly inspiring the lyrics to 'Rehab'. Her public relationship with drugs and alcohol is mostly unseen with celebrities, this influence despite not being healthy or something to look up to shows Winehouse potentially did not let fame change her, she still acted like the young girl from North London she actually was.

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The near-fatal overdose that spawned Amy Winehouse’s ‘Rehab’

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Amy Winehouse’s drug-fuelled night in the London borough of Camden that spawned the song ‘Rehab’ and led to the cancellation of her first US tour.

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The author notes that 'Winehouse gets downright mean, questioning both the former boyfriend’s masculinity and sexuality, deriding him as a “lady boy” and mocking him for not “liv[ing] up to his role.”.' These lyrics, as the author states, shows a toxic, resentful side of Winehouse, but also a relatable side that most people who have gone through a break-up feel towards an ex-partner. These raw feelings show an authenticity and relatability to a 'normal' audience rather than the glamourous side we see when celebrities go through a break up.

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Amy Winehouse and her ex-husband Blake Fielder-Civil were on and off their entire relationship. In 2006 he left her for an ex-girlfriend inspiring the heartbreak album 'Back to Black'. Their controversial relationship was well-known. In 2007, he introduced Winehouse to heroin to which they both became addicted. “Our whole marriage was based on doing drugs.” said Winehouse to News of the World in 2009.

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Inside The Turbulent Relationship Of Amy Winehouse And Blake Fielder-Civil

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“Amy changed overnight after she met Blake. She just sounded completely different. Her personality became more distant.”

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In October 2007 Winehouse and Fielder-Civil were arrested in Norway for marijuana possession and only a month later Fielder-Civil was arrested and imprisoned for a year in connection to a 2006 bar fight. After their divorce they rekindled in 2010, not long after he was again sentenced to 32 months in jail for possession of an imitation fire arm and burglary. Winehouse died while he carried out this sentence.

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Such a publicly controversial toxic relationship is strange to see while in the public eye especially with such troubles with the law. It is almost shameless behaviour, it is nothing to look up to or desire for yourself, like so many celebrities embody, yet fans still did. The realness and rawness of this toxic relationship made it so much more authentic that any Hollywood couple on the red carpet. Even thanking "my Blake, incarcerated" during her acceptance speech at the Grammy's shows that Winehouse did not care about social norms and values in the "Hollywood lifestyle".

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An astounding moment in Amy Winehouse's career was the 50th Annual Grammy Awards in 2008 where she took home 5 awards. She could not attend due to issues with her visa, however she accepted and performed her hit song 'Rehab' and 'You Know I'm No Good' via satellite in London. Surrounded by friends and family in an intimate venue you saw a different side of Winehouse

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In contrast to her addiction and health that had been a public matter for a while now, we see a happy, healthier looking Winehouse. After her name was said she looks like she almost cannot believe it (pictured on the right) and immediately celebrated with her band, mother, and father. Despite topping the charts, and record breaking sales, she still cannot quite believe she has won a Grammy. The humbleness, the working-class London accent, and the celebration with her family just shows why Amy Winehouse was so relatable and therefore beloved.

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Watch Amy Winehouse Win Record Of The Year For "Rehab" In 2008 | GRAMMY Rewind

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A major part of Winehouse's fame was the controversies surrounding her. She was arrested multiple times during her life mostly related to substance abuse and violence. She was arrested in 2008 and twice in 2009 for assault and once in 2008 for substance abuse when a video of her smoking crack cocaine circulated. As this article mentions there was questions raised whether Winehouse deserved her Grammy Awards.

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Major Controversies Surrounding Amy Winehouse: A Detailed Timeline - Popular Timelines

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A deep dive into the most controversial moments in the life of Amy Winehouse. Amy Winehouse (1983-2011) was a highly acclaimed English singer and songwriter celebrated for her distinctive contralto voice and genre-bending music, which fused soul, R&B, reggae, and jazz. Selling over 30 million records globally, she achieved significant commercial success and critical recognition, winning multiple Grammy Awards. Despite her talent, Winehouse struggled with substance abuse, which significantly impacted her career and ultimately led to her premature death at the age of 27. Her raw honesty and unique style continue to influence contemporary music and solidify her legacy as a singular talent.

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This article is a timeline of Amy Winehouse's controversies which apart from her music she was probably most notorious for. It outlines that Fielder-Civil was the one who introduced her to crack cocaine and heroin, that she was arrested in connection to his imprisonment, and their abuse towards each other. Her star image is interesting to look at because despite of these controversies and slating headlines from newspapers (pictured above), she remained beloved and admired by fans. Possibly they knew she was just misguided especially with bad influences like Fielder-Civil.

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This article from Hot Press revisits an old interview from 2007. This interview comes off as quite a casual laid-back conversation. It firsts states off saying she was sober during this interview compared to one she did a few months before. She said "was starting to feel like a freak show – y’know, ‘Let’s stick the telly on and see how pissed Amy Winehouse is’.” This shows that despite her battle with alcohol, she did care how she came across, not as shameless as the press made her seem. She talks about her family, her Jewish heritage, her favourite celebrities and her love-life.

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Amy Winehouse: Revisiting her 2007 interview with Hot Press | Hotpress

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On the 10th anniversary of Amy Winehouse’s tragic death, we’re revisiting her classic interview with Stuart Clark – originally published in Hot Press in 2007.

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These topics she discusses especially personal relationships like with her dad, nan, retelling the story of her first kiss showed she really was just a normal 20-something year old girl. I think the most important part of Winehouse's star image is her down-to-earth personality. Her flaws and authenticity make her seem 'real' unlike these Hollywood stars who have such an unattainable lifestyle.

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Amy Winehouse had an eye-catching, original, retro style that had such a uniqueness and originality to it. This vogue article looks at her take on a retro style with a rockstar twist. Her close friend and stylist said that "Her look had started to develop during her early years in Camden, largely influenced by the characters living there—the rockabillies, punks, ska and indie kids,”. Her iconic beehive, eyeliner, and bold look gave her such a distinct look and was authentic to her roots. Winehouse's style is one of my personal favourite things about her, she did not follow the crowd and was unforgivably herself always making her such a genuine celebrity

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Amy Winehouse Will Forever Be the Queen of Retro Rockabilly Style

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A look back on the late singer’s inimitable wardrobe.

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These are some of her looks I feel like really embody her style and also reflect her personality

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After much digging, this collaboration between Amy Winehouse and Fred Perry was the only piece of collaboration, endorsement, or promotional material Winehouse was involved in. This could be down to controversial behaviour or just personal choice. However, as noted in the article Amy was a loyal Fred Perry fan. She was vey involved in designing the line and it shows - it incorporates her retro style while staying true to Perry's signature look. This being the only endorsement/collaboration shows that it was just not for the money, she genuinely wanted to design, and endorse this brand.

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Fred Perry launches Amy Winehouse collection

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Fred Perry launches a 17-piece collection designed in collaboration with the British singer at an affordable starting retail price of £55.

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The collection still goes on to this day which is in collaboration with the Amy Winehouse Foundation. The genuine want to work with each other is shown by this

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THE AMY WINEHOUSE FOUNDATION Back to Black

Named one of the best, if not the best albums of the 21st Century, Back to Black was the seminal album from Amy Winehouse, whose honest lyrics and unique voice captivated the world over.

We reflect on the anticipation of its launch in 2006 with an interview by Laura Jones, who happened to meet the singer one night in a north London nightclub and, perched on the sinks in the men's toilets, was fortunate enough to grab fifteen minutes with her. The image of Amy was captured on a Nokia handset.

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Amy Winehouse Foundation Collection | Tops & Dresses | Fred Perry UK

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Named one of the best, if not the best albums of the 21st Century, Back to Black was the seminal album from Amy Winehouse, whose honest lyrics and unique voice captivated the world over.

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This mournful yet almost heart-warming article recounts two of her last conversations before she died. The first was with her bodyguard Andrew Morris, who found her dead. She said to him 'If I could I would give it back just to walk down the street with no hassle.' This statement is quite heart-breaking as it showed the fame and the pressure of it all really got to her, possibly worsening her alcohol addiction which unfortunately led to her death. It is more common nowadays for celebrities to open up about the pressure of living in the public eye, however for Winehouse it is a different type of empathy we have for her due to her untimely death

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Amy Winehouse’s chilling last conversation just hours before she died

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The Back to Black star was the voice of a generation - but behind the scenes she was battling demons which would ultimately lead to her untimely death in July 2011

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Only a slightly lighter note, her last conversation was with her band member and long-time friend Dale Davis. They spoke just before she went to bed for the last time. She called him and said 'Dale, I've just been watching myself on YouTube and I can sing, can't I?'. Dale said when interviewed "I'm glad she went to bed with that thought. She needed to appreciate she could sing because she was very humble. Even at her level, a person can never see it in themselves. They probably think, 'Is the adulation real or not?' But to me, Amy is the first star of the millennium,". The modesty of her skills and possibly not realising the pure influence she had on the music industry is such a huge part of her image, the lack of arrogance or self-importance she had was a breath of fresh air in the music industry and what made her so beloved and adored by her friends, family and fans.

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Sadly over her life Winehouse's substance and alcohol abuse affected her live performances notably the last ones. Her last official performance was in Belgrade, Serbia. However, this performance did not go well. It is reported that she was unclear of her band members names when introducing them, what city she was in, mumbling her lyrics and swaying back and forth. In retaliation the crowd booed her for the 30 minutes she was on-stage. Subsequently, the rest of the European tour was cancelled. Despite the troubles in her life she tried to perform, this shows the love Winehouse had for her fans, unfortunately fans there did not see this cry for help and selfishly booed her.

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Amy Winehouse at her last real live show in Belgrade, Serbia on 18 June 2011. Picture: Brian Rasic/Getty Images

The tragic singer performed her final show in Serbia a month before she died. Which songs did she perform?

The death of Amy Winehouse on 23 July 2011 shocked the world. The 27-year-old singer had struggled very publicly with addiction and illness for a number of years, but the news of her passing still took the nation by surprise.

Winehouse had been undergoing treatment for drugs and alcohol, but attempts to turn her life around had not been successful. Her addictions had started to affect her work, and many of her public appearances were either cancelled, truncated or became the horrible spectacle of a young woman in distress.

Her second and final album, Back To Black, was released in October 2006 and between then and her death five years later, no further new material was issued. Her personal life had started to interfere with her music.

Amy's final, full British concert was a chaotic appearance at Bestival in 2008 which saw her arrive on stage an hour late. The weekend had seen the festival suffer torrential rain, but still there was a curiosity among the crowd - and many fans had taken the event's fancy dress theme as an excuse to imitate the singer's unique style.

Winehouse then played five songs at a charity fundraiser at Wrotham Park on 15 September 2009, then a short set at the Fred Perry store in Old Spitalfields Market in London in October 2010, where she covered the Oasis classic Don't Look Back In Anger.

In January 2011, Amy played five dates in Brazil, still performing material that had been in her set for half a decade. The shows were well received - apart from Amy having to leave the stage briefly during her set at Summer Soul in Sao Paolo.

Her next gig didn't go so well. At Dubai's Festival City Arena on 11 February, the singer was booed by the audience who thought she was drunk. Winehouse's management said afterwards: "Unfortunately, Amy's in ear monitors weren't working so she couldn't hear herself while singing. This meant some songs being cut short, leaving the stage for a bit to see if they could be fixed and handing over to her backing singer Zalon [Thompson] to sing one more song than he usually would."

A 12-date European tour was set for June 2011 and heralded the big comeback for Amy Winehouse. Having checked out of the Priory clinic at the start of the month after having treatment for her drinking problem, the first show was at Kalemegdan Park in Belgrade, Serbia on 18 June as part of the Tuborg Festival - but the event was a disaster for the singer.

According to the New Zealand Herald, the show was a "staggering flop" and went on to claim that half the gig "consisted of an attempt to introduce the members of her bemused band which appeared to be stymied by her inability to remember their names."

The report added: "She was likewise unclear about her location, first greeting the audience 'in Athens' and then 'in New York'.

Moby, who was also appearing at the festival that day, recalled that he'd tried to reach out to the singer. "From backstage, I could hear the audience booing louder than the music," he told the Hollywood Reporter a few days after Amy's death.

"Amy was just standing there, swaying back and forth and mumbling occasionally. She was on stage for about 30 minutes, then she left and was lying down on a flight case backstage surrounded by some people.

"I was horrified."

Serbian defence minister Dragan Sutanovac even called the show "a huge shame and a disappointment". Subsequent dates in Turkey and Greece were cancelled, before the rest of the tour was axed.

A statement read: ""Everyone involved wishes to do everything they can to help her return to her best and she will be given as long as it takes for this to happen."
So what did Amy Winehouse play at her final proper gig?
Amy Winehouse, Kalemegdan Park in Belgrade, Serbia, 18 June 2011 setlist

Just Friends (from Back To Black)

Addicted (from Back To Black)

Tears Dry On Their Own (from Back To Black)

I'm On The Outside (Looking In) (originally recorded by Little Anthony & The Imperials in 1964)

Some Unholy War (from Back To Black)

Boulevard of Broken Dreams (recorded by Hal Kemp and His Orchestra in 1933)

Back To Black (the title track of her second album)

Love Is A Losing Game (from Back To Black)

You Know I'm No Good (from Back To Black)

Valerie (cover of The Zutons' 2006 single)

You're Wondering Now (recorded by Andy & Joey in 1964)

Amy Winehouse's final public appearance was at the Roundhouse in Camden on 20 July, three days before her death. She appeared with her god-daughter Dionne Bromfield who was supporting boy band The Wanted at the iTunes Festival, arriving onstage for the final song, a cover of The Shirelle's Mama Said.

On 23 July 2011, Amy Winehouse was found dead at her home in Camden, North London. After a second inquest in 2013, the reason for her death was named as accidental alcohol poisoning. She was just 27 years old.

If you or anyone you know has been affected by this story, please seek help from the helplines below:
The Samaritans
Tel: 116 123
samaritans.org Mind
MindInfoline: 0300 123 3393
CALM (Campaign Against Living Miserably)
Helpline: 0800 58 58 58
thecalmzone.net

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Amy Winehouse's last performance: the final songs she performed

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The tragic singer performed her final show in Serbia a month before she died. Which songs did she perform?

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Her last public performance was on 20th July 2011, three days before her death. She joined her goddaughter Dionne Bromfeild who was supporting the band The Wanted. She did not sign much but appeared much more coherent than her previous performance.

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Amy Winehouse's dedication to friends, family, and fans is a common theme in this analysis. As said by close friend Dale Davis, "If she liked you, she really liked you. If she loved you, she loved you hard. She was a warm, beautiful, generous person." We do not know the specifics of her health and general well-being in her last days but for her to show up and perform with and for family and fans shows how dedicated she was.

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In honour of Amy Winehouse, the Amy Winehouse Foundation helps young people by providing recovery housing for young women, recovery pathways for young people, music therapy for children and providing programmes for schools. "Our work is inspired by Amy’s spirit, her love of children and the challenges that she faced in her own life." Winehouse's devoted, caring spirit lives on showing the impact of her star image.

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Amy Winehouse Foundation - Amy Winehouse Foundation

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Become a part of Amy's legacySupport our work and help to change the lives of young people.Learn moreResilience work with young people Helping young people to make informed choices about drugs and alcohol. Learn moreAmy's Place - Recovery housing for young women Giving women a safe place to recover from addiction.

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The 'Back to Black' biopic was released in 2024 starring Marisa Abela as Amy Winehouse and directed by Sam Taylor-Johnson. However, this film faced major backlash as the article looks at. Fans questions whether the biopic is an authentic homage or an exploitative means to make money. After the success of the documentary Amy (2015) fans questioned if another film is justified. Given Winehouse's troubled life the film revolves around sensitive topics that possibly should not be profited off.

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Back to Black: Why the controversial Amy Winehouse biopic is angering fans

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As a trailer is released for Back to Black, which stars Marisa Abela as Amy Winehouse, what do we know about the film so far and why are some upset by it?

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This links back to her management and potentially her father who were accused of exploiting her during her lifetime while she struggled with drugs and alcohol. The exploitation she faced while alive means she was some what of a victim, due to this some fans may be protective over especially her legacy which continues to thrive to this day.

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Amy Winehouse's full star image is shown by this foundation continuing to thrive and support young people. Her care, love, and talent while also not ignoring her struggles with substance and alcohol abuse by helping people in the same situations.

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The dissonant personas of a female celebrity: Amy and the public self of Amy Winehouse

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The dissonant personas of a female celebrity: Amy and the public self of Amy Winehouse

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This academic article compares public self created persona of Amy Winehouse to the persona created by the filmmakers of the documentary Amy (2015). This author argues the film relies on the archetypal trope of women as victims. The director claims the film was to overturn the negative image the mainstream media had of Winehouse. The documentary is supposed to show Winehouse as "a young girl in need of protection from the tragic downward spiral that eventually ended her life." However, this author argues his attempt to reinvent her just paints her as a stereotypical female victim.

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"Amy Winehouse is portrayed as deeply vulnerable, psychologically damaged by childhood experiences, susceptible to male influence, transparently autobiographical in her artistic work and propelled by a tragic life trajectory towards self-destruction. In contrast, Winehouse’s complicated self-authored public persona is founded on excessive performativity, a close identification with her working-class origins and active resistance to contemporary neoliberal values of decorous femininity and self-control." (Polaschek, 2017)

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Her lyrics help construct her image as both vulnerable and rebellious. The contrast between other more typical early-2000s pop stars give her a rebellious or anti-pop image, making her stand out as a musician and also public figure.

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Unlike most pop stars, Winehouse did not conceal her struggles shown by the lyrics "They tried to make me go to rehab, I said no, no, no." Her resistance to the industry and the public positioned her as an anti-celebrity. Her openness about addiction and resistance to pressures gives her a raw authenticity not seen regularly; this both is fascinating and concerning to audiences.

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This turbulent relationship was a defining part of Winehouse's star image. The on and off relationship combined with drug use and legal troubles were prominent stories in the tabloids. This chaotic narrative became part of her celebrity image. Despite it's dangers, this relationship was key in defining her rebellious anti-pop star allure.

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In contrast to this rebellious anti-pop star image we have previously seen. She seems more at peace surrounded by friends and family. The blend of talent, humility and warmth solidified her long-lasting appeal and love by fans.

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It is possible her star image of the rebellious anti-pop star saved her from the scrutiny of tabloids. Her upfrontness about the chaos, drug use, and toxic relationships gave her that authenticity, 'if you don't like it, leave' attitude. Her fans knew who she was, therefore did not marginalise her for her behaviour.

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This interviews shows the duality of her star image, while being self-aware of her issues with alcohol and how the media like to portray her in a relaxed, humorous manner. However, there is a tone of frustration about her image in the media, this leads to the more vulnerable, relatable side we see especially when talking about her family, heritage, and relationships, we see just an "ordinary girl". The lack of media training we see just adds to the authenticity.

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Her mixing of influences crafted an star image that was cultural, genuine musical talent. Her rebellious rock and roll style reflected her image perfectly. Her off-duty looks were simple and basic, in contrast to her extraordinary looks. She embodies that authenticity, by looking normal to looking like nobody else

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This highlights the crucial part of her star image; authenticity. Only working with Fred Perry as it aligned with her style and image is important. Most celebs endorse for economic reasons. Winehouse wanted to celebrate her personal style with the brand and her fans. Her resistance with commerciality is an major part of her star image and only adds to her authenticity.

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These final conversations really highlight that more vulnerable, humble side of Amy Winehouse. Focussing away from her rebellious side, we see how much the pressure of fame and scrutiny got to her. The emphasis of her humility by close friends is central to her appeal from fans. Her grounded perception of herself contradicts the adoration her fans have for her, possibly revealing why there is such an admiration despite her reckless behaviour.

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These moments highlight Winehouse's dedication to the musical craft and her fans. While these performances do demonstrate her anti-pop star image, I believe they look more at her vulnerable side. The commitment to perform in that state to then be met by a hostile crowd perfectly embodies Winehouse's relationship with fame and the public eye. Her last performance being supporting her goddaughter shows the warm, generous side of Winehouse as a grounded artist. They solidify her star image as not a polished artist but an authentic humble star.

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The Foundation reinforces Winehouse's compassionate, generous more vulnerable side without dismissing the rebellious side which led to her untimely death, instead offering support for people going through the same struggles. This preserves her star image as a caring, talented, flawed yet human that made her so beloved.

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The star image being intertwined with exploitation, media scrutiny and vulnerability is shown by the protective critique by fans. Winehouse is remembered by both sides of her star image, the rebellious side and the human side. The debate around the biopic is whether her legacy and image should be preserved by memories or potentially let the media rewrite it inaccurately or innapropiately.

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While Amy Winehouse did have that vulnerable image we explored, as the author says she is represented as purely a victim of others behaviour, exploitation and manipulation. This dismisses a huge part of her star image - the rebellious, anti-pop star. While that might be a more dangerous topic to present while still remaining respectful, it comes off as more disrespectful removing a major part of her star image.

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The reason for the tabloid's rejecting Winehouse's rebellious image could be down to gendered norms and values. A study by Berkers and Eeckelaer (2014) found that “Pete Doherty is discussed much more positively (rock and roll) than Winehouse (rock and fall)” (Berkers and Eeckelaer, 2014). As they note the collection of ‘rebellious’ behaviours “sex, drugs, and rock and roll – has been naturalized as highly masculine” (Berkers and Eeckelaer, 2014). Pete Doherty displayed a similar rebellious persona like Winehouse but it was not received or represented in the same ways.