Five years ago, on June 23, 2011, the music industry lost an icon and one of its brightest stars.
“I’m not a girl trying to be a star or trying to be anything other than a musician. I don’t think I’m gonna be at all famous,” Amy Winehouse once said.
Little did she know that she would one day be a household name, earning fans all over the world for her powerful voice and distinctive blend of soul, rhythm and blues and jazz. Critics fell in love with her too, and the petite brunette from north London was showered with accolades (including multiple Grammy, BRIT, Mercury Prize and Ivor Novello awards and nominations) throughout her career.
However, even as her star continued to rise, Amy’s battles with the darker side of the rock’n’roll lifestyle began to take their toll.
Her tumultuous relationship with Blake Fielder-Civil and struggles with drugs and alcohol became just as well-known as her musical exploits, and on July 23, 2011, the world was rocked by the news that the enormously talented singer had died of alcohol poisoning.
Her loss left a gaping hole in the music industry, and her peers were quick to pay heartfelt tribute to Amy and her legacy.
“Amy paved the way for artists like me and made people excited about British music again whilst being fearlessly hilarious and blase about the whole thing,” Adele said of the singer-songwriter.
“I don’t think she ever realized just how brilliant she was and how important she is, but that just makes her even more charming.”
Today, five years after the singer’s sudden and tragic death, we celebrate her life and career.
Before her fame and her signature beehive hairstyle, Amy sang in bars. Here she is as a supporting act at the Mobo Awards Nominations 2003, at Tantra Nightclub In Kingley Street In Soho, London. The next year, Frank would be released and fame would begin to creep up on her.
Amy Winehouse at an appearance for her first album, Frank at HMV on Oxford Street in London, January 15, 2004.
Later in 2004, Amy looked excited as she attended the Brit Awards Nominations ceremony, where she was up for Best Urban Act and British Female Solo Artist. She did not win that year, but in 2007, the year after Back to Black was released, she took home the award for British Female Solo Artist.
Amy performs on stage on June 29, 2007 during the Eurockéennes Music Festival in Belfort, Eastern France.
In 2007, Back to Black topped the charts for two weeks in January, and was later announced as the best selling album in the UK for that year, selling 1.85 million copies.
At the 2008 Grammys, Amy Winehouse was up for Record of the Year, Song of the Year, Best Female Pop Vocal Performance for the single ‘Rehab’, Best Pop Vocal Album as well as Album of the Year. Mark Ronson, her producer, was also nominated for Producer of the Year.
Winehouse attended the Grammy awards ceremony via satellite from London, with her visa approval not being processed in time.
She perfromed “You Know I’m No Good” and “Rehab” despite being across the Atlantic ocean from where the Grammys were being held.
Watch the video on the next slide to see her reaction to the winner announcement….
Gallery continues after video
Amy Winehouse Grammy
On the night, Amy cleaned up, taking away the awards for Record of the Year, Song of the Year, Best Female Pop Vocal Performance for ‘Rehab’ and Best Pop Vocal Album. Her stunned reaction to winning Record of the Year went down in history.
Amy Winehouse and her producer Mark Ronson looked ecstatic to be performing on stage at the Brit Awards 2008 in London, with Mark playing a twin necked guitar.
Amy and her husband Blake Fielder-Civil embrace as they arrive at the 2007 MTV Movie Awards, both dressed all in black.
Amy Winehouse performs at Glastonbury in 2008.
