Amy Winehouse - dead at 27.
Iconic singer Amy Winehouse died this weekend. Her father tweeted about her being “fine” eleven days ago. Sadly reality told him otherwise. On Saturday the smokey-voiced singer died following an 48 hour ecstasy and booze binge at her house in Camden/London.
Having recorded the famous Back to Black album in 2006 Winehouse has written music history at an early stage in her life. Her success was overwhelming. With only 24 years of age the singer has won 4 Grammy Awards and was supposed to be paid £1million to perform at a private event in Moscow. But her ground breaking career has had its dark side as well with massive alcohol and drug abuse. Winehouse joins famous musicians such as Jimi Hendrix, Jim Morrison, Janis Joplin and Kurt Cobain, who also died at 27 after a long battle with substance abuse.
But why has Winehouse managed to become such an iconic figure?
It was not difficult to spot Amy's talent. Her soulful voice was just incredible. But her trademark beehive hairdoo, her tattoos and the crazy cat-eye make-up have also been an essential part of her strong personality. According to Lady Gaga Winehouse made it easier for “unconventional women to have mainstream pop success.”
Whereas her wacky behavior, her wild relationships and her up and downs have been exploited by the yellow press her real lifetime achievement was the establishment of a new music genre. In this context John Legend assumed that Winehouse (in corporation with producer Mark Ronson) “reinvigorated the Jukebox genre by overcoming the vintage aspect”.
With only 27 years of age Winehouse has managed to become a unique artist, who leaves her traces in the world for decades to come. While changing the outer music world forever her inner world seemed to have struggled till the end.
Having recorded the famous Back to Black album in 2006 Winehouse has written music history at an early stage in her life. Her success was overwhelming. With only 24 years of age the singer has won 4 Grammy Awards and was supposed to be paid £1million to perform at a private event in Moscow. But her ground breaking career has had its dark side as well with massive alcohol and drug abuse. Winehouse joins famous musicians such as Jimi Hendrix, Jim Morrison, Janis Joplin and Kurt Cobain, who also died at 27 after a long battle with substance abuse.
But why has Winehouse managed to become such an iconic figure?
It was not difficult to spot Amy's talent. Her soulful voice was just incredible. But her trademark beehive hairdoo, her tattoos and the crazy cat-eye make-up have also been an essential part of her strong personality. According to Lady Gaga Winehouse made it easier for “unconventional women to have mainstream pop success.”
Whereas her wacky behavior, her wild relationships and her up and downs have been exploited by the yellow press her real lifetime achievement was the establishment of a new music genre. In this context John Legend assumed that Winehouse (in corporation with producer Mark Ronson) “reinvigorated the Jukebox genre by overcoming the vintage aspect”.
With only 27 years of age Winehouse has managed to become a unique artist, who leaves her traces in the world for decades to come. While changing the outer music world forever her inner world seemed to have struggled till the end.