Amy Winehouse

Amy Winehouse was an English singer and songwriter known for her deep, soulful voice and musical style that mixed multiple genres.

Born in 1983 to Jewish parents in England, Winehouse took an interest in music, theater, singing, and jazz from an early age. After playing around with her brother’s guitar at age 14, Winehouse began writing her own music. By age 19, in 2002, she had procured professional representation and by 2003, she had released her jazz-influenced debut studio album, Frank, which peaked at #3 on the UK charts, going triple platinum.

Winehouse’s short career was as prolific as it was celebrated. Her second studio album, Back to Black (2006), hit #1 in the US, and went 16x platinum in the UK. She also released two live albums, five extended plays, 15 singles, three video albums, and 14 music videos. Her music has sold more than 20 million albums, and earned numerous accolades, including six Grammy Awards (and another two nominations). She also won a Brit Award (and another seven nominations) and an MTV Award (and another nine nominations). In 2009, the Guinness World Records recognized Winehouse as the record-holder for most Grammy Awards won by a British female artist.

Amy’s troubled — and often public — personal life and recurring battles with drug addiction, self-harm, and eating disorders colored some of her best work. Her struggles endeared her to fans who could relate to her vulnerability and fight against adversity. 

The singer was always open about her bisexuality; friends reported her to have said: 

I like girls as well. I have had relationships with other women but that doesn’t mean I don’t still love [men]. There is something about being with a woman that is very satisfying. I don’t care what people think about me being bi — I do what feels good.

Winehouse died in 2011 at age 27 of alcohol poisoning. While her life was tragically cut short, her music and legacy live on. In the wake of her death, Winehouse’s family set up the Amy Winehouse Foundation, a registered charity in England and Wales to help vulnerable or disadvantaged people

In 2012, VH1 ranked Winehouse 26th on their list of 100 Greatest Women in Music, and in 2023, Rolling Stone ranked her 83rd on their list of 200 Greatest Singers of All Time. Artists from Adele, to Duffy, to Lady Gaga, Halsey, and Billie Eilish have credited Amy Winehouse as having influenced their music and having helped pave the way for their success.

In 2015, a documentary was made of Winehouse’s life called Amy, which won the 2016 Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature. In 2024, a biopic was made about her life and music, titled after her second album, Back to Black.