Amy Winehouse: An intimate look at the iconic soul singer
She was talented and legendary, but also vulnerable. As the documentary "Amy" comes out in Germany, DW takes a closer look at Amy Winehouse's life and music
Excess and vulnerability
She was a fun-loving young woman and incredibly talented singer. As is the case with so many other artistic genii, her life was a melodrama - full of grand successes and tragedies. The documentary on her life by British director Asif Kapadia opens in German cinemas on July 16. It portrays the soul diva in search of herself and in the clutches of the powerful music industry.
That hair!
The film doesn't show much interest in Amy's life prior to her stardom. But it does give insights into her Jewish family, which lives in northern London, with never-before-seen footage. Amy's parents separated when she was nine years old. The undated photo reveals her childhood tendency for thoughtfulness.
Rebellious youth
Amy was notorious for problems in school and changed schools five times. Later, she studied theater in London, but dropped out after only a year. What was more important than school for her? Music: She began writing her own songs as a teenager.
National breakthrough
Amy Winehouse signed her first record contract at the age of 19. She wrote all the songs on the album herself, except for two. She said at the time that she could only write songs based on her own experiences. Titled "Frank," the album climbed the charts in Great Britain and she became a household name. Her trademark eyeliner wasn't quite so dark back then in 2004.
Looking the part
Amy's international breakthrough came in 2007 when her album "Back to Black" topped the charts in 14 countries. She started developing her look as a soul singer, with large tattoos and a retro beehive hairstyle. Amy performed all over the world and at the most important festivals. That year, however, her alcohol problem started becoming evident.
MTV Awards
In November 2007, she won the Artists' Choice Award at the MTV Europe Music Awards and performed at the ceremony in Munich. Amy Winehouse was in the spotlight for eight years and produced only two albums. But "Back to Black" and "Rehab" have immortalized her nevertheless.
Endless scandals
Amy Winehouse won countless Grammys and her songs dominated the international charts. But in fall 2007, she conquered the headlines with news of her drug and alcohol abuse. She's pictured here at a live performance in Dublin.
Downward spiral
The crash came at the pinnacle of her career. Amy was married to Black Fielder-Civil from 2007 to 2009, and couldn't quite detach herself from him. He allegedly introduced her to hard drugs and apparently prevented her from going to rehab.
The shadow of success
By the end of 2007, Amy Winehouse had become the best-paid women in show business in the UK. In 2008, she received five Grammys. But due to her drug problems, she was denied a visa to the US and had to make a video appearance instead.
Support for Mandela
Amy performed in London's Hyde Park at a concert honoring the 90th birthday of Nelson Mandela. She was involved in Mandela's AIDS campaign, but when it came to health, her own was suffering. By 2008, she cut back on live shows.
Pattern of self-destruction
It became increasingly evident that Amy Winehouse was the victim of her own self-destruction. She suffered from bulimia as a result of her drug addiction and became very frail. Nevertheless, she broke worldwide records with her album sales in 2007 and 2008.
Pearls in court
From January to August 2009, Amy went to a rehab clinic on the Caribbean Island of St. Lucia. Her father was her constant companion. By that time, she hardly made any public appearances. In July 2009, she was called to court in London after being accused of attacking a female fan.
Court cases
In January 2010, Amy was once again accused of physical aggression - this time against a theater manager. She confessed in a court in the English town of Milton Keynes.
Botched comeback
In 2011, Amy planned a comeback and gave a successful performace in Brazil in January of that year. There, she premiered five new songs, which she'd planned for her third album. The start of her European tour ended in a disaster: She turned up so drunk to her concert in Belgrade that she could hardly stand up.
Lost too soon
On July 25, 2011, Amy Winehouse was found dead in her apartment. The 27-year-old talent was lost to chemical addiction and the pressures of the music business.
A father remembers
Amy's father, Mitch Winehouse, erected a memorial to her in Camden Town in fall 2014. He provided Asif Kapadia with much of the footage, but criticized the completed documentary for casting his daughter in a false light.