Amy Winehouse facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Amy Winehouse
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Winehouse performing at the Eurockéennes Music Festival in 2007
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| Born |
Amy Jade Winehouse
14 September 1983 Southgate, London, England
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| Died | 23 July 2011 (aged 27) Camden Town, London, England
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| Resting place | Edgwarebury Cemetery, Edgware, London, England |
| Education | Sylvia Young Theatre School |
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| Years active | 2002–2011 |
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Works
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| Spouse(s) |
Blake Fielder-Civil
(m. 2007; div. 2009) |
| Partner(s) |
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| Awards | Full list |
| Musical career | |
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Amy Jade Winehouse (born September 14, 1983 – died July 23, 2011) was a talented English singer and songwriter. She was famous for her deep, powerful voice. Amy mixed many music styles, like soul, rhythm and blues, reggae, and jazz.
Her first album, Frank, came out in 2003. Many songs on it were inspired by jazz music. Amy co-wrote most of the songs herself. Frank was very popular in the UK. It was even nominated for the Mercury Prize. Her song "Stronger Than Me" won an Ivor Novello Award. This award is for great songwriting.
In 2006, Amy released her next album, Back to Black. This album became a huge hit around the world. It is one of the best-selling albums in UK history. At the 2007 Brit Awards, Back to Black was nominated for Album of the Year. Amy won the award for British Female Solo Artist. Her song "Rehab" earned her another Ivor Novello Award.
At the Grammy Awards in 2008, Amy won five awards. This was a record for a female artist at that time. She was the first British woman to win five Grammys in one night. These included Best New Artist, Record of the Year, and Song of the Year for "Rehab." She also won Best Pop Vocal Album. After she passed away, Back to Black became the UK's best-selling album of the 21st century for a short time.
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Amy Winehouse's Early Life
Amy Jade Winehouse was born on September 14, 1983, in London, England. Her parents were Jewish. Her father, Mitch Winehouse, was a taxi driver. Her mother, Janis Winehouse, was a pharmacist. Amy had an older brother named Alex. The family lived in Southgate, London.
Many of Amy's family members were jazz musicians. Her grandmother, Cynthia, was a singer. Amy's parents and grandmother helped her love jazz music. Her father often sang Frank Sinatra songs to her. Amy's parents separated when she was nine. She lived with her mother.
In 1992, her grandmother suggested Amy go to the Susi Earnshaw Theatre School. There, she learned to sing and tap dance. She later went to the Sylvia Young Theatre School. Amy was a talented writer. She bought her own guitar at 14 and started writing songs. She also worked as a journalist and sang with a local band. In 2000, she became a singer for the National Youth Jazz Orchestra. Amy was inspired by jazz singers like Sarah Vaughan and Dinah Washington. Her friend, Tyler James, sent her music demo to a record company.
Amy Winehouse's Music Career
Amy Winehouse signed with 19 Management in 2002. She was kept a secret in the music world at first. But she often sang jazz songs at the Cobden Club. A person from Island Records, Darcus Beese, heard her singing. He decided he wanted to sign her. It took him months to find out who she was. By then, Amy had already recorded songs and was working with producer Salaam Remi.
Amy signed with Island Records. Other record companies were also interested in her. Beese felt that people were excited about Amy because she was different from typical pop stars. People wanted real, new talent.
Frank Album Release
Amy's first album, Frank, came out on October 20, 2003. Salaam Remi produced most of the songs. Many songs had a jazz feel. Amy co-wrote almost every song. Critics loved the album. They praised her honest lyrics. Her voice was compared to famous singers like Sarah Vaughan.
The album did very well in the UK Albums Chart in 2004. It was nominated for two Brit Awards. These were for Best British Female Solo Artist and Best British Urban Act. The album sold enough copies to become platinum. Later in 2004, Amy and Remi won an Ivor Novello Award for their song "Stronger Than Me." Frank was also nominated for the 2004 Mercury Music Prize.
Back to Black Album Success
Her next album, Back to Black, was released on October 30, 2006. It quickly reached number one on the UK Albums Chart. In the US, it started at number seven on the Billboard 200. It was the best-selling album in the UK in 2007. It sold 1.85 million copies that year.
The first song from the album was "Rehab." This song reached the top ten in both the UK and the US. Time magazine called "Rehab" the Best Song of 2007. The second song, "You Know I'm No Good," came out in January 2007. The main song, "Back to Black," was released in the UK in April 2007. Other songs like "Tears Dry on Their Own" and "Love Is a Losing Game" were also released.
On February 10, 2008, Amy Winehouse won five Grammy Awards. She won for Record of the Year, Song of the Year, and Best Female Pop Vocal Performance for "Rehab." She also won Best Pop Vocal Album. Amy also won a Grammy for Best New Artist. This earned her a spot in the Guinness Book of Records. Back to Black was also nominated for Album of the Year.
After the Grammys, Back to Black sales went up even more. It reached number two on the US Billboard 200. On February 20, 2008, Amy performed at the Brit Awards in London. She sang "Valerie" with Mark Ronson. A special deluxe version of Back to Black topped the UK album charts in March 2008. Back to Black was the world's seventh-biggest-selling album of 2008.
Other Projects and Activities
Amy Winehouse supported many causes. She joined a campaign to protect the George Tavern, a famous music venue in London. She also appeared in a photo for a breast cancer awareness campaign.
In January 2009, Amy announced she was starting her own record label. It was called Lioness Records. The first artist on her label was her 13-year-old goddaughter, Dionne Bromfield. Dionne's first album, with classic soul songs, came out in October 2009. Amy sang backup on some of the songs.
Amy Winehouse also worked with the Fred Perry fashion brand. They created a 17-piece clothing collection. It was released in October 2010. Amy was very involved in choosing styles and colors. After her death, three more collections she had designed were released.
Awards and Recognitions
Amy Winehouse received many awards for her music. For her first album, Frank, she won an Ivor Novello Award for Best Contemporary Song ("Stronger Than Me"). She was also nominated for a Brit Award.
Her second album, Back to Black, earned her even more awards. She won two Brit Awards, including Best British Female Solo Artist. She won five Grammy Awards. She also received four Ivor Novello Awards, four MTV Europe Music Awards, and three MTV Video Music Awards. In total, Amy Winehouse received 23 awards from 60 nominations during her career.
Charity Work
Amy Winehouse was very generous. She gave her money, music, and time to many charities. She especially helped charities that focused on children. She was once called "the most charitable act" by Pop World. While many people didn't know about this side of her, she was known for her kindness in the music and charity communities.
Amy Winehouse's Personal Life
Amy Winehouse was raised Jewish and was proud of her heritage. She often wore a large Star of David necklace. In 2013, the Jewish Museum London held an exhibition about her. It was called "Amy Winehouse: A Family Portrait." It explored her family's history in London.
Amy had 14 known tattoos. One said "Daddy's Girl" for her father. Another showed a pin-up girl named "Cynthia" for her grandmother.
Relationships
Amy Winehouse married Blake Fielder-Civil on May 18, 2007. They later divorced on August 28, 2009. From 2010 until her death, she was in a relationship with British writer and director Reg Traviss.
Amy Winehouse's Passing
Amy Winehouse passed away on July 23, 2011, at the age of 27. On September 16, 2012, her ashes were buried next to her grandmother's.
Legacy and Tributes to Amy Winehouse
Artwork and Memorials
Artists have created many tributes to Amy Winehouse. In 2008, a sculpture of her called Excess was shown in London. Another artwork, a print called Celebrity 1, was also displayed.
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In 2012, Amy was chosen by artist Sir Peter Blake to be in a new version of his famous artwork. This was the cover of The Beatles' Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band album.
On September 14, 2014, which would have been her 31st birthday, a bronze statue of Amy was unveiled. It is located at Stables Market in Camden Town, London. Sculptor Scott Eaton created the statue. He wanted it to show her "attitude and strength, but also give subtle hints of insecurity." Amy's father, Mitch, said the statue means "Amy will oversee the comings and goings of her home town forever."
In March 2020, Amy Winehouse's name was added to the new Music Walk of Fame in Camden.
Amy Winehouse's Influence on Music
Amy Winehouse had a big impact on other musicians. Singers like Adele and Lady Gaga have said Amy helped open doors for them. They felt Amy made it easier for unique female artists to become popular.
Many other artists have said Amy Winehouse influenced them. These include Bruno Mars, Tove Lo, Jessie J, Lana Del Rey, Sam Smith, and Billie Eilish. After Back to Black was released, record companies started looking for more female artists with a similar sound. Amy's success led to a wave of talented British female singers becoming popular worldwide.
Films About Amy Winehouse
Documentary Film
A documentary film called Amy was released on July 3, 2015. It was directed by Asif Kapadia. The film tells the story of Amy Winehouse's life and relationships. It was highly praised and won many awards. These included the Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature at the 2016 Oscars. It also won Best Music Film at the 2016 Grammy Awards.
Biopic Film
In October 2018, it was announced that a movie about Amy Winehouse's life and career would be made. This type of film is called a biopic. In July 2022, it was reported that the film would be called Back To Black. It is directed by Sam Taylor-Johnson. British actress Marisa Abela plays Amy Winehouse in the movie. Filming started in London in January 2023.
Musical Stage Show
On October 9, 2017, Amy's father, Mitch, announced that a musical about Amy was being planned. This musical would be shown in famous theaters like West End in London and Broadway in New York.
Amy Winehouse's Albums
- Frank (2003)
- Back to Black (2006)
Films Featuring Amy Winehouse
- Amy (2015)
- Amy Winehouse: Back to Black (2018)
- Reclaiming Amy (2021)
Images for kids
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Winehouse with Mick Jagger at the 2007 Isle of Wight Festival, England.
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Winehouse backstage with her band in March 2009
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Winehouse performing in Brazil in January 2011, one of her last concerts before her death
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The first act on Winehouse's record label was her goddaughter Dionne Bromfield.
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Winehouse was influenced by soul girl groups such as the Ronettes, whose look she imitated.
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Winehouse in Los Angeles, 2007
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Romanian singers Rona Hartner, Paula Seling, Nico and Maria Radu performing at a memorial Amy Winehouse concert in Bucharest on 23 October 2011
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Street art depicting Winehouse can be found all over the world, including this piece in her native Camden Town.
See also
In Spanish: Amy Winehouse para niños
