Discover the career path of Amy Winehouse, from the first major opportunity to industry-changing achievements.
Amy Winehouse was a highly acclaimed English singer and songwriter, celebrated for her distinctive contralto voice and her fusion of soul, R&B, reggae, and jazz. She achieved global success, selling over 30 million records. Despite her talent and fame, Winehouse struggled with substance abuse, which overshadowed her career and ultimately contributed to her untimely death at the age of 27. Her raw and honest lyrics, combined with her unique vocal style, left an indelible mark on the music industry, solidifying her status as a significant figure in contemporary music.
In July 2000, Winehouse became the featured female vocalist with the National Youth Jazz Orchestra, marking an early milestone in her singing career.
In 2002, Amy Winehouse signed with Simon Fuller's 19 Management, receiving an initial payment, and beginning her journey into the professional music industry.
On 20 October 2003, Amy Winehouse's debut album, "Frank", was released, receiving critical acclaim for its jazz influences and lyrical content.
In 2003, Amy Winehouse released her debut album, "Frank", which was influenced by jazz and critically acclaimed, establishing her presence in the music scene.
In May 2006, demo tracks like "You Know I'm No Good" and "Rehab" from Amy Winehouse's upcoming album were featured on Mark Ronson's radio show, showcasing her new material.
In October 2006, Amy Winehouse's official website was relaunched with a new layout and clips of previously unreleased songs, signaling the promotion of "Back to Black."
In 2006, Amy Winehouse earned an Ivor Novello Award from the British Academy of Songwriters for Best Contemporary Song ("Stronger Than Me"), a Brit Award nomination for Best British Female Solo Artist, and an inclusion in Robert Dimery's 2006 book, 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die.
In 2006, Winehouse released "Back to Black," an album that achieved international success and became one of the best-selling albums in UK history.
In early 2006, Amy Winehouse experienced a rebound that coincided with writing her album Back to Black, after a difficult period in 2005.
In January 2007, Amy Winehouse released "You Know I'm No Good" as the second single from "Back to Black," featuring a remix with rap vocals by Ghostface Killah.
In April 2007, the title track "Back to Black" was released as a single in the UK, achieving success across mainland Europe.
In August 2007, Amy Winehouse cancelled shows in the UK and Europe, citing exhaustion and ill health. She was hospitalized for a reported overdose of heroin, ecstasy, cocaine, ketamine, and alcohol.
In November 2007, the deluxe edition of Amy Winehouse's "Back to Black" was released in the UK, featuring bonus tracks and live recordings.
On 17 December 2007, Amy Winehouse's collaboration with Mutya Buena, "B Boy Baby," was released, serving as the fourth single from Buena's debut album.
In January 2008, Amy Winehouse's record label observed that the extensive media coverage, despite often being negative, was contributing to increased record sales.
On 10 February 2008, Amy Winehouse won five Grammy Awards, including Record of the Year, Song of the Year, and Best New Artist. Due to visa issues, she performed via satellite from London. She referenced the Camden Market fire in her acceptance speech.
On 20 February 2008, Amy Winehouse performed at the Brit Awards in London, singing "Valerie" with Mark Ronson and "Love Is a Losing Game". She also showed support for Blake Fielder-Civil.
On 2 March 2008, the special deluxe edition of "Back to Black" reached the top of the UK album charts.
As part of a breast cancer awareness campaign, Amy Winehouse appeared in a photograph for the April 2008 issue of Easy Living magazine.
In June 2008, Amy Winehouse performed at Nelson Mandela's 90th Birthday Party concert in London's Hyde Park on June 27 and at the Glastonbury Festival on June 28.
By 2008, Amy Winehouse's drug problems were significantly impacting her career, leading Island Records to consider releasing her to address these issues. Despite her struggles, her image was prominently featured in TV coverage of the Grammys, highlighting her continued cultural relevance.
In 2008, "Back to Black" was the world's seventh-biggest-selling album, contributing significantly to Universal Music Group's market performance. The album has sold over 20 million copies worldwide.
In 2008, Amy Winehouse received Grammy awards for her music.
In 2008, Universal Music reportedly pressed Amy Winehouse for new material, but she had not been in a recording studio as of September. In late October, her spokesman mentioned she was learning to play drums for her third album, without a set deadline.
In May 2008, Amy Winehouse received two nominations for Best Song Musically & Lyrically at the Ivor Novello Awards, winning for "Love Is a Losing Game". She was also nominated for a 2008 MTV Europe Music Award.
In January 2009, Amy Winehouse announced the launch of her own record label, Lioness Records, with her goddaughter Dionne Bromfield as the first act.
In March 2009, Amy Winehouse loaned a vintage dress and DVD to the British Music Experience, a museum dedicated to British pop music.
In July 2009, Amy Winehouse paid for Julian Jean DeBaptiste's urgent surgery costing £4,000 during her stay in Saint Lucia.
In October 2009, Dionne Bromfield's first album, featuring covers of classic soul records and Amy Winehouse as a backing singer, was released. Winehouse also provided backing vocals for Bromfield on Strictly Come Dancing.
In 2009, Amy Winehouse appeared on a CD called "Classics" alongside other musicians to raise awareness of climate change.
In July 2010, Amy Winehouse said her next album would be released by January 2011 and would resemble her second album. Mark Ronson, however, said that he hadn't begun recording it. She also performed "Valerie" with Ronson at a movie premiere but forgot lyrics.
In November 2010, Amy Winehouse and Mark Ronson contributed a cover of Lesley Gore's "It's My Party" to the Quincy Jones tribute album "Q Soul Bossa Nostra".
In December 2010, Amy Winehouse performed a 40-minute concert at a Russian oligarch's party in Moscow, with the tycoon selecting the songs.
In July 2010, Amy Winehouse was quoted as saying her next album would be released no later than January 2011.
In March 2011, Amy Winehouse donated over £20,000 worth of clothes to a local charity shop in London.
In June 2011, Amy Winehouse's European tour began in Belgrade with a disastrous performance. She was booed off stage, and Serbian defence minister called it "a huge shame". She subsequently cancelled all tour dates to seek help.
Following Amy Winehouse's death in July 2011, her family established the Amy Winehouse Foundation to aid vulnerable and disadvantaged young individuals.
On September 14, 2011, which would have been Amy Winehouse's 28th birthday, the Amy Winehouse Foundation was officially launched with the aim of supporting vulnerable young people.
On March 12, 2013, the Amy Winehouse Foundation, with the help of Russell Brand, launched the Resilience Programme For Schools across the UK to educate about drugs, alcohol, and emotional issues.
In October 2015, Mark Ronson became a patron of the Amy Winehouse Foundation, furthering its mission to support vulnerable young people.
Barbara Windsor, one of the patrons of the Amy Winehouse Foundation, had ended before she died in 2020.