We aren’t that far into 2007 and already it’s proven to be something of tumultuous year for everybody’s favourite slightly dishevelled chanteuse. Coming screaming back to Earth like a comet on the back of the critically acclaimed album Back To Black Amy Winehouse has suddenly found herself pitched headlong from the status of talented also ran swimming in a sea of female singer/songwriters to something of an A lister in the making.
Of course its all completely justified of course, her 2003 debut ‘Frank’ might have been quality material but it lacked the accessibility that her ‘Back To Black’ offered the listener with its soulfully purred vocals of love, loss and debauchery offered. All set of course to the pristine late 50’s/60’s soul reproduction backing. Of course it hasn’t all been plain sailing, there have been criticisms of Winehouse’s lifestyle, her sudden dramatic weight loss, her seemingly excessive drinking and of course there were the recent pictures of her sporting a snazzy set of powder rings under her nostrils. Now either she had been voraciously attacking a sugar-glazed doughnut or perhaps adding to the self destructive tapestry of many singers of her ilk. And of course the recent split from her boyfriend can’t have helped matters any.
Still its nice to focus on the positives for a change and it would appear that Ms Winehouse’s status as a musical force has spread to the United States. Her first appearance before an American audience was in January of this year (and she’s missed a few for a number of reasons). However this hasn’t dampened US enthusiasm and they’ve made her the highest debuting British female artist in the history of the US album chart.
Nice work if you can get it. Amy will be tottering back to the UK in the summer and releases the single ‘Back To Black’ on the 30th April.
