Don't Judge Amy Winehouse by Her Demons

KOMPAS.com - Her talent was obvious from the off. I first saw Amy Winehouse at a rock festival eight years ago. Dressed in a Fifties-style frock, her tiny frame hidden by a white Fender guitar, she showed nervous glimpses of a talent that would later wow the world.

I interviewed her twice, and the Amy I witnessed in our brief encounters was very different from the public persona.

Over the past week, thousands of words have been written about Amy and her demons. The singer, of course, led a troubled life and was far from a perfect role model.

Yet as the Mail’s Rock and Pop critic for the past 14 years, I would just like to say a few more words — in defence of Amy, and her astonishing natural talent. At 27, she was a major artist whose best years surely still lay ahead of her.

Amy was the outstanding singer of her generation. A natural vocalist rather than a schooled one, her voice could take off and weave its way magically around a tune.

But she was never really one for warbling histrionics. Hers was an un-showy, less-is-more approach.

Her rawness harked back to an era when the best singers were somehow more believable. She was a white, Jewish girl from the North London suburbs, but she had the convincing touch of a soul veteran.

In the era of manufactured idols, she was the real deal. For all her problems — and, sadly, sometimes because of them — she was a gifted performer who redefined the role of the female singer-songwriter.

Before Amy, that term conjured up images of an introspective, folky songbird. She created a new, more forceful template that provided the inspiration for the likes of Adele, Duffy, Jessie J and Lady Gaga.

The first time we met was around the time of the release of her debut album, Frank, in 2003. It was lunchtime, in Soho, and at Amy’s insistence we decided to settle down in a homely Italian cafe.