Monday, February 11, 2008

How do you solve a problem like Amy?


On Sunday evening Amy Winehouse was awarded an unprecedented five Grammies. She was not able to collect them in person as the US had originally refused her a visa, and by the time they relented it was too late to make the journey. Instead, she performed and received her awards in London via a live satellite link. She was presented with trophies for Record of the Year, Best New Artist, Song of the Year, Pop Vocal Album and Female Pop Vocal Performance.
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What is often overlooked is that this remarkable 24 year old girl from London not only writes the score and the lyrics for her music, but orchestrates them too.
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The tabloid media have to have a victim. In the US it’s currently Brittney Speers – here in the UK it’s Amy Winehouse. Sadly she does have quite a few well documented problems. Her near dependence on alcohol and drugs ensures that she is never out of the media spotlight, yet when she steps out on stage it’s difficult to imagine a more mature proffesional and polished performer.
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Artists and musicians are by their nature outgoing, gregarious and eccentric beings. Unless they craved the attention of the public and the press they would have nothing to drive them. It’s hardly surprising then that some of them go off the rails. It’s nothing new. Tchaikovsky is said to have committed suicide, Mozart spent all his money and was buried aged 35 in a pauper’s grave, and Schuman ended his days in mad-house!
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Popular music during the last century was littered with tragic cases of iconic artistes losing the plot, and right now young Amy is in danger of joining them. The difference however is that she is a remarkable talent and the continued support of her family and friends may just see her through.
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10 comments:

  1. Although she may be talented she certainly is not one of my favs. I hope that one day she will wake up smell the coffee and come to her senses. She needs to respect those that are sticking by her as well as her fans, sober up Miss Winehouse before its too late!!!

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  2. I always wonder how someone with so much talent can get themselves into such a state. It's such a waste. I hope she can work through her problems but it doesn't seem likely at this stage.

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  3. Many truly creative types like Amy Winehouse have a lot of demons to wrestle and ironically, this is often the spark that ignites their genius. I come from a family of musicians and artists and they are all very eccentric. Throw a daily dose of booze or drugs into the mix and they would probably be behaving very badly. I love Amy. She is one of the greatest talents in music for years. Her Grammies are well-deserved!

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  4. I just shudder to think of the damage that she is doing to today's young generation.

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  5. Fame at a young age can be tricky...and the manipulative tabloids make it worse...!

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  6. it is a shame that we as ordinary citizens get to fight our demons in a more private venue,, being afforded that luxury i believe increases our chances of survival ten fold... the talented,, the beautiful the famous?? media damnation,, and what chance do they have ??? there need to be more stringent laws,, but that will never happen when people eat drink and sleep adulation for "stars".

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  7. I am impressed with Amy's talent... I did not know, however, that she orchestrates her music too. Paisley is right,,, we have the luxury of fighting our demons in a private venue.

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  8. Hopefully she'll emerge, in decades to come, as many of the surviving icons of the 60s and 70s have done ... while everyone wants a "piece" of her the torture remains! Well written Keith!

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  9. I agree she is a remarkable talent Keith, but like Paisley says.. we all have demons, but these celebrities have to air all their dirty laundry. It is a shame. I also think it often times goes hand and hand. Talent and suffering. What's up with that?

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  10. What an amazing woman. My children are at a highschool with student direct learning. There are many artistic rightbrained people at that school. The rightbrained people are often highly sensitive and you can imagen the consequences. Another risk factor

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