Amy Winehouse, R.I.P.

last.fm

I know in my mind it shouldn't, but Amy Winehouse's death came as a complete shock to me. Echoing a lot of the sentiment of a number of bloggers yesterday after the news broke, she seemed so indestructible. Despite her very public battle with drugs, the onstage meltdowns, it seemed like she would somehow come back out on top. Though the cause of death has yet to be determined, it's impossible not to speculate, especially after her disastrous performance in Belgrade last month, which made the rounds of the gossip blogosphere. I'm reminded of a Gina Arnold quote to describe the Replacements, a band whose members similarly battled drugs and alcohol: "It was like being captured midair in a swan dive off a cliff. The landing might be a disaster -- in fact it was sure to be. But those moments while you were flying, suspended in that beauty with the sea still such a long way down, it was pure, pure bliss."

I was only a casual fan of her music. I can't claim the kind connection to her music that I've felt with other artists (Which is actually makes this more difficult to write this without resorting to platitudes.) But I know she was truly talented and I hope her legacy is more than just another "troubled artist who was taken from us too soon."



One more thing I'd like to add: while it's so incredibly heartening reading fans' stories of their own addiction and how Winehouse's music helped them through it, the comments that she seemed so much more "real" than her contemporaries because of her public battle with drugs bother me. It might humanizer her, but it doesn't take away from what was most likely a sad life celebrated by the tabloids and gossip blogs. I hope wherever she is, she has found peace.

Further Reading:
Why Winehouse's Death Still Comes As A Shock (Jezebel)
A creative inspiration for young female artists (The Guardian)
Amy Winehouse: An Eulogy (Popdust)
Amy Winehouse:An honoring and a farewell to one of our own (Hairspray and Fideo)
Amy Winehouse is Dead (Autostraddle)