WHAT WE LOVE: AMY, The Story of Amy Winehouse

When I was in high school, I heard of Amy Winehouse. How could you not back in like 2006? Rehab was playing everywhere, including a remix from Jay Z. Later, I began to know her because of her erratic behavior and apparent struggle with drugs and alcohol. And then, the powerhouse voice died in 2011.

I did not start really listening to her music until I discovered the song, Valerie. I loved the beat and energy of the Mark Ronson version. It made me turn to the Amy Winehouse Pandora station so I could hear it again. It was listening to that station I discovered how much I really enjoy Amy Winehouse’s music. I feel because in the later part of her career was filled with debauchery and paparazzi frenzy, people do not get to really remember how musically gifted she was.

So I became a hardcore Amy fan after she was no longer with us. Which is pretty dis appointing, because it means that I would never hear a new Amy Winehouse song, or see her perform live. Her voice and songs are timeless and will continue to resonate with old and new fans. I watch old You Tube videos of her good performances and I am amazed at how effortless she makes it look on stage.

So with this documentary about her life, as a new fan I was able get to know who she was as a person. Surprisngly I could relate to her a lot. As far as her connection to her art. I now see Amy as an immense talent, spiritually and emotionally connected to every lyric she sang. I think she was put on this earth to make music and change the world. However, I think there was a deep side to her that was deeply insecure (like most true artists) and not at all prepared for the amount of fame and lens the world eventually had on her.

Amy was young, stubborn and in love with a guy should not be. Mix that with a demanding career, high public scrutiny, habit of self sabbotage and drugs and you get the train wreck that became of the great Amy Winehouse. What this film did was share the real Amy, from the other side. We saw who she was before the music, during and what it did to her after.

Like Micheael Jackson, towards the end of his and Amy’s life the attention to the timeless music and talent and more on the scandals. Thanks to Spike Lee and this film we are reminded that these human beings were one of a kind musical geniuses. Their music will stand the test of time. I suggest anyone who has had any interest in Amy Winehouse or like even just one of her songs, watch this. You will get a little insight in the reality of Amy Winehouse, the pressures of fame, struggles of addiction and her wanting to stay true and authentic to her music.

I rented on iTunes here: https://itunes.apple.com/us/movie/amy/id1011670639