The world was introduced to a strong independent woman, who shook every stage with the power of her voice and personality. Amy Winehouse influenced Soul, R&B and Blues. The thick eyeliner around her eyes, her provocative outfits and her tattoos were a reflection of her inner struggles. Her lyrics sang to broken hearts, lost souls and forgotten lovers. Her music was the unspoken story of her life.
She had a vulnerable and rebellious soul that made her follow her dreams. Rehab transformed her into an up and coming star, but it also increased her drug addiction. She became an antihero who fought against the superficiality of Pop and proved that beauty can be found in unconventional places. She defied the hollow image of music industry.
To be like Amy is to be a person who is devoted to the pains and pleasures of music. With every chord and note, raw emotions consume you. We need to defend the legacy of soul and jazz, but we also have to experiment with new sounds. It is important to be authentic, and to not be driven by fleeting trends. Rather than spiraling into a web of narcotics, let love of life and music become your drug.
If Amy would had let go of the past and left the pain behind her, perhaps, her story would have been different. She is gone and history cannot be rewritten, however, her legacy prevails. New artists will follow her footsteps and keep the flame of Soul alive. Amy paved the way for artists to become storytellers of broken hearts.
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Paloma Faith
She was inflenced by Rehab, but she took it a little bit further. The English artist launched her debut album Do You Want the Truth or Something in 2009. Her style includes some Pop beats that differentiate her from Winehouse. Paloma tells the story of how Amy asked her to play in her band because she liked her pin-up and femme fatale style.
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Snoh Aalegra
Both Amy and Snoh are rebels, and both have a powerful vocal range to perform Soul and Blues like goddesses. Aalegra was born in Sweden and from an early age she became a songwriter. At 14 she participated in a music contest, but she dropped out because she got tired of being surrounded by boring preppies.
The single Under the Influence reminds us of Amy’s tragic story.
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Alessia Cara
The 21 year old Canadian singer has caught the attention of the musical industry. She began as a Youtuber, sharing her favorite Soul and R&B covers. Her career took off with the introduction of the single Here. When she was 16 years old, Cara mentioned she considered Winehouse a hero, because she can relate to some of her life experiences.
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Kali Uchis
She is 22 and is influenced by Billie Holiday, Lauryn Hill, Erykah Badu and Amy Winehouse (obviously). She adopted the rebel look and eccentric lifestyle of Amy. She fuses Soul, R&B and tropical Colombian rhythms to establish her own signature style. The mixtape Drunken Babble and the EP Por Vida are highly recommended.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZSViNoqvC6s
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Jorja Smith
She is known for her Pop style music, but she claims that Amy is her greatest hero. Every time she is interviewed, she says You Sent Me Flying is her biggest source of inspiration.
Her career is just getting started and her singles are promising.
The last months of her life were the moments where her need to experience each emotion to the fullest were more notorious. Despite everything, Amy was addicted to life.
These artists are the true legacy of Amy Winehouse, they all remind us of her tragedy and her passion towards music and life.