There are many pop divas. There will always be. It is a style of music that, by its very nature, will never die and due to the economic structure of our society, it is always in interest to maintain. But other genres are more complex. There are no longer soul divas, classic and with great reach. And the last one had all the problems of drugs, personal relationships, and controversies that one would expect from one of them. Her name was Amy Winehouse.
Born on September 14, 1983, into a London Jewish family, she grew up in a home filled with jazz and was a member of the National Youth Jazz Orchestra. Cat 22, she released her first album, Frank, which received a good reception, but not exceptional. Her blend of funk, dub, and soul with jazz influences caught attention, as did her tone that could easily swing between innocence and unrestrained boldness, but she didn’t manage to hit it big. Not yet.
A diva like no other has been since
Three years later, on October 27, 2006, she released her second and final album, Back to Black. And this is where everything changed. By repopularizing soul music worldwide, but particularly in England, it was a critical and audience success. Reaching number one on the best-selling albums list in nineteen countries, and just missing out in another eight, and being acclaimed by critics almost unanimously, with the notable and very poorly aged review from Pitchfork, it had a brutal cultural impact. Including opening the door for major record labels for other future divas, such as Adele, Florence and the Machine, Little Boots, or La Roux.
Unfortunately, Amy Winehouse had a difficult life filled with problems. Her personal relationships went nowhere, she had drug problems, and her mental health was very precarious, having suffered from depression, eating disorders, and self-mutilation. Something that would lead her to die on July 23, 2011, at the age of 27, due to complications related to alcohol consumption.
All this and much more is narrated in Back to Black, the controversial biopic by Sam-Taylor Johnson released in 2024. Heavily criticized by fans, who felt it did not fairly portray the figure of the late artist, it was also viewed with considerable disdain by critics for a very specific aspect. It focused very little on the music and a lot on her personal life, wanting to turn her into a tragic figure.
Focusing on her relationship with drugs and her struggles to stay sober, Back to Black presents Amy Winehouse, with a very convincing Marisa Abela portraying the artist, as a person with serious stability issues. A seductive narrative that creates a very specific image of Amy Winehouse which, while having some truth, is not entirely well balanced as it does not equally address her talent as an artist and how she paved the way not only for a revival of soul but also for a new wave of female artists away from classic pop.
Still, Back to Black is an interesting and unmissable film for anyone interested in Amy Winehouse, available on Movistar since January 8th. It is important to consider this: it is more interested in the myth than the person, with all that entails. But if you can overlook that, a highly enjoyable film about a tragic figure awaits you. And a very good reason to listen to her albums again.
