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Amy Winehouse’s death sent shock waves around the world. Her unvarnished lyrics combined with a musical mix of jazz, soul, and RnB inspired fans and captivated critics. Yet her sudden rise to fame with albums such as Frank and Back to Black mirrored growing personal problems and struggles with addiction that sometimes took attention away from her music. Her shocking death at such a young age took many by surprise and left her fans pondering, how did Amy Winehouse die?
When Did Amy Winehouse Die?
On the 23rd of July, 2011 Amy Winehouse died at her Camden home in London.
How Old was Amy Winehouse when she Died?
Amy Winehouse was 27 years old when she died, making her a member of the 27 club.
How Did Amy Winehouse Die?
What did Amy Winehouse die from? Amy Winehouse’s cause of death was a result of accidental alcohol poisoning.
Amy Winehouse’s cause of death was confirmed by two separate coroner’s reports and it was found that Amy’s blood-alcohol level was 416mg per 100ml, or five times the legal limit to drive.
She had been trying to quit drinking at the time and a period of sobriety resulted in reduced tolerance which likely contributed to her fatal relapse on the 23rd of July.
Yet the true cause of Amy Winehouse’s death is likely more complicated than that.
Those that were close to Amy, including her brother, Alex Winehouse, and close friend Naomi Parry revealed that the singer’s bulimia played a significant role in her death, making her weaker and less able to endure the effects of her lifestyle.
Nor can Amy Winehouse’s death be explained without looking at her life. Her celebrated career was marked by controversy, a volatile personal life, and a persistent struggle with addiction that resulted in numerous stays in rehab.
If we really want to understand how Amy Winehouse died, we need to take a closer look at her history.
Amy’s Early Life
It can be hard to picture an Amy Winehouse before drugs and alcohol. Amy Winehouse had a childhood, although this artists’ years of innocence were cut much too short.
From a young age, Amy Winehouse was noted as a bit of a rebel. After her parents split up she began to dabble in marijuana, had a few early tattoos, and was reported to cut school regularly.
She was also said to be committed, even at a young age, with following a career in music. After all, a number of her family members were professional musicians. Her grandmother Cynthia was involved in the jazz scene, having once dated noted saxophonist Ronnie Scott.
It seemed natural, therefore, that she bought her first guitar at 14 and went on to write her own music. She also performed locally and with the National Youth Jazz Orchestra, where she became a featured female vocalist.
A precocious talent with a unique voice, perhaps it’s no surprise when she was signed by Island Records around 2002.
Amy Winehouse’s Last Days and Tragic Demise
During the final portion of her career, Amy Winehouse had issues touring and performing live.
In a May 2009 appearance at a jazz festival on St Lucia, there were reports Winehouse looked unsteady on stage and appeared bored. A performance in Dubai was cut short following booing from the crowd.
It was also around this time her tumultuous marriage to Fielder-Civil ended in divorce, with him citing infidelity.
There were hopes of a new album release yet they didn’t transpire. In March 2011 she made her last studio recording, a duet with one of her idols, Tony Bennett.
Amy Winehouse’s final performance came when she performed in Belgrade, Serbia later that year. It was planned as part of a 12-leg European comeback tour.
Unfortunately, when the singer appeared drunk and struggled to perform, the concert was declared a failure.
The show was Amy Winehouse’s final performance and seemed a sad ending for an artist renowned for their soulful live act, though some sources applauded its rawness.
Regardless, the remaining shows on the tour were shortly canceled, with Winehouse stating she needed to focus on personal recovery.
By this late stage that largely meant her battle with alcohol addiction. Her doctor Christina Romete prescribed her Librium to help with alcohol withdrawal and attempted to get the singer to try psychological therapy. However, she refused mental health support and had issues remaining clean.
Amy Winehouse Last Photo
It is believed that the last photo ever taken of Amy Winehouse was taken on July 20, 2011, with a 16-year-old fan named Hannah Hardman.
The photo was taken by Amy’s goddaughter at an after-party following her appearance at an event earlier that evening.
Amy Winehouse Last Performance
On the day the last photo of Amy Winehouse was taken, she attended an event with her goddaughter Dionne and the two of them supported a boy band called The Wanted. The two of them appeared on stage for the last song.
Although this was the last time the artist was seen in public, this technically wasn’t her concert. The last full performance or concert given by Amy Winehouse was on June 18, 2011, in Belgrade, Serbia.
This performance did not go well, however, because she appeared drunk on stage and was unable to remember the name of her band members. She was booed off the stage and this brought her manager to cancel the rest of her European tour.
