The start of a media-induced downfall: Amy Winehouse filmed smoking crack
On January 22nd, 2008, tabloid journalism commandeered moral culture by once again eclipsing artist success in favour of drug-centric scandals. The year prior saw Amy Winehouse dominate the Grammys, winning ‘Best Pop Vocal Album’ for Back to Black, along with four additional awards at the same ceremony. And yet, in an effort to provide a ground-breaking world exclusive, one title sought to replace her well-earned artistic achievements with its unrelenting desire for scrutiny.
Although the exact details of the media’s treatment of Winehouse may have become cloudy with time, it’s well-documented that she was painted as a washed-up drug addict even during her peak of fame. Winehouse was a major source of ridicule for British tabloid culture, as was any “junkie” whose party-animal antics made the average UK citizen feel less muzzy about their own lacklustre lives.
Of course, Winehouse was much more than the media’s villainous portrayal – she had what you would probably call a privileged upbringing, born to well-to-do parents with access to education and a Jewish Sunday school. However, Winehouse’s rebellious nature set in at an early age, and she lost interest in education and religion, begging her father to let her stay at home instead.
She always displayed intelligence and presence, though. One teacher predicted that someday she might become a writer or novelist. After briefly joining World Entertainment News Network as a journalist and joining a jazz orchestra, Winehouse was eventually signed to Island Records after being discovered by Darcus Bees, who then introduced her to Nick Gatfield. Winehouse’s debut album, Frank, taught the British music scene that jazz and pop fusion could, in fact, be quite cool.
After Winehouse released Back to Black in October 2006, the coming months looked promising: the best-selling artist would perform headline shows alongside a series of festivals like Glastonbury and Lollapalooza. By the same time the following year, however, things would look harrowingly different. In November 2007, on the opening night of Winehouse’s 17-date tour, reports noted many walkouts as a result of the singer’s intoxication, with one critic claiming she swore at the audience. Most of the tour was subsequently cancelled, with the singer citing the doctor’s advice to take some rest.
As 2008 dawned, Winehouse’s burgeoning drug-addict tag had become a media focal point, with British red-top newspaper The Sun taking the lead on reporting the singer’s perceived downfall. “Amy On Crack”, the headline read, while the text proceeded to outline Winehouse’s movements the night she was filmed smoking cocaine. “The tormented singer took hit after hit of the drug… and she admitted she had just popped six valium pills to ‘bring myself down’,” the article detailed.
The audacity of The Sun to unapologetically publish Winehouse at what might be her most vulnerable moment acted as some sort of conduit, a green light for others to follow suit and call Winehouse every drug-associated nickname under the sun. Winehouse was no longer a multi-award-winning musical innovator; she was pure tabloid-reading-pleasure, a respite for those eager for sensationalist escapism.
Ignoring the fact that a lot of Winehouse’s music addressed her drug dependency would be a farce, especially because she broke records by being nothing more than her authentic self. However, an artist commenting on their own personal struggles isn’t the same as a tabloid telling someone else’s story. We all know that’s not how it works, though; Winehouse’s contrasting public persona juxtaposed with personal struggles sparked a media discourse that wasn’t ever going to dissipate.
Winehouse’s drug problems weren’t solely caused by media reporting – the fact that it threatened her career is very, very real – but the persistent need for her personal and professional downfall to be spotlighted became something of a wrecking ball. Even now, the boundaries between her private life and career have become so blurred that her name is inseparable from tragedy. While her songs continue to resonate, serving as a musical beacon destined for brilliance, the flames of her tumult threaten to overshadow her artistic legacy.
