Amy Winehouse’s mother reflects on singer’s death on 15th anniversary: “The only boss is the addiction”
Janis Winehouse, the mother of Amy Winehouse, has reflected on her daughter’s tragic death on the 15th anniversary.
Sadly, on July 23rd, 2011, Winehouse, aged just 27, was discovered by paramedics at her home in Camden in North London.
It was later ruled that Winehouse had died due to accidental alcohol poisoning. Subsequently, her family, including Janis, have worked tirelessly to help women with addiction struggles through Amy’s Place and the Amy Winehouse Foundation.
On the painful anniversary, Janis spoke to The I about her daughter’s passing, as well as spreading awareness of the pitfalls of addiction.
Janis shared, “She was a victim of her own success. She didn’t want it, but it just followed her. And she’d be like, ‘Who, me?’”
She poignantly added of addiction in a broader sense, “Once you’re addicted, you’re addicted. The only boss is the addiction. People say, ‘Oh, no, you just stop doing such and such’. They don’t get it. You can’t stop because your body is saying I need it.”
Janis also highlighted that her daughter’s tendency to be “nervous” likely led to her using alcohol and substances as a crutch, explaining, “She didn’t have confidence. Hence the alcohol. I think it’s the same with many, many addicts with alcohol. The alcohol takes away the pain. And that is a horrible thing with addiction.”
The 72-year-old added of her ongoing battle with grief, “I’m just getting on with it because that’s what I do. I get on with life. I live it.”
Meanwhile, in the same piece, Amy’s stepmother Jane, who is married to her father Mitch and also works with Amy’s Place, discussed the press intrusion into the late singer’s life, stating, “The paparazzi were parked outside her door morning, noon and night. It was a very, very different time. Thankfully, I think, I hope certainly, that we’ve moved on from that.”
Earlier this month, The Rolling Stones’ guitarist Ronnie Wood, who were joined by Winehouse for a performance at the Isle of Wight Festival in 2007, recalled trying to help her, sharing, “She would go, ‘Oh Ronnie, what am I going to do?’ I said, ‘Look, everyone knows you’ve got vodka in the water bottle. Get it together and get on stage.’”
However, despite her personal issues, Wood said it never affected her performance skills, adding, “But if you could get her up there and she stayed there, it’d be great.”
The Rolling Stones recently honoured Winehouse by recording a cover of ‘You Know I’m No Good’ on their new album, Foreign Tongues.
For help, advice or more information regarding alcohol addiction in the UK, visit Turning Point or Alcohol Change.
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