Fifteen years ago — July 23, 2011 — Amy Winehouse died at the age of 27. Prior to her death, the Grammy-winning artist struggled with addiction, and looking back, her mother says that Amy was “a victim of her own success.”
In an interview with The i Paper, Janis Winehouse says, “She didn’t want [fame], but it just followed her. And she’d be like, ‘Who, me?’” As for why Amy turned to drinking, Janis speculates, “She didn’t have confidence. Hence the alcohol. … The alcohol takes away the pain. And that is a horrible thing with addiction.”
“Once you’re addicted, you’re addicted,” she says. “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.”
As for how she copes with her grief these days, Janis says, “I’m just getting on with it because that’s what I do. I get on with life. I live it.”
On Thursday, Amy’s official Instagram account posted a photo of the singer with the caption, “Fifteen years on, Amy’s music continues to connect with people around the world. Her voice, her songwriting, her honesty and her unique spirit remain as powerful today as ever. Thank you for keeping her memory alive through the music she loved so much.”
An acclaimed and highly influential singer inspired by 1960s girl groups and soul music, Amy swept the 2008 Grammys, winning best new artist, record and song of the year for “Rehab” and best pop vocal album for Back to Black.
A tribute to Amy took place July 19 in the Camden neighborhood of London, where a life-size statue of her was installed in 2014. It raised money for Amy Winehouse Foundation’s work supporting young women recovering from addiction.
Copyright © 2026, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.
