It has been notoriously difficult for U.K. pop artists to make a real dent in the sprawling States, but on her seminal second record, Back To Black, Amy Winehouse was welcomed into the country’s music scene by fellow musicians and fans alike. The how and why of Winehouse’s Stateside success isn’t easy to put your finger on. Although Back To Black showcased her phenomenal talents, it wasn’t guaranteed to connect with international audiences in the same way it did with those back home. Working with producer Mark Ronson – who, in 2007, was also gaining recognition for his own work – could have helped Winehouse’s cause, as could the sounds the pair mined on the record, pulling from Motown and 60s girl groups like The Shangri-Las. The music, of course, matters. But sometimes “the moments” matter just as much. We’ve pulled together five moments in the States that likely had a huge impact in making Amy Winehouse a star.
Order Back To Black: Songs from the Original Motion Picture.
Her first U.S. TV appearance
Winehouse’s real breakthrough moment in America began with her first live appearance on U.S. TV in 2007. The star was invited onto The Late Show with David Letterman on March 12, 2007, six months after the release of Back To Black. Alongside a live band, she performed the single “Rehab” in front of the show’s New York skyline backdrop and charmed America with her rich, powerful live vocals and the vintage references, like her infamous beehive. The performance had a major impact on her profile Stateside – it sparked major interest in the star and caused Back To Black to begin rising up the Billboard 200 until it eventually peaked at No.2.
Leading the buzz at SXSW
A few days after appearing on Letterman, Winehouse headed to Austin, Texas, to perform at the city’s annual new music festival, SXSW. The singer was one of the buzziest acts on the bill at the event, and the line to see her at La Zona Rosa on the festival’s Friday night was long and snaking. For many, it was the only chance to see Winehouse live in Austin – she was scheduled to perform at a handful of other shows and parties but canceled a lot of them for undisclosed reasons. The shows she did make gave America a deeper glimpse at what Amy was about, from her soulful vocal chops to the sharp humor she unveiled between songs (“I never thought I’d be opening for Razorlight,” she quipped drily at one point at La Zona Rosa, referring to the fellow Brits further up the night’s line-up).
Queen of Coachella Valley
A little over a month after SXSW, Winehouse’s U.S. momentum continued with a booking at perhaps the country’s most prestigious music festival, Coachella. Performing to a packed-out Gobi tent, with curious fans spilling out from under the canvas, the British singer delivers a set based largely around Back To Black, with her cover of The Zutons’ “Valerie” thrown in for good measure. Backstage, the desert festival’s celebrity attendees, from Kelly Osbourne to Danny DeVito, swarmed around Winehouse, cementing her place as what Vice would later term “the definitive Coachella performer of 2007.”
An impactful moment in Chicago
Although reports from Winehouse’s debut appearance at Chicago’s Lollapalooza document the star as seemingly uninterested in interacting with the crowd, her appearance still created an impact. Years later, when LA sister trio Haim performed at the same festival, they shared recollections of seeing Winehouse on the same stage and being inspired to make music by her.
A big sweep at the Grammys
Winehouse was unable to attend the Grammys in 2008 due to a rejected visa application, but she nonetheless appeared via satellite from London. Beaming in from the capital’s Riverside Studios at 3am local time, she performed Back To Black’s “You Know I’m No Good” and “Rehab” in front of a stage decorated with vintage lamps, satin curtains, and red carpet. Across the ceremony, her name was frequently called as she won five of the six awards she was nominated for – a sweep that made her only the fifth female solo artist to win that many Grammys in one night, alongside Lauryn Hill, Norah Jones, Alicia Keys, and Beyoncé.
The last trophy of the night that Winehouse picked up was for Record Of The Year for “Rehab.” The winner was announced by one of the star’s idols, Tony Bennett, and, in video footage of the announcement, Winehouse looked to be in complete shock when he said her name. As her parents and band celebrated with her on stage in front of a London audience chanting her name, she delivered an emphatic thank you list to those closest to her and the city that raised her.
Order Back To Black: Songs from the Original Motion Picture.
