Reclaiming Amy: A Legacy 10 Years Later

Photo by Samuel Regan-Asante on Unsplash

On July 23, 2011 the world stopped. The headline on the news, 'Amy Winehouse Dies', would be the conclusion to a tumultuous and tragic story. Except it wasn't just a tragedy, it was a beautifully detailed story with moments of the deepest sincerity, charismatic personality and voice that would follow the world around forevermore.

On the anniversary of Amy Winehouse’s death, BBC Two shared a documentary called 'Reclaiming Amy'. The documentary was narrated by Amy's mother Janis and gave the family a chance to tell their side of the story the world appears to know so well.

The 2015 Oscar winning documentary 'Amy' which was, at most, overly sensationalised dribble painting another false narrative, contrasts greatly to the BBC documentary which felt all too real. ‘Reclaiming Amy’ was straight to the point and it's tackling of issues, such as mental health, addiction and grief, were heartfelt but firm - just like Amy was. A strong lioness in her own right, the sun shone a little bit less bright the day the world lost her.

Amy was a natural talent from a young age, the documentary goes over clips of her playing Rizzo in a school production of 'Grease', displaying that unmistakable flair for the dramatics. But it was the clips of her first Glastonbury performance that showed the beginning and was a true reflection of her immense talent and stage presence - something which eventually awarded her five Grammys.

The crucial aspect of the 'Reclaiming Amy' documentary was how it highlighted addiction and eating disorders, and how these deeply affected Amy's family and friends. Amy's addiction to drugs and alcohol being so widely publicised was a major issue, as seen in the documentary. Her family discuss in the documentary how they set up the 'Amy Winehouse Foundation' collaborating with brands like Fred Perry, to create a safe space and help young people who suffer addiction.

'Reclaiming Amy' makes it clear: Amy Winehouse was not the rude, misbehaved, self- destructive addict the media so badly wanted her to be. Instead, she was a force to be reckoned with and had a voice that transcended its audience into another place, often a better place for those who felt troubled or alone.