Today (July 23) marks 15 years since the death of soul icon Amy Winehouse, who was found dead in her Camden home at 27. She would have been approaching her 43rd birthday.
AI recreations of Amy Winehouse
Artificial intelligence imaging software Midjourney has imagined what she would look like were she still alive. One image shows the star staring frankly with a truculent expression, reflecting the defiant nature of her later years. A second recreation shows her signature tumbling raven hair with a few traces of grey and her cheekbones still razor-sharp. A third image shows her pouting playfully, as if about to unleash a dry quip.
Enduring legacy
The BBC's Garry Mulholland called Amy "the pre-eminent vocal talent of her generation." Music journalist Caroline Sullivan told the Daily Star: "Amy was the voice of her generation and there’s no doubt that, if she had lived, her records would still be dominating the charts."
Amy released only two albums: 2004's Frank (quadruple platinum) and 2006's Back To Black, the UK's best-selling album of 2007 with 1.85 million copies sold. On this anniversary, social media comments express wonder at how much more she might have contributed musically.
Musical talent and personal struggles
Amy was also a gifted guitarist. Fellow musician Pete Doherty told Music Radar: "I’ve actually sat in a room with her and a guitar, watching those tiny hands finding all these weird jazz chords. And her strumming patterns… crazy, off-kilter timings. She made it look so effortless."
Her brother Alex said in 2013 that he believed bulimia was the primary cause of her death. "She suffered from bulimia very badly," he said. "She would have died eventually, the way she was going, but what really killed her was the bulimia ... I think that it left her weaker and more susceptible. Had she not had an eating disorder, she would have been physically stronger."
Foundation and inspiration
Today, her legacy includes the Amy Winehouse Foundation, which helps young people manage their emotional wellbeing and make informed choices.
