On July 23rd, 2011 the world lost a huge chunk of soulful magic when Amy Winehouse lost her fight and fatally overdosed at the age of 27. If you're like me and paid all your attention to the Christina Aguilera and Shakira's, you never fully appreciated the magical artist that changed the music world and impacted the lives of everyone around her permanently. The above video is my favorite of her - just totally candid, unafraid and completely confident of herself and her talents. As she should have been. I'm especially proud of how she handled herself so honestly when the douche interviewer asked where her "surprising confidence came from" and if the industry was trying to mold and shape her against her will.
If you get a second to do just ONE thing today, please make it going to Netflix and watching Amy, the incredibly moving reminder of why the world needs people exactly like her. Messy, talented as hell, charming, good hearted and real. Minus the spriraling dysfunction everyone around her seemed to let go and think nothing of when they should've sat down and asked how they could help, if she was okay and being treated right by the people around her, etc., she was a great example and a treasure if you ask me.
Like, look at this crazy dude. Look at her clearly "not okay" facial expression. You're telling me she deserved getting mocked and called a trainwreck instead of sat down and asked "are you okay, how can I help, what's actually going on"? In addition to the nightmare management and horrid boyfriend that obviously used her more than loved her back, obviously things were just too much. She put up a good fight, though. Messy? Definitely. Was there more to it than just what we saw? ....Obviously.
Next time we see someone who's in danger of this same kind of fate, which was completely avoidable, we should all make it our mission to step in with love and understanding to ensure gems like this don't keep getting lost in the meaningless chaos. Sure, she made a choice to try some pretty dumb drugs. But the downward spiral left a lot of people, who did nothing more than watch and enable from right next to her for their own personal gain, some truly deserved guilt and shame.
*end passion parade*
xoxo