With the release this week of the long awaited documentary, Amy, we are also sadly given another reminder of the career of Amy Winehouse, and another insight into what could’ve been next for the British superstar. It has come to light that after the heartbreaking passing of Winehouse in July 2011 at the age of just 27, Universal Music U.K CEO David Joseph made the difficult decision to destroy the demo recordings that his superstar had created in preparation for a third album.
Speaking to Billboard, Joseph revealed the reasoning for such a decision, “Taking a stem or a vocal is not something that would ever happen on my watch. It now can’t happen on anyone else’s”. The decision itself was clearly a gut wrenching one, but it speaks volumes of Joseph and the label itself to attempt to protect the integrity and musical talent of Amy Winehouse, particularly after the success of what proved to be her final album, Back to Black.
Further details have also emerged of what the future may have entailed for Amy. Along with planning a new album, the idea of forming a jazz infused supergroup with The Roots drummer and producer Questlove, Mos Def and Raphael Saadiq was one that was a strong possibility.
This news is tragic to say the least. Not only has the world lost one of the most talented musical minds in recent memory, we are left simply to ponder “what ifs” regarding what was such a promising and talent laden career.
Amy is released in cinemas throughout Australia and the world this week, distributed via Altitude Film Distribution.