Speaker A
Let's get my next guest out, I think she's one of the most exciting and brilliantly talented vocalists to emerge in this country in many, many years.
Amy Winehouse discusses her jazz-hip hop album 'Frank' and performs 'I Heard Love Is Blind' on Jonathan Ross 2004.
Key Takeaways
- Amy Winehouse blends jazz and hip hop to create a unique sound.
- Her songwriting is deeply personal and emotionally honest.
- She maintains artistic integrity despite commercial pressures.
- Her background and family influence her music.
- Her live performance showcases her vocal talent and stage presence.
Summary
- Amy Winehouse is introduced as a talented young vocalist from North London.
- She explains her musical style as a blend of jazz and hip hop, distinct from traditional jazz or blues.
- Amy writes all her own lyrics and plays guitar.
- The album 'Frank' features personal songs, many about a past relationship.
- She discusses her confident and authentic personality, resisting industry pressure to change her style.
- Amy mentions her father is a cab driver and singer, influencing her musical background.
- She talks about being managed by Simon Fuller's company, known for managing pop acts.
- Amy performs the song 'I Heard Love Is Blind' live on the show.
- The interview highlights Amy's unique voice and relatable, emotional songwriting.
- Jonathan Ross praises her authenticity and talent throughout the conversation.
Full Transcript — Download SRT & Markdown
Speaker A
It is Amy Winehouse.
Speaker A
Wow, Amy, you look fantastic.
Speaker A
I don't want to give you my cold.
Speaker A
Wow, Amy, you look stunning.
Speaker B
Thanks.
Speaker A
That's a great dress, well done, congratulations.
Speaker A
That's certainly perked me up no end.
Speaker A
Amy, I'm a big fan of, I heard her album and initially I wouldn't listen to that sort of thing I thought, someone told me it's new jazz, okay, and I know you might dispute that.
Speaker A
The album's called Frank, listened to it, I was knocked out by your voice.
Speaker A
Where are you from, tell us a bit about yourself, how long have you been singing, what's going on?
Speaker B
Um, I'm from Southgate, I was born in North London and um, yeah, my dad's a singer, you know, that's what I come from, even though I am, I am really young.
Speaker A
Well now, 20 years old.
Speaker A
Why, why turn to old jazz?
Speaker A
Most people your age I would guess and I, I hope I'm not just spouting a cliché or generalization here, but I suspect it's true.
Speaker A
Most youngsters when they start singing they want to do R&B or they want to do rock and roll or even hip hop or rap or something.
Speaker A
But going to jazz and it does seem to be quite a new trend now.
Speaker A
There's quite a few new sort of jazz voices on the scene.
Speaker B
Yeah, I wouldn't call a lot of people that are doing jazz, jazz singers, you know what I mean?
Speaker B
Um, my album's a kind of straight jazz hip hop cross, there is no blues or folk.
Speaker B
You know what I mean, it, it's just a straight jazz hip hop album, man.
Speaker B
A lot of the stuff out doesn't, it is not heartfelt.
Speaker A
Yeah.
Speaker B
You know, and I just wanted to write music that was emotional and that people would want to listen to and connect with.
Speaker A
And you write it all yourself or you write with someone?
Speaker B
I write all the lyrics myself, I write on the guitar.
Speaker A
Okay.
Speaker A
Um, what are the songs about then, if people haven't heard the album yet?
Speaker A
What, what kind of subjects do we deal with here?
Speaker B
Um, well, I always said I never wanted to write about love and then I went and did that anyway.
Speaker B
I've got maybe seven or eight songs.
Speaker B
About this guy.
Speaker A
Is that your ex-boyfriend you're talking about this?
Speaker B
Yeah.
Speaker A
Man.
Speaker A
Now, I wouldn't want to be an ex-boyfriend of yours.
Speaker A
I mean, I'm sure, I'm sure it's a fun ride while it lasts, but afterwards, then you get the album coming out.
Speaker A
Because you kind of, you're quite hard on him, I feel.
Speaker B
Well, I was very frustrated at the way things turned out with me and him as he was.
Speaker B
And you know, when um, you're quite emotionally tied into someone, it's never that simple.
Speaker A
You call him a ladyboy at one stage on the album.
Speaker A
There's something no one wants to be called, even if you are a ladyboy, I suspect.
Speaker A
Uh, you're, you're, you're very confident young woman, I've noticed.
Speaker A
Have you always been kind of this self-possessed?
Speaker B
Um, yeah.
Speaker A
I mean, that nicely.
Speaker A
I mean, you know, you just, I'm surprised.
Speaker A
It's, and it's a good thing.
Speaker A
Do you get it from your mum, your dad?
Speaker A
I mean, who?
Speaker B
I don't know.
Speaker B
My, no, my dad's quite outspoken.
Speaker B
He's a cab driver.
Speaker A
Oh, well, that's, that's saying them all.
Speaker B
Yeah.
Speaker A
That's it.
Speaker A
And has he got a picture of you in the cab now?
Speaker A
Does he lean back, does he try and flog your album to people in the, the taxi?
Speaker B
I don't think so.
Speaker A
Uh, you're managed by the company.
Speaker A
Uh, and this surprises me.
Speaker A
I only found this out today.
Speaker A
You're managed by the company who look after S Club 7, used to look after the, the Spice Girls, Simon Fuller.
Speaker A
Uh, have they tried to, to mold you in any way, have people asked you to do things to change the way you look or speak or behave?
Speaker B
Um, yeah, one of them tried to mold me into a big triangle shape.
Speaker B
And I went, no.
Speaker A
No.
Speaker B
No.
Speaker B
You know, I've got my own style.
Speaker A
Yeah.
Speaker B
I've got my own style and I, I wrote my own songs and, you know, if someone has so much of something already, there's very little you can add.
Speaker A
Yeah.
Speaker A
You know what I like about you as well?
Speaker A
Is the way you sound so common.
Speaker A
Now, because, because I am common.
Speaker A
And you know, it's like, you know, it's so refreshing to hear someone who isn't speaking like they've taken elocution lessons.
Speaker B
Yeah.
Speaker B
They gave me elocution lessons, but they kind of.
Speaker A
They didn't stick.
Speaker B
Off, off my back, yeah.
Speaker A
Amy, you're, you're, you're good to go.
Speaker A
You're okay to sing for us now.
Speaker A
What track are you going to do?
Speaker B
I'm going to sing a song called I Heard Love Is Blind.
Speaker A
This is on the album.
Speaker A
The album's called Frank.
Speaker A
Uh, if you haven't heard it yet, um, give it a listen.
Speaker A
I suggest you get a copy, I think it's terrific.
Speaker A
Ladies and gentlemen, she's going to sing for us live right now.
Speaker A
Amy Winehouse.
Speaker A
Thank you, Amy.
Speaker A
Thank you.
Speaker B
I couldn't resist him.
Speaker B
His eyes were like yours, his hair was exactly your shade of brown.
Speaker B
Now he's just not around, but I couldn't tell when it was dark.
Speaker B
I was lying down.
Speaker B
You are everything, he means nothing to me, and I can't even remember his name.
Speaker B
So why are you so upset when baby you weren't there?
Speaker B
You know, I was thinking of you.
Speaker B
When I came home.
Speaker B
Now what do you expect?
Speaker B
You left me alone.
Speaker B
I drank so much, did it your touch.
Speaker B
Now don't overreact.
Speaker B
Yes, I pretended he was you.
Speaker B
Because you're what I want me to be lonely.
Speaker B
Now how can I put it so you'll understand?
Speaker B
I didn't let him hold my hand.
Speaker B
But he looked like you.
Speaker B
But it wasn't you.
Speaker B
No, he wasn't you.
Speaker B
But you can still trust me.
Speaker B
This ain't infidelity.
Speaker B
No, it's not cheating.
Speaker B
When you were all on my mind.
Speaker B
Yes, he looked like you.
Speaker B
But I heard love is blind.
Speaker A
Wow.
Speaker A
Fantastic.
Speaker A
Amy Winehouse, ladies and gentlemen.
Speaker A
Thank you, Amy, that was wonderful.
Speaker A
Thank you.
Topics:Amy WinehouseJonathan RossFrank albumI Heard Love Is Blindjazz hip hoplive performance2004 interviewBritish singermusic authenticitysongwriting
