Grammy Shock

On December 6th, the date the Grammy nominations were announced, I was astounded by one act: Amy Winehouse, nominated for 6 awards. I had never realized that whilst she had been creating a stir within the UK and the rest of Europe, she had successfully broken into the U.S. market as well. This is quite an achievement nowadays for any British artist. However, Amy Winehouse is not your average artist in any sort of context.
The link between drugs and music is an old one, and, to be honest, as a teenager, I don’t have too much trouble if the artist keeps it private and discreet, though I personally don’t think taking drugs is appropriate at any time. Just by looking at the process, as well as the location, on where most cocaine comes from is enough to turn my conscience upside down, but that’s a whole different story. As it happens, discretion is clearly not a word in Winehouse’s dictionary. Her drink and drug problem has become infamous, due to it being blasted around by the tabloid newspapers for the last 10 months, ever since the release of her acclaimed album, Back in Black. The public have eaten it up, not surprisingly in a world where tabloids massively outsell broadsheets and where most of us rather read about Britney’s Spears mental breakdown rather than the political instability in Kenya. She, herself, seems to be past caring, and her whole attitude is summed up in her song Rehab “They tried to make me go to rehab, but I said no, no, no”. This shows that she has no desire to change her situation. Merely 3 weeks before the Grammy’s took place, a video of her was posted by The Sun showing her and her drug habit. And so, the story continues.. Winehouse, managed to win 4 Grammy at this year’s awards, for Best New Artist, Record of the Year, Song of the Year (What’s the difference anyway?), and Best Female Pop Vocal Performance, the latter three for the song, as it happens, Rehab.
Now, as a music fan, fair enough. I don’t particular like the song, and I feel she has better, but it the whole morality of the issue. She should never have won the award because of her behaviour, or it should have at least been held back until there was some improvement. By winning the Grammies, the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences is merely accepting her attitude, with no response towards it. I’m not saying her music didn’t deserve the prize, but like actors and sport stars, musicians should be punished for using illegal substances too. No exceptions. Winehouse should be too, and I personally don’t feel it’s the right message to be sending the next generation of potential drug users – that it’s okay to take drugs if you’re rich, famous and talented, plus there is a chance you might get lots of airtime from the press, as well as some critically commended awards. The moral implications of this are enormous, as if governments are serious about stopping drugs and therefore, drug-related crime, than they shouldn’t allow drugs to be portrayed as such a rich and glamorous thing, but condemn them, regardless of the circumstances. Furthermore, the singer is effectively destroying herself in the process, with her own father-in-law asking for a boycott of her music, whilst The Times recently said they felt the government should force her into rehab. A hold back of the prize may have been heavily criticised, but if it saved Winehouse’s welfare, and showed the world that drugs were wrong, than it would only be for the better. However, no one has helped, as the press continue as before, promoting the drug use, and their readers do not seem to showing their disgust in her behaviour, but more jealously, wishing they could be the ones leading her life of luxury. It’s okay showing the story sometimes, especially if she was in rehab, improving, but it nowadays a singer’s drug addiction receives more time on the news than the nearing civil war inside a country. It would seem the idea that bad press is always good press is no more fitting than here. This is just the world we live in.
All I’m saying is that we all have are own personal heroes and role models, especially when we are younger. If your child’s is Winehouse, I don’t envy you. The point is drug and drink addictions should be denounced in any case – it’s what’s known as equality.