For today’s youth, the name Amy Winehouse may only be associated with a singer who passed away 10 some years ago or the artist of a couple of songs you heard on the radio as a kid. However, her music and artistry left a largely ignored imprint on the alternative genre and its many subgenre offsprings.

When I say largely ignored, I don’t mean by professionals in the music industry or even the greater media production realm. Winehouse’s influence was simply too outweighed by her controversial scandals and shaky past for her notoriety to center around the quality of her work.

Following years of tabloid covers exploiting Winehouse’s abusive marriage and drug problems, her reputation was severely stained. These faults led people to believe Winehouse was a mess, but her many mistakes equipped her to write music people could relate to and find comfort in.

One of Winehouse’s most successful songs was “Rehab,” from her Grammy award-winning album “Back to Black.” The track discusses the singer’s reluctance to give in to the media’s pleas for her to attend rehab. Her bravery to sing openly about topics as sensitive as her own experiences with substance abuse created a realness in her music that many grew fond of. 

The lyrics Winehouse wrote for her records were powerful and admired, but her experimentation with genres ranging from neo-soul to pop-inspired jazz is what secured her critical acclaim. Of surrounding popular musicians around the peak of her career (think Eminem, Britney Spears, and Beyoncé), Winehouse was the only artist of great popularity at the time with such strong jazz and soul influence in her music.

Other artists speak highly of Winehouse’s work during her life, one of these being Lana Del Rey. Despite their music styles differing from each other, Del Rey said she admires Winehouse’s genuineness and fearless individuality.

One of my favorite songs by Winehouse is another song from “Back to Black,” titled “Tears Dry On Their Own.” The song is allegedly a breakup track written about Winehouse’s divorce from Blake Fielder, but the lyrics remain vague enough to provide an uplifting song for those suffering from hard times.

That vagueness is what draws so many people to Winehouse’s music. Her music is consistently relatable — whether the track is a motivating song to get ready to or a good song to cry to, the lyrics remain broad but still somehow greatly personal.

Another artist that picked up influence from Winehouse is her fellow British singer Adele. Adele’s music consists of deep, rich vocals and soul-oriented production similar to Winehouse’s music. “Because of her, I picked up a guitar, and because of her, I write my own songs,” Adele said. With her second studio album “21” amassing over 31 million sales worldwide, Adele’s credit to Winehouse as a role model attests to Winehouse’s ascendancy.

Throughout her career, Winehouse was awarded seven Grammys, one of which she received for a memorializing documentary released four years after her passing. The documentary, titled “Amy,” shed a positive light on the highest highs and the lowest lows of her life. The film, in addition to the Grammy award, also won the Academy Award for “best documentary” in 2016.

Personally, I have always turned to Winehouse’s music not when I’m sad but when I feel prepared to start feeling better. The upbeat sounds of saxophones work in perfect harmony with the optimistic tone of the lyrics. A perfect example of this is in her song, “You Know I’m No Good.”

The track shows Winehouse calling out her own shortcomings as a partner and a declaration that she will not change those shortcomings because they make her who she is. Listening to her music as a child, and now as a young adult, I’m consistently inspired by her self-awareness and contentment with herself, flaws and all.

Almost 10 years after her death, Winehouse continues to leave an impact, not only on up-and-coming musicians but also on people who look to music for comfort and healing. No matter what was thrown at her throughout her life, Winehouse never failed to make her mark on the world of music with her art.