Janis Winehouse Reflects on Daughter Amy 15 Years Later

Fifteen years after losing her daughter, Janis Winehouse continues to grapple with the tragedy while working to help others facing similar struggles with addiction.

In a rare interview published Thursday, the 72-year-old mother of the late Grammy-winning artist reflected on how fame overwhelmed her daughter, who died in July 2011 at age 27 from accidental alcohol poisoning.

"She was a victim of her own success," Janis Winehouse told The i Paper. "She didn't want it, but it just followed her. And she'd be like, 'Who, me?'"

The singer's mother described Amy Winehouse as someone who lacked confidence despite her extraordinary talent, turning to alcohol to manage her anxiety and the pressures of stardom.

"She was actually nervous," Janis Winehouse said of the Grammy winner, speaking to The i Paper. "She didn't have confidence. Hence the alcohol. I think it's the same with many, many addicts with alcohol. The alcohol takes away the pain. And that is a horrible thing with addiction."

Janis Winehouse emphasized that the public often fails to grasp the powerful grip of addiction, which she described as an all-consuming force that overrides rational decision-making.

"Once you're addicted, you're addicted," she told The i Paper. "The only boss is the addiction. People say, 'Oh, no, you just stop doing such and such'. They don't get it. You can't stop because your body is saying I need it."

Nearly two decades after her daughter's death, Janis Winehouse acknowledged that grief remains a constant companion, though she has found ways to move forward.

"I'm just getting on with it because that's what I do. I get on with life. I live it," she said, speaking to The i Paper. "She was so like me, she just got on with it."

The family channeled their loss into creating the Amy Winehouse Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping children and young adults develop self-esteem. The foundation also operates Amy's Place, a recovery house for women located in London.

Jane Winehouse, the singer's stepmother and the foundation's director and co-founder, explained that the organization emerged from a desire to find purpose amid devastating grief.

"I think as a family, we just didn't want to spend the rest of our lives in misery, you know," Jane Winehouse told The i Paper on Thursday. "We wanted to make something really positive come out of something that was so tragic."

She believes the late singer would approve of the foundation's authentic approach to helping those struggling with addiction and recovery.

"It's very true to her. Everyone here is so real," Jane Winehouse said, speaking to The i Paper. "To be here, to engage properly in recovery, you have to get real. You quickly connect to people on quite a visceral level that you don't necessarily connect with people in everyday life."

The foundation continues to serve as both a memorial to Amy Winehouse and a practical resource for individuals facing challenges similar to those that ultimately claimed her life.