At the “Back to Black” 20th anniversary concert in London on Wednesday night, Amy Winehouse‘s essence was everywhere. The eager crowd lined up outside was full of winged eyeliner, leopard print, big hair and cigarette smoke; nary a vape in sight. Even the venue itself — the Roundhouse in Winehouse’s beloved Camden, the last place she performed before her tragic death at 27 — was dressed up for the occasion, draped in red velvet curtains and dotted with fringe lampshades.
“I only know Camden through the eyes of Amy, so here we are — we’re in Amy’s house right now,” Mark Ronson, who co-produced Winehouse’s seminal 2006 album alongside Salaam Remi, told the audience. “I know you’re all here because of how much you love Amy and her music, and we’re so honored to be a part of that, celebrating her with you tonight.”
Concertgoers spanned generations — those old enough to have seen Winehouse perform “Back to Black” 20 years ago, and those who were toddlers or hadn’t even been born yet. Beyond a common love for the singer, the overwhelming draw seemed to be hearing these songs — from the title track to “Rehab” to “Tears Dry on Their Own” — played live, a chance to be lost in Winehouse’s music in the neighborhood she loved most.
It helped that Ronson and Remi had assembled a killer, all-female lineup for the tribute, backed by the Amy Winehouse Band (many of whom had previously played with the singer). With 11 undeniably talented acts — one for each track on the album — the show not only honored Winehouse by doing her songs justice, but highlighted just how timeless and incredible her songwriting was.
Corinne Bailey Rae, who has a personal connection to Winehouse having both come up in the London scene in the early 2000s, opened the night with an impassioned performance of “Back to Black,” accompanied by Ronson on the piano. Though the show took a minute to get going due to the stops and starts of television — the concert was being recorded for a BBC broadcast hosted by Jo Whiley — Sasha Keable brought some Winehouse-esque sass and rasp to “Just Friends” before newcomer Nia Smith, albeit a bit nervous, got the crowd singing along to “Tears Dry on Their Own.”
Skye Newman, who broke through on TikTok, was an unexpected standout of the night with her soulful, playful “Addicted,” a perfect fit for her husky voice. Though the 22-year-old was only a toddler when “Back to Black” came out, Newman told Whiley in an onstage interview that Winehouse has been a huge inspiration of hers.
“She’s someone who has made me feel seen and heard, especially in this space, where a lot of people come from an upper hand. And I don’t,” Newman said. “So it’s quite hard to find people who make me feel like I can do it, and she did.”
Yebba then captivated the crowd with a stripped-down version of “Love Is a Losing Game” — her voice gliding over Winehouse’s complex runs — accompanied only by Ronson on guitar. Speaking to the crowd beforehand, Ronson said that when Winehouse first brought him the song he had no idea how to play it.
“Amy’s musicality, she was like a monster, and I definitely want everybody to know that,” he said. “The chords were so complicated and jazzy, I was like, ‘Man, you just play this song. I don’t even know what I’m doing right now.’ So she did … We’re going to play it the way Amy first played it to me, and I’m going to try to finally play these complicated, jazzy chords for the first time in my life.”
The audience happily sang along to Terri Walker’s “Me & Mr. Jones” and Leanne La Havas’ “You Know I’m No Good” — turning the show into a bit of crowd karaoke — before Baby Rose brought her unique, deep voice to a chill-inducing cover of “Wake Up Alone” and Jorja Smith’s power perfectly suited “Some Unholy War.”
Another highlight came with the R&B trio FLO, who delivered “He Can Only Hold Her” in the style of a ’60s doo-wop girl group à la the Ronettes. All dressed in the same plum two-piece set, their harmonies and coordinated dance moves honored Winehouse’s love of that era while breathing new life into the track.
Ronson then introduced Jessie Reyez for the final song of the night: Winehouse’s defiant anthem “Rehab.” “She has this rasp in her voice and she reminds me of Amy the way she writes — it’s so raw and no bullshit,” Ronson said of why he chose Reyez to perform the track.
She did not disappoint, turning the energy in the room up to a 10 as she pranced around the stage in a slinky red dress. Along with on-point vocals, Reyez evoked the fiery — and sometimes erratic — performance style that Winehouse was known for, flipping her wild hair to the beat and jumping up and down as the chorus repeated, “No, no, no!”
But, that wasn’t all — as the applause for Reyez died down, Ronson welcomed all the singers back on stage for a tune that wasn’t on “Back to Black,” but became synonymous with Winehouse all the same. “This is ‘Valerie!'” Ronson shouted as the song’s signature drums started.
Each vocalist took a turn at the mic, though they could barely be heard over the crowd’s own singing. It was a joyous way to end the evening, putting the focus on the community and the artists that Winehouse has — and will continue to — inspire with her art.
Ronson clapped along, a smile beaming on his face. As he said earlier in the night: “I can’t believe I got to be involved with that record… I understand how important it is for people.”