Dionne Bromfield Remembers Amy Winehouse In New MTV Documentary

Bustle’s “Without This Woman” is a collection of essays honouring the ladies who change — and problem — us day by day. Beneath, singer-songwriter Dionne Bromfield opens up about her godmother and music mentor, Amy Winehouse, 10 years after her loss of life. Their relationship is the subject of Bromfield’s new documentary, ‘Amy Winehouse and Me: Dionne’s Story’, accessible to observe through MTV UK.

I first met Amy Winehouse after I was very younger, about six or seven. Even from the start I bear in mind her as being very motherly. We shared a really shut and distinctive bond: I used to be fortunate to see her maternal facet and to bond along with her musically. She was like my massive sister and second mom.

I’ve so many fond childhood recollections of Amy. She used to like pampering me, and would do my hair, pluck my eyebrows, give me mini facials. She cherished doing that magnificence work.

As a godmother, she was very like a good friend, I may say issues to her that I in all probability would by no means have instructed my very own mom. I knew I may flip to Amy for recommendation about let’s say, a man, and he or she’d go, “Oh, you fancy him!”. However she’d additionally level me in the suitable route, if I wanted that. We spoke and noticed one another weekly, even over Skype. Typically, she’d name me simply to inform me about probably the most random issues that had occurred to her that day.

Rising up, 60s music was at all times enjoying round the home, so I naturally took a liking to it. I used to be at Amy’s as soon as, and I recognised the Martha & The Vandellas observe enjoying within the background. Amy was like, “Oh, you want that music? You’re gonna love these things.” She launched me to extra 60s lady teams, and that was how our musical bond started. She would later ask me to hearken to songs, and inform her three issues I cherished about them — it turned our little venture. She may see I used to be soaking all the things up, and he or she favored educating me. I used to be studying from the perfect.

Amy actually was my largest supporter, aside from my mum. She inspired me to go to theatre college. She took me to studios, she let me use her band, she taught me about issues that she had expertise in musically, and I may at all times speak in confidence to her about my profession. Not many individuals have such alternatives. I bear in mind her telling me, “I’m going to signal you in the future.” At that time, I didn’t even know what the hell that meant. A yr later, I used to be sat in an workplace, making an attempt to work out my signature for the contract. She was the driving drive behind the place I’m now.

Her final public look was on the Roundhouse in Camden in 2011, when she made a shock look on my set. Somebody had instructed me Amy was coming, and it was strolling distance from her house, however I wasn’t sure if she would. I used to be singing “Mama Stated”, and I noticed her signalling to me to return offstage. “I wish to come out and be part of you,” she instructed me. And she or he did. I launched her and we danced whereas I sang and he or she backed me. We had a very nice time.

Following her loss of life, I felt actually guarded. I believed I used to be dealing with it effectively, however I feel lots of people may see I had turn into much less completely satisfied, and fewer carefree. Within the final couple of months, I’ve been far more open, and I’ve being speaking to individuals about it. It felt subsequent to unattainable then, however I really feel a lot lighter now.

I used to keep away from assembly followers who would inform me how a lot they cherished Amy, as a result of it was actually tough. However now, I’m really so glad that individuals are nonetheless remembering her a decade later. Amy has that impact on individuals, she deserves to be appreciated and cherished nonetheless.

She evokes me each day. Amy’s largest piece of recommendation to me was to be true to myself, and to belief my intestine instincts. If one thing doesn’t really feel proper, don’t do it. Musically and personally. That recommendation follows me nonetheless, on a regular basis.

Final yr, I used to be fascinated with Amy greater than ever. I felt there was so much I wished to deal with. I wished to indicate the facet of Amy that I knew, and the documentary is likely one of the greatest issues I’ve performed. There are lots of footage and movies which have by no means been seen earlier than, and other people will get to see a facet to her that was by no means proven to the general public, however that isn’t new to her household and pals.

Individuals noticed Amy as this bigger than life character. However actually, she was only a loving, caring, regular lady. She was the type of particular person that will do something for you if she believed in you. I really need individuals to see the Amy that I knew, and to see how nice of an individual she was.

As instructed to Kay Leong. This interview has been condensed and edited for readability.