Universal Record bosses have grown tired of waiting for the release of a much anticipated new album from artist Amy Winehouse, and have upped the ante by allegedly investing more than 150,000 pounds to book three London recording studios to hasten its production, according to Britain's Daily Mirror newspaper.
Although having scored plenty of fans with her previous hits, Amy’s reputation for drugs and drama have almost irrevocably damaged her reputation as one of the most promising pop/rock/blues singers of a generation – and Universal are taking no more chances.
Universal are hoping that by booking three studios in different locations throughout London, Winehouse may be more likely to turn up at one of them. Whether this is money well spent or not, only time will tell, given Winehouse's habit of failing to turn up at recording sessions after all-night benders, and being a concert no-show. It's a pretty big bet Universal are laying, but one which they are happy to make.
New Album for 2009
The singer, whose first two albums Frank and Back To Black were both hugely successful, had reportedly planned a new album for a late 2008 release, but the label now admits that it will most likely be in 2009.
Word has it that Winehouse is trying hard to keep on schedule and has even reached demo stage with some of the new tracks - playing her new material to Chief Executive for Universal Music Group, Lucian Grange, and he has heard several of the new songs live.
BBC 6Music reports that what Grange has heard he likes, calling it “sensational”, adding that he “believes in her as a person and certainly believe in her as an artist and that's what I hope for."
Back to Black
Despite her well documented drug problems and plagued by marriage dramas, "Back to Black" sold more units worldwide than any other album during the first half of 2008, selling 3.67 million copies. By September, that number had increased to over 11 million copies worldwide, and Winehouse has even been credited with preventing Universal Music's recorded music division from dropping to the same low-level sales experienced by the worldwide music market.
The new album will be Winehouse’s first offering since Back to Black in 2006, her most successful album to date. Label executives are hoping she will be able to recreate some of the magic from "Back to Black" that earned her 5 Grammy awards, including Best New Artist, Record of the Year and Song of the Year. Amy performs live at the 2008 Grammy Awards.
Sources close to the singer are predicting that the new album will be “darker”, with Winehouse herself admitting she writes some of her best tracks when she is experiencing extreme emotional pain.
