Chasing Amy: Why It's The Perfect Time For A Winehouse Comeback

Even among folks within the jaded, seen-it-all music industry, last week's stout first-week record sales by critically acclaimed vocalist Adele managed to leave many observers genuinely stunned. The U.K. soul singer, who shot atop the Billboard 200 album chart with her sophomore work, '21,' sold a staggering 352,000 copies. Propelled by the wailing gospel-tinged hit 'Rolling in the Deep,' Adele managed to bump Justin Bieber's 'Never Say Never -- The Remixes' from the top spot. But while the reality of outpacing arguably the most unavoidable pop star on the planet was headline-worthy enough, Adele's strong showing also reignited talk surrounding another British throwback R&B-influenced singer, Amy Winehouse.

Where the heck is Amy Winehouse anyway? It's a question that New York Magazine writer Amos Barshad pondered when talk of Adele's triumphant return to the charts first erupted. "A lot of people were thinking about Winehouse," Barshad tells PopEater of the enigmatic singer-songwriter. "Adele's current success makes you think that Amy could have held on to that spot if she would have just managed to take care of her personal issues."

Since the 2006 release of her Grammy-winning, multi-platinum landmark album 'Back to Black,' Winehouse, who brilliantly melded '60s doo-wop, heart-on-the-sleeve soul and jazz-inflected torch songs, continues to fight her way back from well-documented substance abuse, arrests and a string of tabloid run-ins. Over the last four years, varying reports of Winehouse's battles with drink and drugs (from cocaine to heroin) have become the stuff of rock-star infamy. And past appearances by the troubled 'Rehab' singer -- the performer's cut and bruised frame has looked alarmingly frail at times -- have even lead some critics to conclude that Winehouse, 27, would inevitably meet the same drug overdose fate as the legendary likes of Janis Joplin, Jim Morrison and Jimi Hendrix.

However, 2011 has already given Winehouse's fans reason to be optimistic. New promotional pictures of the singer have surfaced showcasing a seemingly healthy and happy Winehouse sporting her signature black eyeliner and bouffant hair and a smile. And after a reported January recording session with 'F**k You' hit-maker Cee-Lo in St. Lucia, an unnamed source recounted, "Her voice is as good as ever ... don't be deceived, the voice is still there. She and Cee-Lo just clicked and he said he wouldn't leave the island until the track was done."

Indeed, if there were ever a time for Winehouse to release her long-in-the-making comeback album, it would be at a time when women are currently dominating the pop music landscape. Along with the aforementioned Adele, a diverse palette of female artists, from Lady Gaga and Britney Spears to Nicki Minaj and Rihanna, are making major noise on the charts. Not even news of the singer being booed during a Feb. 11 gig in Dubai -- organizers cited technical glitches -- can dwindle hopes for her return.

And while there is no firm release date for new material, a spokesperson for Winehouse tells PopEater, she's currently, "writing and recording."

Still, questions remain. Will respected 'Back to Black' collaborator Mark Ronson join underrated studio man Salaam Remi on the buzz-heavy Winehouse set after a public falling-out with the singer in 2010? Can the troubled vocalist keep it together long enough to recapture the heart-wrenching, compelling and emotional material that was first hinted at on her spunky and at times hilarious 2003 debut, 'Frank'? Is all the talk of a supergroup featuring Winehouse, Grammy-winning music visionary Raphael Saadiq and the Roots drummer/frontman Questlove just hype?

"I think that was just a rumor," Saadiq tells PopEater of the dream trio. "I don't think that was ever really real. But it was a fun little buzz with Amy involved."

Still, fans would be happy just to get a single out of the missing-in-action Winehouse. Barshad believes that all signs point to a return. "She seems to be working her way back a little bit," he says. "She's done a few shows in Brazil that she pulled off without incident. There's still room for her. People totally love a comeback story. Just because Adele has stepped up into her vicinity doesn't mean there's no room for Winehouse."

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