14 DAY TRIAL // Amy Winehouse died this summer of accidental alcohol poisoning. In her short, troubled life, she only released two albums, but had material for at least two more. A new album will be out on December 3, it has emerged.
Just weeks after Amy was found dead in her Camden apartment, there was a lot of speculation about what her family and record label would do with the material she had left behind, which had never been heard by fans.
It became clear that a posthumous album would be released soon, but perhaps few fans dared hope it would come by the end of the year she died.
Yet that's exactly what will happen, E! Online reports.
“An all new, full-length album of never before heard recordings sung by the Grammy winner will be released Dec. 5, her record label, Island Records, announced today,” says the e-zine.
“Mightily dubbed Lioness: Hidden Treasures, the album will contain 12 songs, and be comprised of new tunes she was working on prior to her death, previously unreleased tracks, cover versions of classic songs and alternative versions of her many hits, including a demo version of 'Wake Up Alone' and mellower versions of 'Tears Dry on Their Own' and 'Valerie' – her final single, 'Body & Soul,' with Tony Bennett, will also be included,” reports the same media outlet.
The album will be released with the family's blessing, with Mitch Winehouse, her father, saying he could think of no better way to keep Amy's legacy alive than by releasing never before heard material.
Longtime collaborators and friends Mark Ronson and Salaam Reimi were instrumental in speeding up the project, a statement from the label says, as cited by E!.
“It quickly became apparent to Salaam and Mark that they had a collection of songs that deserved to be heard, a collection of songs that were a fitting testament to Amy the artist and, as importantly, Amy their friend,” Island Records notes.
“If the family had felt that this album wasn't up to the standard of Frank and Back to Black, we would never have agreed to release it and we believe it will stand as fitting tribute to Amy's musical legally,” Amy's father adds.