Back to Black soundtrack: Does Marisa Abela do all her own singing?

The soundtrack also features songs from artists who were an inspiration to Amy Winehouse.

By Molly Moss

Published: Friday, 12 April 2024 at 07:00 AM

Amy Winehouse is getting the biopic treatment in Back to Black, a new portrait of the troubled singer from director Sam Taylor-Johnson.

The movie has been controversial from the word go, with some fans fearing that the project could be exploitative, and some saying it’s simply too soon after her death. 

Some diehard Amy Winehouse fans have also been quick to criticise the vocal ability of Marisa Abela, who is portraying the singer in the film.

A clip was released in March showing Back to Black’s depiction of the process of Amy’s first record deal and writing Stronger Than Me – and giving the first look at Abela’s vocals – and some fans were far from impressed. 

However, the RadioTimes.com review is full of praise of Abela’s performance, describing her portrayal of Amy as “at turns funny, headstrong, vulnerable and tragic”.

So, does Abela do all her own singing, or do Amy’s vocals feature in the film as well? Read on for everything you need to know about the soundtrack.

Does Marisa Abela do all her own singing in Back to Black?

Marisa Abela as Amy Winehouse and Eddie Marsan as Mitch Winehouse in Back to Black, talking next to a bar with a taxi behind them
Marisa Abela as Amy Winehouse and Eddie Marsan as Mitch Winehouse in Back to Black.
Studiocanal

Yes, director Sam Taylor-Johnson recently revealed that Marisa has provided all vocals for the film, having started lessons for the part.

Speaking to Empire, she said: “When we first talked about it, my first question to (Marisa) was, ‘Can you sing?’ And she said, ‘I can’t.’”

She continued: “I was thinking, maybe we’ll use Amy’s voice throughout, and we’ll do it that way. 

“She then went off after that audition – irrespective of whether she knew she’d got the part – and started training her voice.”

“Now she sings the entire movie, beginning to end. I mean, it’s a huge feat.”

Abela also worked with Winehouse’s original band for the recordings. “Amy’s original band got back together, and we all went into the recording studio,” Taylor-Johnson added.

“Dale [Davis] was there, her bass guitarist, and Ade [Omotayo, singer], and we just all stood there and just went, ‘F**k! She’s incredible.’

“They didn’t know what to expect. They were just brimming with emotion, because it’s such a multi-layer of feelings for the people who were close to her and worked with her.

“A lot of the times they would just actually show up on filming days when we were filming music scenes, to just sit and experience that.”

The film’s music producer, Giles Martin, the son of Beatles producer George Martin, recently weighed in on the criticism around choosing Abela’s voice over Amy’s in the final edit.

“The challenge was acceptance,” he told virginradio.co.uk. “I remember really early on, I think Marisa is fantastic. I’m really proud of the way we did it. I think people always go, ‘It’s not Amy Winehouse singing?’ I go, ‘Well, it isn’t Amy Winehouse singing!’

Giles continued: “I think she gets the emotion across, and that’s the challenge, in getting the emotion across, the frailty. I think it’s a celebration of Amy, and I think Marisa’s done a phenomenal job of that.”

Back to Black soundtrack

Composed and recorded by Nick Cave and Warren Ellis, the soundtrack features three original recordings from Amy’s debut album, Frank, three songs from her masterpiece Back to Black and a new track, Song for Amy, sung by Cave.

Other songs from artists who were an inspiration to Amy – including The Shangri-Las, Billie Holiday, Minnie Riperton, Dinah Washington and Sarah Vaughan – also appear.

The full soundtrack is as follows:

1CD, 1LP and eAlbum

LP1 – Side A

  • Amy Winehouse – What Is It About Men
  • Amy Winehouse – Stronger Than Me
  • Amy Winehouse – Know You Now
  • The Shangri-Las – Leader Of The Pack
  • Billie Holiday – All Of Me
  • Amy Winehouse – Back to Black

LP1 – Side B

  • Minnie Riperton – Les Fleurs
  • Dinah Washington – Mad About The Boy
  • Amy Winehouse – Love Is a Losing Game
  • Sarah Vaughan featuring Clifford Brown – Embraceable You
  • Amy Winehouse – Tears Dry on Their Own
  • Nick Cave – Song for Amy

2CD, 2LP and eAlbum Deluxe

LP1 – Side A

  • Thelonious Monk – Straight, No Chaser
  • Amy Winehouse – What Is It About Men
  • Amy Winehouse – Stronger Than Me
  • Amy Winehouse – I Heard Love Is Blind
  • The Specials – Ghost Town
  • Amy Winehouse – Know You Now
  • Little Anthony & The Imperials – I’m On The Outside (Looking In)

LP1 – Side B

  • The Shangri-Las – Leader of the Pack
  • Billie Holiday – All of Me
  • The Shangri-Las – Dressed In Black
  • Donny Hathaway – I Love You More Than You’ll Ever Know
  • The Libertines – Don’t Look Back Into the Sun
  • Amy Winehouse – F**k Me Pumps

LP2 – Side C

  • Tony Bennett – Body & Soul
  • Amy Winehouse – Back to Black
  • Amy Winehouse – Valerie (Live Lounge version)
  • Minnie Riperton – Les Fleurs
  • Willie Nelson – That’s Life
  • Dinah Washington – Mad About the Boy
  • Amy Winehouse – (There Is) No Greater Love

LP2 – Side D

  • Amy Winehouse – Me & Mr Jones
  • Amy Winehouse – Love Is a Losing Game
  • Amy Winehouse – Rehab
  • Sarah Vaughan featuring Clifford Brown – Embraceable You
  • Amy Winehouse – Tears Dry on Their Own
  • Nick Cave – Song for Amy