Experts Predict Global Boost for Winehouse

There can't be many multiple Grammy award winners who have dedicated their victories to a north London pub, but then the career of Amy Winehouse has been anything but conventional.

Industry experts yesterday predicted a global sales boost for the 24-year-old Londoner after her "historic" feat in collecting five of the six Grammys for which she had been nominated.

Winehouse performed live via a satellite link from Riverside Studios in London at 4am yesterday after problems obtaining a US visa, which was eventually granted, meant that plans to fly out to the ceremony in Los Angeles had to be abandoned.

The singer performed You Know I'm No Good and Rehab, her biggest hit, which has been given added piquancy since she began treatment for drug addiction.

She took best new artist and female pop vocal performance; Rehab was named song and record of the year; and Back to Black won pop vocal album. The haul equaled the record for the most awards won by a female artist on the night.

She was only denied a clean sweep by a surprise victory for jazz veteran Herbie Hancock, who won album of the year.

Winehouse thanked her parents and "incarcerated" husband Blake Fielder-Civil, with a nod to Camden Town: "This is for London because Camden Town is burning down." The north London district, including the Hawley Arms pub in which Winehouse is often snapped by paparrazzi, was ravaged by fire over the weekend.

Paul Gambaccini, the broadcaster and chart expert, said her win would catapult her into the major league if she could overcome her drug problems. "I've always agreed with the Oscar Wilde quote: 'The only bad publicity is an obituary'. If you can bounce back from disaster, people will love you all the more. If Amy proves to be a phoenix, people will go nuts."