The family of Amy Winehouse "has been left bereft" by her death on Saturday.
The Winehouses, including mother Janis, her father Mitch and her brother Alex, released a statement Sunday.
"Our family has been left bereft by the loss of Amy, a wonderful daughter, sister, niece. She leaves a gaping hole in our lives," the statement reads. "We are coming together to remember her and we would appreciate some privacy and space at this terrible time."
The body of the influential "Rehab" singer, who struggled for years with addiction, was found at her London home on Saturday. The death is still officially "unexplained," according to London police. An examination of the body to determine the cause of death isn't scheduled until Monday at the earliest, according to reports.
Sadly, the song "Rehab" was all too real for the rising Brit star, who began canceling shows during her ascent up the charts. Her team cited "health issues," while rumors of substance abuse problems became inescapable. Still, Winehouse quickly became a fan favorite, and her performance at the Movie Awards proved to be a big draw.
After showing up late for her rehearsal, which took place the night before the live show, the British singer rendezvoused off to Las Vegas for a party with photographer David LaChapelle. MTV protested, but still Winehouse made way for the Strip less than 12 hours before she was needed back in California to perform. Things shouldn't have come as much of a surprise considering the numerous bumps MTV experienced when taping her for another show, "45th at Night," earlier that year.
"Just about every song, she stopped. She walked offstage," Garrett English, MTV executive in charge of production at the time, said. "It was difficult for her to work all the way through the set. Knowing that she was going to be on the Movie Awards in a true live environment was a little bit concerning."
"We had to let her go, stay in touch and hope for the best," MTV talent executive Robin Katz said.
The show's producers didn't hear from Winehouse's camp until an hour before showtime, when they received a text that confirmed the singer had returned from Sin City and was heading to the Gibson Amphitheater in Universal City, California, where the ceremony was taking place.
Despite the scare, once Amy took the stage, she performed as only Amy could. She hit her mark, and the star-studded crowd loved it.
"It was an epic performance of 'Rehab,' " Mark Burnett, the awards show's executive producer, said. "Edgy, as Amy always is, and it really fits the vibe of MTV."
Amy Winehouse was found dead Saturday at the age of 27, and despite all of her troubles, she still remained a favorite among fans and music contemporaries alike.
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