Music News

Amy Winehouse gets US visa - but still won't travel to Grammys

Feb 9, 2008, 1:21 GMT

03/15/2007 - Amy Winehouse -Daniel Locke / PR Photos

London/Washington - Troubled British singer Amy Winehouse received a last-minute US visa to attend the Grammy awards in Los Angeles Sunday but has opted to stay behind and perform via satellite from Britain after all, a spokesman said late Friday.

After rejecting her application earlier this week, the US embassy in London granted the visa 'following further discussions,' according to a statement released by her spokesman and published in the Los Angeles Times.

Winehouse, who has been nominated for six awards at the Grammys, checked into a London clinic on January 24 after a video surfaced which appeared to show her smoking crack cocaine.

She was to sing selections from her 'Back to Black' album.

'Unfortunately, due to the logistics involved and timing complications, Amy will not be coming to the US this weekend to perform at the Grammys in Los Angeles, however she will still be performing via satellite broadcast from London as previously announced this morning,' her US publicist said.

The satellite option had been arranged as a way of circumventing the US visa ban.

Winehouse was to check out of a London rehabilitation clinic Friday to start rehearsals in preparation for the live broadcast from a London studio Sunday.

'She is feeling great, looking healthy and looking forward to doing what she does best,' the spokesman said.

Winehouse, 24, learned Thursday that her visa application had been rejected.

'I'm raring to go and really excited to be performing at my first Grammy Awards. I'm really sorry I can't be there but I appreciate that I'm being given a second chance via satellite,' she said Friday.