Amy Winehouse's life-saving break

Jun 6, 2008, 9:40 GMT

05/30/2008 - Amy Winehouse - Rock in Rio Lisboa 2008 - Day 1 - Parque da Bela Vista - Lisboa, Portugal © Rui M. Leal / PR Photos

Amy Winehouse must stop singing if it means she wins her drugs battle, says the man who discovered her.

Nick Godwyn signed the singer when she was just 16 - and claims her ambition back then was to be a waitress.

Nick dismissed claims that the troubled singer is throwing away her talent, but says he is saddened by what has happened to her since she shot to fame.

He told Britain's The Sun newspaper: "What is happening now is not very pleasant for anybody to watch. I feel she seems to be sad.

"People talk about wasted talent, but I don't look at it like that. If Amy never made another record again it would be sad, but it's less about the music for me and more about 'this is a human being that maybe isn't very happy'."

Nick also revealed he discovered Amy - who has allegedly battled alcohol, drugs and a eating disorder since becoming famous - after one of the 'Rehab' singer's friends played him a tape of her singing.

He explained: "I was at the house of one of my other artists when he put on a tape. I asked who it was and he said just a friend.

"I couldn't believe how good she sounded so I asked her to meet me. I asked Amy what she wanted to do with her life and she said she wanted to be a waitress."

Nick admits her early lyrics provided an indicator that Amy, now 24, wasn't happy even back then.

He added: "There were signs, even back then, that she wasn't happy. You can listen to the words of her songs and there aren't many happy, upbeat love songs. And I think that's a reflection of where she is. She only writes songs from personal experience.

"There are some beautiful songs which, lyrically, are fascinating. But some of them are quite sad."

(C) BANG Media International