Amy Winehouse may never sing again

British singer Amy Winehouse performs during the "Rock in Rio" music festival in Arganda del Rey, near Madrid, July 4, 2008. [Agencies]

Amy Winehouse may never sing again.

Friends fear the singer - who was hospitalised last weekend with a chest infection, at first thought to be the return of emphysema - has damaged her voice through her drug-fuelled partying and may never record another album.

Record bosses allegedly claim work on the follow-up to Amy's award-winning 'Back To Black' LP is "going slower than hoped" because of her health problems.

A source told Britain's Daily Star newspaper: "She's struggling. We just hope the wait is worth it. She's got the genius in there, it just takes more coaxing to get it out these days."

However, a spokesperson for the star insisted there was no need to worry about her lack of material.

He said: "Amy isn't on a deadline with her album.

"The last album's still selling. She's in and out of the studio working but the record company hasn't seen the final result yet. Amy's fine."

The 'Rehab' star was rushed to hospital on Saturday (25.10.08) for scans after fears she had a return attack of the debilitating lung disease emphysema - which she developed and was treated for in June this year.

Amy was treated at The London Clinic, the same place she has previously undergone treatment for her drug problems.

The scans the 25-year-old singer was given were precautionary measures to check emphysema had not returned.