Amy Lee

Amy Lee on growing up, being cool, and sexuality in music

Interview: For their next chapter, nu metal survivors Evanescence are orchestrating an ambitious reworking of their classics

In a world of generic warblers, the operatic swoop of Amy Lee’s vocal was the trump card behind Evanescence’s squillion-selling 2003 debut, Fallen. If this was a primal scream that spoke to the young, angsty and alienated, that’s probably because the Arkansas-born Lee was also a sensitive outsider who felt much of her audience’s pain. Fourteen years later we find Lee older, wiser, in a happier place and comfortable enough with her past to reinterpret the Evanescence catalogue with a full orchestra on their new album, Synthesis.

Synthesis revisits the old songs. Do you remember how it felt to be twenty years old and working on Fallen?

Unfortunately yes [laughs]. How would I describe myself back then? Wide-eyed, full of huge dreams, fairly insecure. But I think that’s pretty common. When we’re young we feel like we’re the only ones that kinda hate ourselves. I remember struggling with feeling like I didn’t deserve to be where I was. So definitely an emotional, hormonal moment. I still have a lot of big feelings, but it seems like the whole world is falling down around you sometimes when you’re a kid.

Didn’t being hugely successful make the problems go away?

No! Having lots of people all over the world touched by our music was a dream come true. But to have thousands, even millions, of people feel like they know you in an intimate way, it was difficult. I’m at a place in my life now where I think I’m pretty good at dealing with it. That whole thing, it’s not so scary any more. But it was scary in the beginning, for sure. [Source]

Amy Lee

Amy Lee in Music Week Interview

Amy Lee spoke with Music Week about the music industry and Synthesis. Read what she said:

In the new issue of Music Week, we speak to Amy Lee about the return of multi-million selling rock phenomenon Evanescence and their highly-anticipated new album, Synthesis. Only their fourth studio release in 14 years, the record sees Evanescence – completed by bassist Tim McCord, drummer Will Hunt and guitarists Troy McLawhorn and Jen Majura – present new material alongside re-recordings of some of their most defining songs, all with orchestral accompaniment.

Lee told Music Week that while Synthesis explores the group’s latent orchestral potential with long-term collaborator David Campbell, it was also a chance to show how far their musical skills have developed.

“There’s a lot of musical skill that I personally didn’t have,” said Lee. “When we were writing Bring Me To Life I was 19! So just the musical ability that I had when I was 19 as a writer, as a singer, as an everything, I can do all that stuff better now because we’ve had all this time and experience. In addition, living inside those songs live for all these years, it just forever gives you ideas.”

Lee also opened up about the prospect of following the blockbusting success of her past, with Evanescence’s 2003 debut selling 1,324,026 copies to date in the UK according to Official Charts Company data.

“Fallen happened in the way that it happened,” Lee told Music Week. “You can’t even talk about record sales any more, it doesn’t mean anything but we kind of got set in a way that I was okay. We made some money and I always have poured that money into the next project. I have this ability to use that resource and the fanbase that we got from all those people who heard our music in the first place and cared about it enough to stick around. I can use that, I don’t have to start [a project] by going, ‘Help! I need to do a Kickstarter! I need to find a label!”

Evanescence

Evanescence will be playing at the Foxwoods Resort Casino tonight!

Evanescence will be playing at the Foxwoods Resort Casino tonight! Get your tickets! http://bit.ly/2ynzhGE! They will be live streaming the opening of the show TONIGHT right on their Facebook beginning at 8:45 PM EST!

Evanescence

Evanescence gets the full force of an orchestra at Heinz Hall

It only took a few songs to see just how humble Evanescence’s frontwoman Amy Lee truly is. After belting out a completely re-imagined version of “Bring Me to Life,” the 2003 Billboard nu metal hit from the band’s debut album “Fallen,” Ms. Lee took a deep breath and exhaled.

“Regaining composure,” she said, while sitting at the piano on stage at Heinz Hall on Monday night. As organic globular shapes floated in the background, she crooned some of the gentlest lines of the song. “Breathe into me and make me real,” she sung, before moving into a chaotic storm of a chorus, dramatized by a full orchestra rather than just electric guitars. The strings and brass complemented syncopated drumming before Ms. Lee finished the song.

The lights faded to black over her long, dark hair and billowing, floor-length black gown. Despite nearly a decade and a half of touring, the vocalist still deeply emoted while on stage, as if she were singing to herself in her own bedroom. As part of Evanescence’s Synthesis tour, previewing the band’s fourth album after a brief hiatus, the band played mostly past hits from their three existing albums, re-envisioning them for an orchestra.

What may have been as subjectively depressing as Green Day’s 2009 foray into opera was actually a delight — while Ms. Lee and her bandmates shared the stage with a 28-piece ensemble, her voice emerged as the most noteworthy instrument. It was enough to make you wonder whether she was a rock star or an opera star.

“It’s honestly one of my oldest dreams to play in the orchestra,” Ms. Lee said. “So thank you for giving me that opportunity.” In songs like “End of the Dream” and “Your Star,” the classical instruments were met with electronic beats and audibly alluring sound effects, including crackles, noises like chains dragging against the floor and some eerie effects that sounded nearly ghoulish. [Source]

Amy Lee

Interview featuring Amy Lee on Sonic Seducer

Watch the brand new interview of Amy Lee discussing the upcoming ‘Synthesis’ Album that is due for release on November 10th!

Amy Lee

Amy Lee Awarded Attorney Fees In Dispute With Management Company

According to TMZ, Evanescence singer Amy Lee was awarded more than a million dollars in legal fees in connection with a lawsuit brought against her by her former management company.

110 Management Inc. sued Amy last year for unpaid commissions and fees. 110 originally sought $1.5 million from the singer, and eventually lowered the demand to $335,000. An arbitrator finally ruled the management company was owed only $4,863.66.

Amy asked the court to award her attorney fees from 110 for the lengthy legal battle, and the judge finally decided that she was entitled to $1,036,773.68. But, according to TMZ, that’s all going to her legal expenses — $885,000 in attorney fees, $72,000 for expert witnesses and other administrative costs.

Lee is currently on the road with EVANESCENCE in support of the band’s next album, “Synthesis“, which is due on November 10. The disc features two new EVANESCENCE songs in addition to fan favorites re-recorded with a live orchestra and electronica.

[Source]

Amy Lee

Amy Lee Talks About Lindsey Stirling’s Appearance On ‘Synthesis’

The fourth in a series of webisodes featuring footage from the making of Evanescence’s next album, “Synthesis”, can be seen below. In the latest episode of “Inside Synthesis”, we explore the making of “Hi-Lo”, one of the two new tracks on the album, featuring a guest performance by famed violinist Lindsey Stirling. “Synthesis” is due on November 10. The effort features full orchestration in a completely synthetic world of beats and sounds, with help from arranger and composer David Campbell.

“Synthesis” contains two new Evanescence songs in addition to fan favorites re-recorded with a live orchestra and electronica. The “Synthesis Live” tour launched on October 14 on the West Coast. Like the album, “Synthesis Live” features a reimagining of some of Evanescence’s best-loved songs with the spotlight on full orchestra, electronics combined with the band and frontwoman Amy Lee’s virtuoso piano and voice.

“This is a total passion project for me. There are so many layers in our music, underneath the huge drums and guitars,” explained Lee. “I’ve always wanted to shine a light on some of the gorgeous David Campbell arrangements and programming elements in our songs, and that idea snowballed into completely re-doing them with full orchestra, not just strings, elaborate programming and experimentation.

Evanescence

Amy Is Glad To Release Rap-Free Version Of Bring Me To Life

EVANESCENCE’s Amy Lee spoke to Australia’s News.com.au about her decision to re-record the band’s old material with a full orchestra and heavy electronics for the “Synthesis” album. The disc, which is due on November 10, includes a re-imagining of the group’s breakthrough 2003 hit “Bring Me To Life” without the guest rap by vocalist Paul McCoy.

“God bless the rap, it’s part of what got us on the radio, I guess,” Lee said. “At least according to all the rules of radio that I don’t agree with or understand. The rap wasn’t part of our original idea or sound, it was a compromise in many ways. So to be able to go back to the original vision for the song was great.”

According to Amy, “The recording of a song that ends being the one you hear the most through history is usually when the song was just freshly written. You’re still learning it yourself and getting used to what the notes are and how the parts go,” she said. “That’s true for ‘Bring Me To Life‘, for sure. After doing it live for so long, there’s different vocal choices I’ve made and different things we got to use in this version.”

Fourteen years after “Bring Me To Life” was released, Lee says she “forgets” the rap’s there in the original version of the song. “At the time it was a big issue, it was our first single,” she said. “I wanted people to understand who we were. That’s a struggle you always fight as an artist. If we only had the one hit, if no one ever heard from us again, then nobody would understand who we were. We’ve made it past that point, so the rap doesn’t make me angry anymore. I’m so glad to put a new version out there without the rap, though.”

“Synthesis” features full orchestration in a completely synthetic world of beats and sounds, with help from arranger and composer David Campbell. The disc contains two new EVANESCENCE songs in addition to fan favorites re-recorded with a live orchestra and electronica.

“Synthesis” includes a guest performance by famed violinist Lindsey Stirling on “Hi-Lo”, one of the new tracks on the album.

[Source]

Evanescence

Inside Synthesis Part 4 – Featuring Lindsey Stirling

Watch a BRAND NEW episode of Inside Synthesis featuring @lindseystirling!

Evanescence

Pre-order Synthesis & get “Lacrymosa” instantly!

Listen to Evanescence’s new track, “Lacrymosa”, off their new album, Synthesis, now! Pre-order the album & get it instantly! http://smarturl.it/Lacrymosa

Evanescence

Evanescence confirm third London date for the “Synthesis tour”

According to Live Arena Evanescence confirmed a third London date for the “Synthesis tour” and the wait is almost over. In less than a couple of weeks, fans from all over the world will be able to hear Evanescence’s newest material. After six years away, the band will be back with their new album, “Synthesis”, on 10th November, featuring a revamped version of all of their iconic songs from previous records. After giving us a taste of the overall feel of the album with a remastered version of their single, “Bing Me To Life”, Evanescence recently brought us a poignant new single, “Imperfection”, which deals with depression and suicide.

Evanescence will bring their latest material live to fans next Spring with a string of concerts up and down the UK. For those of you who still don’t have a ticket, we have some great news. The band will extend their stay in the country with one more concert in London on 9th April wrapping up their impressive tour.

Ticket Information

Evanescence in Concert
April 9th 2018: London (GB) – Eventim Apollo
Price
From £52.75 to £96.75
Tickets and reservations
On primary ticket outlets (sale opens at 9am on 27/10/2017): TicketmasterUK

Evanescence

Evanescence unveil emotional video for new single ‘Imperfection’

“It’s for all the people we’ve lost, all the people who we could lose, to suicide and depression”

Evanescence have unveiled the fittingly dramatic new video for their latest single ‘Imperfection’. See it first on NME below.

The track is the lead single and one of the new songs from album ‘Synthesis’ – a reworking of some of the band’s best-loved tracks performed with a full orchestra and electronic elements. ‘Imperfection’, is an emotional moment dealing with suicide and depression.

“For me, this is the most important song on the album,” singer Amy Lee said of ‘Imperfection’. “I struggled with the lyrics for a long time because there was a lifetime of work to live up to and I wasn’t sure what to say or how to be good enough. When it finally started pouring out of me, it was undeniable. I had no choice.

“It’s for all the people we’ve lost, all the people who we could lose, to suicide and depression. I’m singing from the perspective of the person left behind, the person in the waiting room. It’s a plea to fight for your life, to stay. Don’t give into the fear- I have to tell myself that every day. Nobody is perfect. We are all imperfect, and it’s precisely those imperfections that make us who we are, and we have to embrace them because there’s so much beauty in those differences.”

She added: “Life is worth fighting for. You are worth fighting for.”

Evanescence release ‘Synthesis’ on November 10.

[Source]

Evanescence

Evanescence Amp Up the Drama with Orchestra @ LA’s Greek Theatre

Evanescence lead singer Amy Lee made the leap from goth-rocker to opera diva last night, as she and the band led a 20-piece orchestra through a sold-out performance at the Greek Theatre Sunday night, previewing the group’s fourth album, “Synthesis,” which comes out November 10.

Both the concert and the album — Evanescence’s first since its self-titled 2011 effort — offer a reimagining of the group’s catalog with a full symphony orchestra, arranged by none other than Beck’s father, veteran arranger David Campbell, whose collaboration with the band dates back to its first album. The concert was the second of Evanescence’s current “Synthesis Live” tour, as they team up with a different symphony orchestra (under the direction of conductor Susie Seiter) in each city for an 80-minute, 18-song set.

Looking more like Maria Callas than Grace Slick in a billowing floor-length black gown with a plunging neckline, Lee firmly re-establishes herself as one of rock’s pre-eminent vocalists, exhibiting an impressive range that still packs a wallop, this time cutting through a full orchestra. Although the set includes just two new songs (the single “Imperfection” and the encore, “Speak to Me,” performed solo by Lee for the film “Voice From the Stone” earlier this year), there is also “Hi Lo” (a 10-year-old song recorded for the first time on the new album) and a pair of newly composed orchestral/piano interludes. Still, she and the ensemble turn the familiar material — including crowd favorites like the Grammy-winning “Bring Me to Life,” “My Immortal,” “Lithium” and “Your Star” — into full-throttle, wide-screen epics, its themes of loss, guilt and self-doubt enlarged to tragedy on the Greek proscenium.

Amy Lee

Message from Amy Lee about VIP Tickets

Amy lee has posted on her facebook an explanation of the VIP tickets, how they work and what is included in them. You can visit her FB page here!

Evanescence

Evanescence starts Synthesis Tour at Pearl Concert Theater in Las Vegas

Evanescence starts their tour to promote the release of the upcoming album ‘Synthesis’ at The Pearl concert theater at Palms Casino Resort on October 14, 2017 in Las Vegas, Nevada

[Check out the Media Vault for more Videos]

Evanescence

Inside Synthesis: Episode 3 – Harp

In the 3rd episode of “Inside Synthesis”, meet Harp player, Kirsten Copley, who taught a member of @evanescence! https://t.co/QmO2Z81R4M

Evanescence

Amy Lee on drama and going back with Synthesis

For those among us who were watching Kerrang! religiously in 2003, there likely isn’t a more memorable image than that of Evanescence’s Amy Lee scaling a giant building in a flimsy nightie while screaming save me from the nothing I’ve become into the night. “Bring Me to Life”, with its huge chorus, guitars, and rock-rap went quickly platinum, brought Evanescence to global relevance, and ensured that they wouldn’t ever be forgotten. Even if that’s the only song of theirs you know, the opening piano is probably more than enough to get you amped up enough to start screaming (badly) along.

Evanescence followed 2003’s Fallen, their most commercially successful album, with The Open Door in 2006. After a hiatus and another change in line-up, the band returned in 2011 with Evanescence before going back on hiatus. Now, in 2017, the band are very much back – and while their continued legacy is thanks in part to their huge, dramatic sound and that one, timeless banger, it’s more than anything thanks to their one remaining original member: Amy Lee. In a scene and genre full to the brim with men, Amy Lee, with her outrageously impressive voice and dramatic gothic decadence, was instantly iconic.

Amy Lee has been busy in the last few years with solo work including film scores and a children’s album. But now, Evanescence, with new guitarist Jen Majura, are well and truly back. This November they’ll release Synthesis, a reworking and re-recording of some of their biggest hits (yes, including “Bring Me To Life”) with a full orchestra and electronics. It also includes brand new songs, and is the precursor to more new music and a full tour from the band. We spoke to Amy Lee, eternal alt icon, about Synthesis, why it was the right time to revisit their old work, and being a very famous woman in music since she was just 21.

The new album sounds and feels very Björk-esque, that mix of electronic with strings. Not identical, it’s your own thing, but similar. [Source]

Evanescence

Evanescence at Revention Center Ticket Giveaway

Enter for a chance to win 2 tickets to Evanescence – Synthesis Live with Orchestra at Revention Music Center on Friday, October 20th! [ENTER HERE]

Amy Lee

Good Enough (Live at Steinway & Sons)

Amy Lee took part in a question-and-answer session and one-song live performance Tuesday night (October 3) at the Steinway Hall in New York City. EVANESCENCE’s new album, “Synthesis”, is due on November 10. The effort features full orchestration in a completely synthetic world of beats and sounds, with help from arranger and composer David Campbell.

“Synthesis” will contain two new EVANESCENCE songs in addition to fan favorites re-recorded with a live orchestra and electronica. The album includes guest performance by famed violinist Lindsey Stirling on “Hi-Lo”, one of the two new tracks on the album.

The “Synthesis Live” tour will launch on October 14 on the West Coast. Like the album, “Synthesis Live” will feature a reimagining of some of EVANESCENCE’s best-loved songs with the spotlight on full orchestra, electronics combined with the band and Lee‘s virtuoso piano and voice.

“This is a total passion project for me. There are so many layers in our music, underneath the huge drums and guitars,” explained Lee. “I’ve always wanted to shine a light on some of the gorgeous David Campbell arrangements and programming elements in our songs, and that idea snowballed into completely re-doing them with full orchestra, not just strings, elaborate programming and experimentation.

“This will be our first time touring with orchestra and I’m so excited to perform this way — really focus on the vocals, and the emotion and the story we’ve built over the years. I’m also really excited about the new material on the album. Besides the two new songs, there are some really beautiful instrumental in-between moments. The whole thing flows like a big, dynamic soundtrack.”

[Check out the Media Vault to see more]