Amy Lynn Lee (born December 13, 1981) is an American singer-songwriter and musician. She is the co-founder, lead vocalist, keyboardist and main songwriter of the rock band Evanescence. She is a classically trained pianist and a multi-instrumentalist.[1][2][3]
Lee was musically influenced by composers and artists of different genres. Lee is the main lyricist and composer of Evanescence since its start. Since 2009, she and the band have co-written the music, starting with the band's self-titled third album. Lee won the National Music Publisher's Association's Songwriter Icon Award in 2008.[1][4]
Lee is the spokesperson of the Epilepsy Foundation. She started a campaign called "Out of the Shadows".[5][6] She advocates for the "To Write Love on Her Arms" organization.[7] She was chosen as the 2012 recipient of the Luella Bennack award at United Cerebral Palsy's 11th annual Women Who Care luncheon for her community projects and social impact.[8][9]
Lee ranked at #69 in Hit Parader's list of "Top 100 Metal Vocalists of All Time". She was #49 in VH1's "100 Greatest Women in Music". She was listed by About.com as one of the greatest female rock artists. She won the 2012 Revolver's Golden Gods award for best vocalist,[10] and was named the 2012 "Rock Goddess of the Year" in the Loudwire Music Awards.[11]
Biography
Lee was born in Riverside, California. Her parents were John Lee, a disc jockey, and Sara Lee (née Cargill).[12] Her family moved to many places in the United States. They settled in Little Rock, Arkansas when she was 13 years old. She has two living sisters, Carrie and Lori. She had a sister who died at age three, when Lee was six years old,[12] and her brother died in 2018 at age 24 from severe epilepsy. Lee wrote the songs "Hello" and "Like You" for her late sister.[13]
“
It was strange to me and I kinda became obsessed with it because remembering who I was, I was like the quite girl in the corner and then I played the tape and everybody was freaking out. My teacher showed it to all the classes. It was a really cheesy song. [...] Seriously, it was so bad but for an eighth grader, they thought it was pretty impressive.
”
—Amy Lee on writing "A Single Tear, AOL
Lee first wanted to become a classical composer. She was first inspired by Mozart after watching the movie Amadeus at age eight. She wrote the instrumental piece "Eternity of the Remorse" at the age of 11. She described it as a "depressing" and "dramatic" piece. She wrote her first song with lyrics, called "A Single Tear", for an English assignment for eighth grade. She played guitar and recorded it on a cassette with a friend who sang back-up vocals.
Lee studied at Pulaski Academy.[14][15] She described her school years as a "weird fit for [her]" and was "a loner for while". She identified herself as an "art nerd" or "choir nerd",[15][16] and would listen to alternative and heavy metal music. Lee said that writing became an "outlet for all the bad stuff [she] was feeling". She joined the school's mixed choir and sang as an alto. She became president of the choir council in her senior year.[15]
At age 17, she wrote a choir arrangement called "Listen to the Rain". It impressed her choir teacher, who encouraged Lee to direct the choir's performance of the song. Her direction of the choir during her graduation ceremony received a positive reaction from the audience.[15] After graduating from high school, she briefly attended Middle Tennessee State University to study music theory and composition. She dropped out after a semester to focus on Evanescence.[17]
Lee and Ben Moody met in 1994 at a Christian youth summer camp.[24] The two started working on music and later performed at bookstores and coffee houses. After two of their songs were played on local radio stations, they became more popular in their area and were asked to appear in local concerts. Lee and Moody went on to make two EPs, Evanescence EP (1998) and Sound Asleep/Whisper EP (1999). The EPs were sold to concert audiences.
In 2001, Evanesecence went to Ardent Studios in Memphis to mix a number of demos. There they met producer Pete Matthews who was impressed by their work and he showcased their demos to a number of labels.[17][25] After playing the song "My Immortal" to Matthews' friend Diana Meltzer at Wind-Up Records, she became interested in signing Evanescence a record deal. They were moved to Los Angeles[18] once they were signed; however, because they were "still young and needed to be developed", they were enrolled in an artist development program for two years before they were given a producer to work with.[17]
Evanescence performing in Le Zenith, Paris in 2004. Lee is pictured with lead guitarist Terry Balsamo
Moody left the band in the middle of tour in 2003, citing "creative differences" with Lee.[12][26][27] He later said his reason for leaving Evanescence was, "If I stayed, I think Amy and I would have destroyed [Evanescence] because we just weren't heading in the same direction; we were pulling it in two different directions. It was bad".[28] Moody also said in an interview with Spin Magazine that he tried to convince Lee to leave the band: "I had tried before, out of ignorance, pride, and resentment, to convince Amy that she should leave. That we'd be better off and Evanescence didn't need her", and followed this statement with an apology to Lee.[29]
Lee has not spoken to Moody since his departure from the band.[27][30] She stated in an interview with Blender in 2006 that they "need to just live [their] separate lives".[27]
In 2005, former Evanescence manager Dennis Rider filed a $10 million lawsuit against Lee for breach of contract, which she responded to with a counter-suit for "breach of fiduciary duty" among other claims.[12][31]
Lee performing with Evanescence in 2006
In 2007, Lee fired tour guitarist John LeCompt and tour drummer Rocky Gray quit soon after.[26][32] Lee stated that LeCompt and Gray "didn't really care about Evanescence at all, and just stayed around for the money" and that she would not let Evanescence be "driven into the ground".[33] In an interview with Spin Magazine, Lee noted that LeCompt and Gray's writing "didn't work for Evanescence" and believes they "got bored or frustrated" because of this.[34]
After the line-up change in 2007, Lee has stated that the band has become "stronger" and more cohesive.[35][36][37][38]
In 2011, Lee explained that one of the reasons behind Evanescence's lengthy time after the conclusion of "The Open Door Tour" was because she was feeling overwhelmed by everything about the industry that consumed Evanescence. She "just needed to get away from it" and "wanted to be a normal person for a minute" because her "entire adult life [...] was all about [Evanescence]".[17][39]
Artistry
Music and lyrics
"Amy [Lee]'s songs and sound, a nearly mystical marriage between rock and classical, was formed by a curious duality. [...] The inherent drama in Amy’s music – a kind of audio odyssey that can turn on a dime from piano-led introspection to hammering guitar – has resonated with listeners everywhere. The music’s core, which ranges from subtle to aggressive, finds a counterpart in Amy’s passionate vocals, lyrics that forge a connection with audiences searching for identity or struggling with feelings of desire, hope love and loss."
Lee is the main lyricist and composer of Evanescence since its start.[35][36][15] Her lyrics are often associated to themes ranging from hopelessness, introspection and loss to self-respect and empowerment.[1][2]
Lee was influenced by a variety of artists and genres. Her music is often described as a blend between rock and classical music, with an emotional and dark character.[40][41][42][43] Lee named "Lacrymosa", a part of Mozart's Requiem, as her favorite music piece. She credited "The Nightmare Before Christmas" as her "number one biggest influence artistically in every way" and would often sing to "Sally’s Song" when she was younger. She cites Björk as her most influential artist in popular music.[44] Her other influences include: Soundgarden, Nine Inch Nails, Portishead, The Smashing Pumpkins, Nirvana, Korn, Tori Amos, Marvin Gaye, Massive Attack, Depeche Mode, Massive Attack, Radiohead, Garbage, and Pantera.[13][45][46]
She credits "The Nightmare Before Christmas" as her "number one biggest influence artistically in every way" and would often sing to "Sally’s Song" when she was younger. She cites Björk as a big influence. In an interviews with Revolver Magazine, Lee noted Björk's influence on her lyrics "The way [Björk] uses the English language, probably because it’s not her first language, she uses it for the way the words sound as much as what the words mean. That always inspired me. When I’m writing lyrics, I think that way, too. I want the meaning to matter, but the way they actually sound coming out your mouth matters, too". She also listed songs such as "Pagan Poetry", "Joga" and "Crystalline" as some of her favorite and most inspirational Björk songs.[44] Additionally, Michael Jackson was one of Lee's music idols as a teenager and considers him to be highly inspirational.[35] Other influences include: Portishead, Tori Amos, Nirvana, Korn, Marvin Gaye, Massive Attack, Depeche Mode and SoundGarden.
Lee's musical influences include singer Björk (left) and classical composer Mozart (right)
Lee stated in several interviews that she likes to experiment with different musical elements.[47] She works on electronic sounds most prominently in the first sessions of the pre-production phase of the band's albums.[48] She has also expressed interest in folk music.[34]
Lee was classically trained in piano for nine years.[2] Several music critics consider the piano as a characteristic feature of Evanescence's music. Lee often plays the piano during live performances in selected songs, and has also covered songs with piano, such the Korn song “Thoughtless”. She also plays acoustic guitar and harp.[3] She played the harp in the band's third album, such as the song "Secret Door".[49]
Lee said that she has been particularly fascinated with the idea of death and beyond.[48][50][13]
Her songs are often inspired by life struggles and personal experiences.[53] She described her writing process in the song "All That I’m Living For", explaining that she mostly writes at night time.[13] In the band's self-titled third album, some of Lee's writing was also inspired by issues such as sex trafficking and the Tohoku earthquake and tsunami.[54][48][55][56]
Lee was honored by the National Music Publisher's Association with their 2008 Songwriter Icon Award, which recognizes outstanding songwriters for personal achievement. Lee received the award during the annual NMPA meeting in New York City and performed a song to the attendance as well.[1][2]
Voice
Lee performing at the Maquinaria Festival in Brazil. Several critics praise Lee for her powerful and passionate vocal performances.
Lee's vocal range spans 3.6 octaves from a low A2 (2003 Fallen Vocal warm up)[57] to an E6 in full head voice (MTV Video Diary).[58] Her highest recorded note in full head voice is a C#6 in the song "Weight of the World"[59] and her lowest recorded note is a C3 in the cover of U2's song "With or Without You".[60] Lee's highest mixed note in studio recording is a G#5 in the collaboration with American rock band Halestorm's song "Break In".[61] Overall, her highest mixed note is a Bb5 in a cover of Michael Jackson's song "Dirty Diana".[62] Lee has also been known for her scream in the song "Tourniquet" also, in which is in the note of a D5.[63] In an MTV special, Lee managed to hit an E6 live during a vocal warm-up in full head voice, also showing that she is capable of reaching up to Bb7 through exclamation.[64] She is popularly classified as a full-lyric mezzo-soprano, though this has not been confirmed by Lee herself.
Lee is not professionally trained in singing and applies what she learned from her years as a choir member in high school.[65] Her lower to mid-range belts are often supported, if not resonant, and she can sustain notes in the 5th octave in all vowels. She also uses several vocal dynamics in her singing, most notably crescendos.[66]
Critics often consider Lee's vocals to be one of the highlights of the bands' music, describing it as "ethereal",[42][48][67][68][69] "dramatic"[70][71] and "haunting",[12][72][73] while praising its "powerful",[69][74] "crystalline" and "operatic" qualities.
Image and style
Lee attending the Billboard Awards in 2003 in a dress she designed
Lee has an eclectic clothing style mostly inspired by Victorian,[26] Gothic and Japanese[75] fashion. She is known to design many of her outfits, such as the outfits she wore for the video of "Going Under" and the dress she wore to the Noble Peace Prize concert in 2011.[76][77][12] In another interview, she said that when she first started performing, she was not very confident and would mainly wear corsets.[78] In a 2011 interview with VEVO, Lee showcased her wardrobe, commenting that she'd rather make her own clothes because it's hard to find what she exactly wants elsewhere.[78] Lee stated that her daily style is different from when she performs; describing it as "funky, spooky, cute" in an interview.[75] She explained that her on-stage wardrobe was meant to reflect the atmosphere of the songs.[75]
In 2005, Lee came in 4th in Kerrang!'s 50 Sexiest People in Rock list. She was listed in Blender as one of the hottest women in rock in 2006, alongside other singers such as Joan Jett and Liz Phair. Revolver Magazine named Lee the #1 Hottest Chick in Hard Rock for their 2011 annual issue and she appeared on the front cover.[79] When asked about this in an interview, Lee responded "You have to look at all of that as just press. I'm not the hottest chick in whatever. I'm a normal girl and it takes a lot of makeup and retouching to make that cover look good".[80] She also came in at #9 in KROQ's 2011 list of "The Twenty Sexiest Singers of Female-Fronted Rock Bands".[81]
Personal life
Lee attending the 2007 Scream Awards.
Lee was in a relationship with Seether frontman Shaun Morgan from 2003 till 2005.[51] Lee is married to a long time friend and therapist Josh Hartzler. They were engaged in January 2007, and married in May 2007. The couple's first child, a son, was born in July 2014.
Advocacy
Lee became the American chairperson of the Epilepsy foundation in 2005, and started a campaign called "Out of the Shadows" to raise awareness about epilepsy. She gained interest about this medical condition because her brother suffered from epilepsy since he was a child.
Lee supports and advocates To Write Love on Her Arm, a non-profit organization aiming to help people struggling with depression, addiction and self-harm. In 2010, she supported Restore Freedom, a campaign against sex trafficking, where she helped and advocated towards building a safehouse in New York that shelters and helps survivors of sex trafficking. She currently has page in the Restore NYC website in which she urges people to donate and help the cause.[82] Lee later revealed that being involved in this cause inspired her to write the song "My Heart is Broken".
Lee was chosen as the 2012 recipient of the Luella Bennack award at United Cerebral Palsy's 11th annual Women Who Care luncheon, which celebrates women who dedicate time for community projects and charities. In a statement released by the UCP of New York City, Lee was selected "because of her personal pledge to making life more accessible and understood by everyone", as well as for the "integrity" of her music that "inspired and transformed millions of women worldwide".[8][9]
Other work
Lee collaborated with a number of artists and bands, including Korn (left) and Seether (right)
In 2003, Lee joined artists such as Milla Jovovich and Maynard James Keenan in a discrete musical project for supergroup The Damning Well. She provided vocals on two tracks, one of which was a duet with former Filter vocalist Richard patrick,[83] but her vocals were not used on the final release because of record label issues.[84][85] She also sang backup vocals on Big Dismal's song "Believe" from their first album.
Lee made an appearance on Cartoon Network in 2004, where she "did an interview with a puppet" and performed a "cheesy song on the guitar about Cartoon Network". She made this appearance for her brother, Robby, who was 10 at the time.[86]
Lee appeared in the Seether song "Broken" in 2004, where she performed a duet with singer Shaun Morgan. The song was featured in Seether's 2004 album, Disclaimer II, and soundtrack for the 2004 movie The Punisher. Broken was released as a single and Lee appeared in the music video wearing black wings.[87]
She appeared briefly in the music video for Johnny Cash's "God’s Gonna Cut You Down" in late 2006. Each celebrity was allowed to choose what they would be doing for the video, so Lee chose to appear laying flowers on a grave. Her scene was recorded at Trinity Church and she was wearing a black velvet coat that previously belonged to Tim Burton.[27] In November 2007, Lee was one of the celebrity cameos in the VH1 mockumentary Rock Band Cometh: The Rock Band Band Story that was released to promote the game Rock Band.
In February 2007, during an MTV: Unplugged session featuring the band Korn, Lee performed a duet with vocalist Jonathan Davis in an acoustic version of the song "Freak on a Leash".[88] MTV later released the song as part of MTV: Unplugged Korn, and became the first single off the album.
During Finger Eleven's opening act for an Evanescence concert in Providence, Rhode Island in 2007, Lee came on stage to perform the song "One Thing" with the band.[89] Additionally, Lee performed the song "Epiphany" with Staind's lead singer Aaron Lewis during the 2007 "My Coke Fest" held in Johannesburg, South Africa.[90]
Lee said she was writing solo music in 2008, including music that was sonically different from Evanescence.[34]
In 2009, Lee was featured in an episode of "Legends & Lyrics" alongside artists Gaven DeGraw and Dwight Yoakam, where she performed an acoustic set of songs with bandmate Terry Balsamo and cello, including a previously unheard song titled "Your Love".[91]
When she was asked who she would be interested in collaborating with in 2011, Lee chose Depeche Mode, Danny Elfman and Daft Punk.[92][47]
Lee performing in concert in 2011 during the "Evanescence" tour.
After writing much of the material for Evanescence's third album, Lee decided to scrap the songs and start over because the songs were "not right for Evanescence" and had little involvement from the rest of the band members. In an interview with Pulse of Radio, Lee noted the possibility of using the discarded tracks in future projects "I think it’s totally possible that some of those songs will end up in a different project someday – maybe solo, maybe something else".[93]
↑"JJ interviews Evanescence" (Interview). Interviewed by JJ Kincaid. Z100 New York. October 20, 2006. [Lee:] I'm going to tell the real story. We were at camp. I was at that piano and I played Bach, I played Beethoven, I played Mozart, and then I played two measures of a Meat Loaf song and that's what Ben Moody recognized.
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