Amy Lee Evans biography. Rock music in a female form: Amy Lee, “Evanescence” (photo, video)
(Amy Lynn Lee)
(1981)
The famous lead singer of the group "Evanescence", Amy Lee, was born on December 13, 1981 in the city of Riverside (California). The parents named their daughter after the popular song "Amie" at the time. Amy's family moved quite a lot - first to Florida, then to Illinois, and finally they settled in Arkansas, in the city of Little Rock. In the new place, Amy's father, John Lee, got a job as a local radio DJ and everything seemed to go well, but Amy was not like everyone else. She loved to act out tragic episodes in front of her family; she did not like fairy tales with happy ending. The parents were surprised by this behavior, since Amy Lee's brother, Robbie, and her sisters, Kerry and Laurie, behaved like ordinary children.
Although Amy Lee's behavior as a child was strange, she proved to be a diligent student at school (especially in high school). Thanks to her father, Amy Lee, in addition to school lessons, began taking piano lessons. The father also began to personally teach Amy to play the guitar. In addition to studying musical instruments Amy Lee began studying singing and joined the school choir.
In 2000 Amy Lee graduated from high school (Pulaski Academy) and moved to Los Angeles. Before graduating from the academy, Amy had already pierced her eyebrow and ears, piercing each ear three times.
In 2003 Sean Morgan (from the band Seether) was able to win Amy's heart. They began an affair and even sang several songs together. At the beginning of her novel, Amy Lee bought herself a T-shirt that said "Seether", Sean appreciated this and bought himself a T-shirt that said "Evanescence". In 2005 Their romance ended and they broke up.
Amy survived the breakup quite easily, because since childhood she had been acting out such episodes of life in front of her loved ones. Amy Lee continued to live and surprise everyone around her, she was especially good at surprising in terms of clothes: black and white tones, cut and scratched jackets, corsets. As Amy Lee admitted, she buys all these things at second-hand stores. Amy's dream is to live in the 17th century, as they wore "stunning" clothes back then. In addition to clothes, Amy Lee also surprises with her face, or rather, what she did with it: she dyed her beautiful red hair black, wears contacts blue color eye (her natural color is gray-green). Despite the fact that Amy's height is only 163 cm, she is categorically against wearing heels, but at concerts she has to wear shoes with heels.
Despite her love for mourning flowers and everything not very cheerful, Amy Lee, oddly enough, loves animals, and loves them so much that she donated 100 thousand dollars to a shelter for homeless animals. Many explain this adoration by the fact that Amy Lee had a tragedy as a child: her beloved hamster, Gracie, died in front of Amy, stuck in the air conditioner vent.
This year, the legends of modern rock music returned to touring - American band Evanescence is led by longtime frontwoman Amy Lee. Last on this moment the band's album was released in 2011, and immediately after the world tour, the musicians went on a long break and each took up solo projects. And after 6 years, the winners of the Grammy statuette and performers of the hits “Bring Me To Life”, “My Immortal” and many others are back in action! IN updated composition Evanescence embarked on a massive European tour, performing for the first time in five years in Moscow and St. Petersburg in June. This spring, Amy Lee announced that she had already begun writing new material for the long-awaited fourth Evanescence album, but impatient fans will have to wait a little longer: The musicians are currently recording an experimental project for Evanescence - the album "Synthesis", which will consist of two new songs and selected tracks from all three records, which will be re-recorded with a live orchestra and electronic elements music. In the fall, Evanescence will go on tour with an orchestra. In the meantime, we invite you to read Amy Lee's latest interview with NYLON magazine, in which the singer, composer and songwriter talks about big comeback Evanescence, about the new album and debut “Fallen”.
What are you most proud of in your career?
“I'm proud of the group we've become.” When we first started, I was just learning how to write music and perform on stage with it, learning what our sound would be. In all these 22 years since the founding of Evanescence, I have grown as a musician and performer. As a group, we have grown and become a powerful and strong team. I love the way we sound live when we perform. I'm proud of the music we're recording now. And I’m proud of the musicians who surround me now.
Which personal quality are you most proud of?
— Because I’m not afraid to try something new, to break my own rules. Inventing, changing internally and staying inspired.
“We are currently working on a special album called “Synthesis.” We carefully selected songs from each of our albums and re-recorded them with a full orchestra and electronic sound, we also added two completely new songs, different inserts and intros. Synthesis and organics, pain and beauty, past and present. This will be very cool! David Campbell (the author of the string arrangements for all three Evanescence records) plunged into the process, creating the most beautiful versions these songs you've ever heard. He was really able to put the beats and arrangements together with the ideas that Wil Hunt (producer) and I had. It was so inspiring and collaborative! We will release an album and go on tour with the orchestra in the fall.
It seems the world needs rock music again. Do you feel pressured by Evanescence's status quo or do you feel free to push the band in new directions?
— I always want to feel freedom, to follow my heart and the flow of inspiration. When we write, we remove all expectations and pressure from our heads. It just gets in the way. It doesn't matter what people expect or even demand, I have to do what I think is creatively right. This is what I did when no one knew about us. We wrote the music we love. I don't see anything good in betraying these principles. I need to write music that I love and that I exist for, and everything else will come.
How has it changed? your attitude to your debut album “Fallen” so many years after its release?
— Over the years, my worldview has changed somewhat. I experienced a lot, learned a lot. I became less afraid and began to treat myself kinder. Now I see and understand much more than before: the similarity between us, in the soul. Now I see less anger in people and more pain. This changes my attitude towards some of the old texts. But it's still a living part of me, and even more than ever, because we are connected by such a story: Fallen, the fans, the band and me.
What advice would you give to aspiring musicians about writing music?
- Just do your best to create the music you love. We are not so different, someone will definitely like it. And if not, then remember that your efforts were not in vain - you are the one who will live with her for the rest of her life.
Amy Lynn Hartzler(born December 13, 1981 in Riverside, California, USA) is one of the founders and vocalist of the band Evanescence. Her family moved to West Palm Beach, Florida, then to Illinois, and finally settled in Little Rock, Arkansas.
After graduating from Pulaski Academy (a Baptist convent school) in 2000, Amy attended Middle Tennessee State University. After graduating from the academy, she moved to Los Angeles.
Amy's longing for her can be traced throughout Amy's work and lyrics. deceased sister. The touching song “Hello” from the album “Fallen” is dedicated to this event in her life. According to Lee, the first songs she wrote herself at age 11 were called "Eternity of the Remorse" and "A Single Tear." At one time she dreamed of being classical composer. But over time, having met like-minded people in the future group, she felt a craving for heavier music.
She met Ben Moody at summer camp when she was 13 years old. He heard her playing the piano, was delighted and came over to meet her. At first they met, then it was just creative union. The first mentions of Evanescence date back to the late 1990s. Songs like “Give unto Me” and “Understanding”, and then “My Immortal” and “Haunted” were written then, the last two being written by Ben.
Amy Lee is a founder and regular supporter international fund supporting people with epilepsy, including the Out of the Shadows company. U younger brother Lee, Robbie, this disease was identified, which prompted Amy to do charity work. Out of the Shadows is dedicated to spreading awareness about the disease epilepsy, making people aware of it as much as possible, and eliminating stigma against people with this disease.
Amy loves pets and donated $100,000 to a homeless animal shelter. Loves classical music, favorite classic- “Requiem” by Mozart. In terms of music, he also likes to listen to Tori Amos, Nirvana, Michael Jackson, and Korn.
Additional facts:
- Green eyes, brown hair (dyed black), height: 163 cm.
- Describes herself in three words: unique, benevolent, a person who is difficult to understand.
- Life motto is “Love yourself.”
- She sharply criticized US political actions in Iraq.
- Co-author of the soundtrack to the films “The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and wardrobe"(not included in the film), "Elektra", "Daredevil", "The Punisher", "Underworld".
- Amy designs most of her clothes herself.
- As a child, Amy loved to play dead.
- Amy's mother's name is Sarah. Every year she makes strawberry pie for her daughter's birthday.
“Music is one of the most important things in my life. I firmly believe that creativity is the best therapy for your soul, which is why I encourage my fans to engage in creation. When you create something, this is true life. And when you create something as real as music, you feel worthy, fulfilled.”
Personality, energy, creativity
Insanely talented, exuding megahertz of her frantic energy, which makes fans go into ecstasy at concerts, a girl of unusual beauty - this is all about the permanent vocalist of the band Evanescence, Amy Lee...
The essence of the music of Evanescence and its vocalist Amy lies in the fine line between the melodic shimmer of the piano and the sharp transition to the resonating bass of the guitars. The band's aggressive playing, accompanied by Amy's strong and passionate vocals, combined with deep lyrics filled with the struggle of inner world people, make the group unique and recognizable by listeners around the globe.
This woman really deserves to be called the owner great soul. Behind the stereotype, the icon of rock music, the goddess of powerful vocals and gothic images, the idol of millions of teenagers, there is a gentle, clever woman who made a fortune out of her talent. However, fans love her precisely because, without going into commercialism, Amy remains true to her principles and her soul, remaining a musician first and foremost, and a businesswoman second. She is so unique that her name has already been written down in the history of modern music.
Amy Lee's childhood was by no means calm - constant family moves from her native Little Rock (Little Rock, Arkansas) in California to Florida or Illinois, a noisy family with five children, the early death of her sister Bonnie at the age of three from an unknown illness - all this influenced for the development of little Amy. However, her musical family helped her begin to realize all her talents from early childhood, and the music consumed Lee's entire being. Already at the age of three she began learning to play the piano and did this for nine years. At the same time, her father, John Lee, a radio DJ, taught her to play the guitar. Amy has never taken professional vocal lessons, unlike piano lessons.
Eventually, the Lee family settled in their native Little Rock, where the band Evanescence was founded. After graduating from Pulaski Academy (a Baptist convent school) in 2000, Amy attended Middle Tennessee State University. She loved studying, especially since she was always interested in art, which is what her previous school specialized in.
Amy's longing for her deceased sister can be traced throughout Amy's work and lyrics. The touching song “Hello” from the album “Fallen” is dedicated to this event in her life.
According to Lee, the first songs she wrote herself at age 11 were called "Eternity of the Remorse" and "A Single Tear." At one time she dreamed of being a classical composer. But over time, having met like-minded people in the future group, she felt a craving for heavier music.
Naked soul
What is most admired about this person is how far she is from the bustle of show business, especially now, having become a world-famous person, the fire of soul, humanity, kindness, and thirst for life still burns in her eyes. Amy Lee's fans love her not only for her powerful music, but also for her views on show business. Namely: Lee does not focus on commerce, does not think only about how to make money from his talent. She just does her favorite thing without getting lost in the turmoil modern rhythm a life where everyone, trying to earn as much as possible, forgets why he started playing music in the first place.
For example, in music video In the video for the song “Everybodys Fool,” Amy wanted to show that most celebrities, using sexual images, are just selling their “lies” to the masses. Amy refuses to compete with her colleagues in the use of sexuality in music, leaving only her naked soul on stage.
Hobbies
Lee does most of the sketches for concert costumes himself. She usually wears corsets, nets, long skirts and leather boots. Amy can be caught lacking a sense of style by looking at some of her shapeless outfits. However, what is a sense of style compared to dedication to her views, the uniqueness of the image and the way she presents herself? It is impossible not to fall in love with a person who loves his job so much, and has such boundless charm and talent to captivate the public at concerts, once he has witnessed all this.
In addition to his main occupation - working with the group, Lee has other hobbies. Few people know that she is interested in painting. According to the singer, her entire house is filled with paintings in the spirit of fantasy or abstract art, but so far she has not thought of exhibiting them in public. However, he does not give up the idea of implementing this in the future by organizing an art show.
Out of the Shadows
Amy Lee is the founder and regular sponsor of international foundations for people with epilepsy, including Out of the Shadows. Lee's younger brother, Robbie, was diagnosed with this disease, which prompted Amy to engage in charity work. Out of the Shadows is dedicated to spreading awareness about the disease epilepsy, making people aware of it as much as possible, and eliminating stigma against people with this disease.
On the official website of the Out of the Shadows Foundation, the following is written on behalf of Amy:
“I love what I do, and I’m glad that my music resonates in the hearts of people. I only write songs about what I've been through in life, and if my fans really appreciate my work, then it's all worth it. But we must not forget that I - a common person. I don't have extraordinary abilities. All of us ordinary people— we live and are part of each other’s lives. And this applies to people with epilepsy, including. When you look at me behind the stage, you won't be able to tell me apart from other people. The same is true for patients with epilepsy. When you see them outside of attacks, they act and live just like us - they are also part of our lives, and we are part of theirs.”
Amy Lee claims that epileptic seizures can be softened with the help of Mozart's music. It was he who was chosen from six proposed composers, such as Joseph Haydn and Franz Liszt, to conduct the experiments. Although music has not been proven to lead to a complete cure for the disease, obvious improvements in seizures have been noted. In the April 2002 issue of the journal Epilepsy & Behavior, it was stated that listening to Mozart reduced seizure symptoms.
In conclusion of the article, we present Amy’s words, which have, perhaps, the most positive and creative message to all her fans, and to every person, regardless of musical, social, racial, religious and any other conventional affiliation:
“Music is one of the most important things in my life. She helps me with everything. She helps me to be understood. She makes me cry, angry, happy, everything. I firmly believe that creativity is the best therapy for your soul, which is why I encourage my fans to engage in creation. When you create something, for example, music, this is true life. And when you create something so real, you feel like a truly worthy, realized person."
However, the first success, be that as it may, came in 2002. The group was noticed by the American major label Wind-up Records and the guys signed a contract. They are releasing an album on the new label... Read all
The group was formed in 1999 and was originally based in South Africa.
The group released its first album in 2000 in South Africa on the Musketeer Records label. The album was called Fragile, and the band at that time was called Saron Gas.
However, the first success, be that as it may, came in 2002. The group was noticed by the American major label Wind-up Records and the guys signed a contract. On the new label they release the album Disclaimer. This album was on a different level. The group gains success and its first fans outside of South Africa. This was due to the single "Fine Again", as well as the band's release of an alternate version of the song "Broken", which featured Evanescence's Amy Lee on vocals. The song was included on the soundtrack to the film The Punisher. (Lee and Morgan then became a couple, and Lee's name could be seen in Morgan's credits to Karma and Effect. The couple broke up in late 2005 or early 2006). In 2004, the group re-released the album Disclaimer. The reissued version included re-recorded compositions from the original Disclaimer, as well as a number of new compositions. The album was called Disclaimer II.
In 2005, the group released the album Karma and Effect, which soon earned platinum status. On the album, unlike the group's previous works, there is not a single song containing obscene language. This is due to Sean's conversation with Slipknot vocalist Corey Taylor. This conversation influenced Sean and he decided to “not swear.”
On June 16, 2006, information appeared on the band's official website that guitarist Pat Calahan had decided to leave the band. The reason for this decision is unknown. Sean Morgan commented on this situation: “Um... relieved a little... actually a lot, He was the guy in the band that was always our naysayer, and he was the negative energy as far as writing. I personally have no love lost, which is weird for some reason ‘cus he was my friend for four years. But when he walked out – it kinda walked out with him.” The group did not look for a replacement for Pat and the three guys still play together.
In August of the same year, the leader of the group, Sean Morgan, went to a rehabilitation clinic for an unknown reason. Due to this, the band canceled their joint tour with Staind and Three Days Grace. Now Sean has been rehabilitated. He left the clinic on August 28, 2006. The Evanescence hit “Call Me When You’re Sober” is dedicated to this situation.
That same summer, the band released an acoustic album called One Cold Night. It was recorded during an acoustic concert on February 22, 2006 in Philadelphia. The album was well received by critics and became a real gift to the fans of the group.
In 2007, the group finally entered the studio to record a new album. The album was called Finding Beauty In Negative Spaces and was released on October 23 of the same year. There were 12 tracks on the album. A common feature All 12 compositions are atypical and weakly similar to the group’s previous albums. The album was produced by Howard Benson. Unlike the album Karma and Effect, the album contains strong language. The album cover was designed by David Ho.
On August 13, 2007, the brother of band leader Sean Morgan, Eugene Vilgimoed, committed suicide by jumping from the window of the Radisson Hotel. The group canceled several concerts due to this. On the album Finding Beauty In Negative Spaces, "Rise Above This" is dedicated to Eugene before the tragedy.
Seether created songs featured in the film Freddy vs. Jason and the film Daredevil. "Out Of My Way" was the anthem of former World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) Superstar Zach Gowen. Their song "Sold Me" was the official theme for WWE's Bad Blood pay-per-view event in June 2004, followed by "Remedy" as the official theme for WWE SummerSlam in 2005. In mid-2005, Seether released a video for the song Truth, which also featured wrestling. In March 2006, the band participated in “The Coca-Cola Colab Massive Mix,” along with Simple Plan, The Rasmus, Fatboy Slim, and Collective Soul, and along with festival headliners Metallica. They also headlined this year's Winterfresh Snocore tour, performing alongside Shinedown and Flyleaf as the opening act. Seether were soon invited to tour the United Kingdom (in April 2006) with support from punk band Engerica. Their song "Fine Again" was also featured in the Nintendo GameCube video game, 1080° Avalanche and in Madden NFL 2003. The song "Pig" was featured on the soundtrack to the film The Texas Chainsaw Massacre. And the acoustic version of the song “Needles” with album One Cold Night was included in the list of soundtracks for the film “Masters Of Horror II”.
Interesting Facts.
Following an agreement with Wind-Up records, Seether became one of many bands whose music was added to the video-sharing site YouTube for users to use as background for their own videos.
Sean's real last name is Welgemoed, but since the band moved to the US, he chose his middle name, Morgan, as his last name, since no one in the US could pronounce his real last name.