Amy Lee
   HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

Amy Lynn Hartzler (; born December 13, 1981) is an American singer-songwriter and musician. She is the co-founder, lead vocalist, and lead songwriter of the rock band
Evanescence Evanescence is an American rock band founded in Little Rock, Arkansas in 1995 by singer and musician Amy Lee and guitarist Ben Moody. After recording independent EPs as a duo in the late 90's, and a demo CD, Evanescence released their debut ...
. Alongside her contributions with the band, Lee has also participated on other musical projects, including ''
Nightmare Revisited ''Nightmare Revisited'' is a cover album of songs and score from the 1993 Disney animated film ''The Nightmare Before Christmas''. It was released on September 30, 2008 by Walt Disney Records to commemorate the film's 15th anniversary of its the ...
'' and '' Muppets: The Green Album'', composed the soundtrack to the films '' War Story'' (2014) and '' Indigo Grey: The Passage'' (2015) with cellist
Dave Eggar Dave Eggar is an American cellist, pianist and composer. Early life Eggar was a musical prodigy as a child, beginning to play the cello and piano at age three and performing as a singer and actor on Broadway and at the Metropolitan Opera at a ...
, and the song "
Speak to Me "Speak to Me" is the first track on British progressive rock band Pink Floyd's 1973 album, ''The Dark Side of the Moon'', on which it forms an overture. Nick Mason receives a rare solo writing credit for the track, though recollections differ as t ...
" for the film '' Voice from the Stone'' (2017). She has also collaborated with other artists such as
Korn Korn (stylized as KoЯn, or occasionally KoRn) is an American nu metal band from Bakersfield, California, formed in 1993. The band is notable for pioneering the nu metal genre and bringing it into the mainstream. Originally formed in 1993 ...
,
Seether Seether are a South African rock band founded in 1999 in Pretoria, Gauteng, South Africa. The band originally performed under the name Saron Gas until 2002, when they moved to the United States and changed it to Seether to avoid confusion wi ...
,
Bring Me the Horizon Bring Me the Horizon (often abbreviated as BMTH) are a British rock band formed in Sheffield in 2004. The group consists of lead vocalist Oliver Sykes, guitarist Lee Malia, bassist Matt Kean, drummer Matt Nicholls and keyboardist Jordan Fis ...
, and
Lindsey Stirling Lindsey Stirling (born September 21, 1986) is an American violinist, songwriter, and dancer. She presents choreographed violin performances, in live and music videos found on her official YouTube channel, which she created in 2007. Stirling pe ...
. A classically trained pianist, Lee possesses a
mezzo-soprano A mezzo-soprano or mezzo (; ; meaning "half soprano") is a type of classical female singing voice whose vocal range lies between the soprano and the contralto voice types. The mezzo-soprano's vocal range usually extends from the A below middl ...
vocal range. Lee received the Songwriter Icon Award from the
National Music Publishers Association The National Music Publishers' Association (NMPA) is a trade association for the American music publishing industry. Founded in 1917, NMPA represents American music publishers and their songwriting partners. The NMPA’s mandate is to protect and ...
in 2008. In 2012, she won Best Vocalist at the ''Revolver'' Golden Gods Awards and was also named Rock Goddess of the Year at the ''Loudwire'' Music Awards. She was awarded Best Film Score by the
Moondance International Film Festival The Moondance International Film Festival is an independent annual film festival and awards competition in the USA that takes place in the fall. The first Moondance Film Festival was held in 2000. The festival has usually been held in Boulder, Co ...
for ''Indigo Grey: The Passage'' in 2015. In 2017, she received the Hollywood Music in Media Award for Best Original Song in Independent Film for "Speak to Me". Lee is the American
chairperson The chairperson, also chairman, chairwoman or chair, is the presiding officer of an organized group such as a board, committee, or deliberative assembly. The person holding the office, who is typically elected or appointed by members of the grou ...
for the international
epilepsy Epilepsy is a group of non-communicable neurological disorders characterized by recurrent epileptic seizures. Epileptic seizures can vary from brief and nearly undetectable periods to long periods of vigorous shaking due to abnormal electrica ...
awareness foundation Out of the Shadows.


Early life and education

Amy Lee was born on December 13, 1981 in
Riverside, California Riverside is a city in and the county seat of Riverside County, California, United States, in the Inland Empire metropolitan area. It is named for its location beside the Santa Ana River. It is the most populous city in the Inland Empire an ...
, to parents John Lee, who worked as a
disc jockey A disc jockey, more commonly abbreviated as DJ, is a person who plays recorded music for an audience. Types of DJs include Radio personality, radio DJs (who host programs on music radio stations), club DJs (who work at a nightclub or music f ...
and
voice-over Voice-over (also known as off-camera or off-stage commentary) is a production technique where a voice—that is not part of the narrative (non-Diegetic#Film sound and music, diegetic)—is used in a radio, television production, filmmaking, th ...
artist, and Sara Cargill. The oldest of five siblings, she has two living sisters. Lee had a younger sister who died at age three from an unidentified illness when Lee was six years old, and a younger brother who died in 2018 at age 24 after struggling with severe
epilepsy Epilepsy is a group of non-communicable neurological disorders characterized by recurrent epileptic seizures. Epileptic seizures can vary from brief and nearly undetectable periods to long periods of vigorous shaking due to abnormal electrica ...
for most of his life. Lee said that when her little sister died, her "whole perception of life changed." She wrote the songs "Hello" from ''Fallen'' and "Like You" from ''The Open Door'' for her late sister. Lee discovered a passion for the piano in early childhood.
Classical music Classical music generally refers to the art music of the Western world, considered to be distinct from Western folk music or popular music traditions. It is sometimes distinguished as Western classical music, as the term "classical music" also ...
was her first musical influence as a child, inspiring her to become a musician and composer. She was first inspired by
Mozart Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (27 January 17565 December 1791), baptised as Joannes Chrysostomus Wolfgangus Theophilus Mozart, was a prolific and influential composer of the Classical period (music), Classical period. Despite his short life, his ra ...
when she watched the 1984 film ''
Amadeus Amadeus may refer to: *Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756–1791), prolific and influential composer of classical music *Amadeus (name), a given name and people with the name * ''Amadeus'' (play), 1979 stage play by Peter Shaffer * ''Amadeus'' (film), ...
'' at nine years old.
Beethoven Ludwig van Beethoven (baptised 17 December 177026 March 1827) was a German composer and pianist. Beethoven remains one of the most admired composers in the history of Western music; his works rank amongst the most performed of the classical ...
was another early classical inspiration, as well as
Danny Elfman Daniel Robert Elfman (born May 29, 1953) is an American film composer, singer and songwriter. He came to prominence as the singer-songwriter for the new wave band Oingo Boingo in the early 1980s. Since the 1990s, Elfman has garnered internation ...
's film scores. She wanted to take piano lessons, and studied classical piano for nine years. Lee considers the ''Lacrimosa'' movement of Mozart's
Requiem A Requiem or Requiem Mass, also known as Mass for the dead ( la, Missa pro defunctis) or Mass of the dead ( la, Missa defunctorum), is a Mass of the Catholic Church offered for the repose of the soul or souls of one or more deceased persons, ...
her favorite piece of music, and wove it into ''The Open Door'' song "
Lacrymosa "Lacrymosa" is a song recorded by American rock band Evanescence for their second studio album, ''The Open Door'' (2006). An alternative version appears on the band's fourth studio album '' Synthesis'' (2017). The song was composed by singer an ...
". Lee began writing poetry about eternity and loneliness at age 10. Her mother had expressed concern about her writing, suggesting she see a therapist. Lee thought about taking
antidepressants Antidepressants are a class of medication used to treat major depressive disorder, anxiety disorders, chronic pain conditions, and to help manage addictions. Common side-effects of antidepressants include dry mouth, weight gain, dizziness, heada ...
at the time but chose not to as she felt it would take her "soul away" and she "wouldn't be able to feel anything." One of the first songs she remembered writing was an instrumental piece called "Eternity of the Remorse", writing the sheet music when she was 11. Her first song with lyrics was called "A Single Tear", which she wrote for an eighth-grade assignment, recording it on a cassette tape and playing guitar while her friend from choir did backup vocals. During her pre-teen years, Lee's family moved to many places, including
West Palm Beach, Florida West Palm Beach is a city in and the county seat of Palm Beach County, Florida, United States. It is located immediately to the west of the adjacent Palm Beach, which is situated on a barrier island across the Lake Worth Lagoon. The populati ...
and
Rockford, Illinois Rockford is a city in Winnebago County, Illinois, located in the far northern part of the state. Situated on the banks of the Rock River, Rockford is the county seat of Winnebago County (a small portion of the city is located in Ogle County). ...
, eventually settling in
Little Rock, Arkansas (The Little Rock, The "Little Rock") , government_type = council-manager government, Council-manager , leader_title = List of mayors of Little Rock, Arkansas, Mayor , leader_name = Frank Scott Jr. , leader_ ...
. When her family moved to Little Rock, Lee had a lot of pent-up "negativity". In Little Rock, she attended
Pulaski Academy Pulaski Academy (PA) is a private, independent college preparatory preschool, elementary, and junior/senior high school headed by Brock Dunn in the Pleasant Valley neighborhood of Little Rock, Arkansas, United States. PA was established in 197 ...
, a private college preparatory school, starting in
junior high A middle school (also known as intermediate school, junior high school, junior secondary school, or lower secondary school) is an educational stage which exists in some countries, providing education between primary school and secondary school ...
. She described the school as a "weird fit" for her, where she was a loner for a while, and experienced bullying for dressing differently, which she would later embrace in high school. Lee found solace in writing, and joining the school choir helped her slowly gain confidence in her voice. She was initially insecure as a singer, and only used singing as a vehicle for her writing. In high school, Lee became president of the choir, and wrote a choir piece called "Listen to the Rain", which the choir teacher liked and asked her to direct. The piece was performed by the choir in graduation. Originally wanting to focus on classical or film score composing, Lee's plan changed as her "tastes got darker". In late childhood and throughout her teens, she listened to a variety of musical styles, including
alternative music Alternative music may refer to the following types of music: *Alternative rock *Alternative pop *Alternative R&B *Neo soul, sometimes known as alternative soul *Alternative reggaeton *Alternative hip hop *Alternative dance *Alternative metal *Chris ...
,
grunge Grunge (sometimes referred to as the Seattle sound) is an alternative rock genre and subculture that emerged during the in the American Pacific Northwest state of Washington, particularly in Seattle and nearby towns. Grunge fuses elements of p ...
,
hard rock Hard rock or heavy rock is a loosely defined subgenre of rock music typified by aggressive vocals and distorted electric guitars. Hard rock began in the mid-1960s with the garage, psychedelic and blues rock movements. Some of the earliest hard ...
,
industrial music Industrial music is a genre of music that draws on harsh, mechanical, transgressive or provocative sounds and themes. AllMusic defines industrial music as the "most abrasive and aggressive fusion of rock and electronic music" that was "initiall ...
,
death metal Death metal is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal music. It typically employs heavily distorted and low-tuned guitars, played with techniques such as palm muting and tremolo picking; deep growling vocals; aggressive, powerful drumming, feat ...
,
groove metal Groove metal is a subgenre of heavy metal music that began in the early 1990s. The genre achieved success in the 1990s and continued having success in the 2000s. Inspired by thrash metal and traditional heavy metal, groove metal features raspy ...
, and
electronica Electronica is both a broad group of electronic-based music styles intended for listening rather than strictly for dancing and a music scene that started in the early 1990s in the United Kingdom. In the United States, the term is mostly used to r ...
artists like Bjork and Portishead. Lee's earliest memory of wanting to fuse various musical genres, especially contrasting styles, was when she was training in classical piano and noticed that a "real shreddy" section of a composition from
Baroque The Baroque (, ; ) is a style of architecture, music, dance, painting, sculpture, poetry, and other arts that flourished in Europe from the early 17th century until the 1750s. In the territories of the Spanish and Portuguese empires including t ...
composer
Bach Johann Sebastian Bach (28 July 1750) was a German composer and musician of the late Baroque period. He is known for his orchestral music such as the '' Brandenburg Concertos''; instrumental compositions such as the Cello Suites; keyboard w ...
resembled heavy metal. She found "so many similarities to be drawn, almost more so the further out you go on both sides". In her early teens, Lee would
jam Jam is a type of fruit preserve. Jam or Jammed may also refer to: Other common meanings * A firearm malfunction * Block signals ** Radio jamming ** Radar jamming and deception ** Mobile phone jammer ** Echolocation jamming Arts and ente ...
with musicians from school at her house. In 1994, she met budding guitarist
Ben Moody Benjamin Robert Moody II (born January 22, 1981) is an American guitarist, songwriter and record producer. He is best known as co-founder, former guitarist and co-songwriter of rock band Evanescence from its inception in 1995 to his departure in ...
when she was 13 at a Christian youth camp; when others in the camp were playing sports, she played piano and he played acoustic guitar and she thought they could play music together. Lee thinks what drew them together at the time was that they "didn't fit in that well" and were "out of
heir Inheritance is the practice of receiving private property, titles, debts, entitlements, privileges, rights, and obligations upon the death of an individual. The rules of inheritance differ among societies and have changed over time. Officiall ...
element in this silly camp environment."


Career


1995–present: Evanescence

Within a month of meeting in 1994, Lee showed Moody a cassette tape of her playing guitar and singing a song she wrote. They began playing and working on music at Lee's home, and were soon performing acoustic sets at bookstores and coffee houses in the Little Rock area. Lee and Moody co-founded Evanescence in 1995. After experimenting with band names, such as Childish Intentions and Stricken, they decided on Evanescence, which means "disappearance" or "fading away". What made Lee want to start a band was "the idea of combinations that were unlikely". With Evanescence, Lee aimed to combine her different musical tastes, "bringing something from the cinematic and classical symphonic world and marrying it to metal, hard rock and alternative music." "There was all this music that was inspiring me. And Evanescence was the product of these two extremes combining". They eventually recorded three EPs: ''Evanescence EP'' (1998), of which about 100 copies were made and distributed at their early live performances; ''Sound Asleep EP'' (1999), also known as the ''Whisper'' EP; and ''Mystary'' EP (2003). Lee and Moody would perform with guest musicians in live gigs, but Evanescence remained a duo. "It was more because that's what we did and how we worked rather than not wanting any other input", Lee recalled. In 2000, Evanescence recorded the demo CD ''
Origin Origin(s) or The Origin may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Comics and manga * Origin (comics), ''Origin'' (comics), a Wolverine comic book mini-series published by Marvel Comics in 2002 * The Origin (Buffy comic), ''The Origin'' (Bu ...
'', which they self-released and sold at local shows. After graduating high school, Lee attended
Middle Tennessee State University Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU or MT) is a public university in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. Founded in 1911 as a normal school, the university consists of eight Undergraduate education, undergraduate colleges as well as a college of Postgr ...
to study music theory and composition, but dropped out after a semester to focus on Evanescence. Evanescence was signed by
Wind Up Records Wind-up Entertainment was an American independent record label founded by Alan and Diana Meltzer in 1997. It was based in New York City and was distributed by BMG Distribution. Wind-up's best-selling artists worldwide were Creed and Evanesce ...
in 2001. Lee and Moody moved to Los Angeles, where they worked on and completed their debut album. Their debut album ''
Fallen Fallen may refer to: People * Carl Fredrik Fallén (1764–1830), Swedish botanist and entomologist * Gabriel Toledo (born 1991), known as FalleN, Brazilian ''Counter-Strike'' player Arts, entertainment, and media Fictional entities * Fallen ( ...
'' was released in 2003. Most of Lee's writing on the album was inspired by an abusive relationship she was in. Lee later stated that the creation of ''Fallen'' largely consisted of her and Moody writing music separately and then adding to each other's work, due to tension and significant creative differences between them. Lee and Moody composed some of the songs on ''Fallen'' when they were 15 and 16. In 2003, Lee stated she had opposed the label's initial promotion of the band in the Christian market, which Moody had originally supported and misrepresented the band. She said that Evanescence was not a Christian band and lyrically never had a religious affiliation. On October 22, 2003, Moody left the band in the middle of the ''Fallen'' European tour, citing "creative differences". Moody had previously called the band's management and informed them he was quitting. Lee got a call from their manager asking her to "beg oodyto stay", to which she said "that's exactly what he wants me to do" and expressed that if Moody was going to leave, the band "would appreciate it if he'd wait until the end of the tour. But if he can't, then go ahead and go." In an interview several months later, Lee said: "we'd gotten to a point that if something didn't change, we wouldn't have been able to make a second record". She said it was a relief that he left because of tensions created within the band. "It was a really uncomfortable situation for everybody ... completely unstable and unhappy. It was a scary time before he left because I knew something was going to happen and I didn't know what and I was afraid everything we worked for had the potential of going down the toilet." In Lee's termination letter to their manager, she stated that Moody was physically and verbally abusive to her. With Moody gone, "we felt like a weight had been lifted", she said. Guitarist John LeCompt said in a 2006 interview that Lee "gained authority as soon as Ben Moody walked out the door. They had an equal partnership, but he was the man, he had to strangle the band, all the life out of it". Lee's creative disagreements with Moody included his strict approach to songwriting and focus on commerciality; he would "always be corralling" her ideas, and wanting to push the band in a more commercial, pop direction and she did not. His range of influences were "a lot different" than hers. "It was always a push and pull between us, for me", she said. ''Fallen'' "really is a lot of compromise. It definitely leaned toward what he wanted a lot of the time." "A lot of the reason it's been so much fun writing ost-Moodyis that we're not thinking about that. It's like, 'What do we like? What's fun?'", and there is "no pressure of wanting to rule the world", Lee explained. In a 2005 interview, Moody conceded that they had different approaches for the music, stating, " myis much more creative than I am ... I am a bit more commercial minded ... I like structure in songs, and I like making songs people can adhere to. I still like to be creative, but she is more educated musically, and she wanted to explore that. ... I think in my immaturity at the time, I did that in just a way-too-controlling manner — it was like my way or the highway. We just couldn't meet in the middle, so I was like, "The hell with it." In August 2010, Moody released a statement on his history with Lee and Evanescence, noting that he was a different person at the time, his friendship with Lee had deteriorated and they had conflicting opinions, personalities, and desires with the band. Moody apologized to Lee for comments he made to her in anger. He said he realized the band would end if he stayed and believes he made the right choice. He added, "Evanescence has progressed a great distance from the original sound, and made it clear that they intended to expand much further. Amy is very artistic and never has had a problem thinking outside of the box and defying expectations." Ex-
Cold Cold is the presence of low temperature, especially in the atmosphere. In common usage, cold is often a subjective perception. A lower bound to temperature is absolute zero, defined as 0.00K on the Kelvin scale, an absolute thermodynamic ...
guitarist
Terry Balsamo Terry Philip Balsamo II (born October 8, 1972) is an American guitarist and songwriter who is best known as the former guitarist of the American rock bands Cold and Evanescence. Balsamo is noted for his onstage expression of his fondness for Mi ...
replaced Moody on the ''Fallen'' tour, and later joined the band as the lead guitarist and Lee's co-writing partner. Lee said that after Balsamo joined, they were "finally a real band, not just Ben and I and a few others thrown together". After finishing another tour for Evanescence's 2004 live album and DVD ''
Anywhere but Home ''Anywhere but Home'' is the first live album and concert DVD release by American rock band Evanescence. It was released on November 23, 2004, by Wind-up Records. It includes a recording of a concert at Le Zénith in Paris, an hour of behind th ...
'' and overwhelmed by label pressure, Lee retreated to her house, cut off contact with people, and spent the next 10 months writing music again, painting and going to therapy. She said of her first therapy sessions, "For the first, I don't know, lots of sessions, I'd just go in and cry. Every time. I guess I was letting out all the ghosts of my past." Lee found comfort in therapy, an environment where she wasn't being judged, she felt she could speak freely and "not feel that anything I said was wrong". During this time, Lee had invasive experiences with stalkers that forced her to leave her house a couple of nights. This experience led her to write the song "Snow White Queen" from her and a stalker's perspective. Other songs Lee wrote throughout these months included "
Lacrymosa "Lacrymosa" is a song recorded by American rock band Evanescence for their second studio album, ''The Open Door'' (2006). An alternative version appears on the band's fourth studio album '' Synthesis'' (2017). The song was composed by singer an ...
" and "Together Again". Lee later collaborated with Balsamo, co-writing music together for Evanescence's second album, ''
The Open Door ''The Open Door'' is the second studio album by American rock band Evanescence, released on September 25, 2006, by Wind-up Records. The record symbolizes a new beginning for the band, with Amy Lee in full creative control, incorporating new ele ...
'' (2006). The writing experience for ''The Open Door'' was "the best process" Lee ever had because she had "free reign" and could "do whatever I wanted without being judged". In 2006, Lee said that when she listened back to ''Fallen'', she "hear all the vulnerability and the fear and all the childish things in me that are just human." While Lee was drowning in the misery of her experiences in ''Fallen'', she said ''The Open Door'' is largely about her acknowledging her issues and deliberating "what do I have to do to work this out." In the record, she is "purging the trials", but overall it comes from a less hopeless place and with a more reflective outlook. After the end of ''The Open Door''s tour, Lee took a break to recollect herself and live life away from the industry. After about 18 months, she began writing music again, and she took
harp The harp is a stringed musical instrument that has a number of individual strings running at an angle to its soundboard; the strings are plucked with the fingers. Harps can be made and played in various ways, standing or sitting, and in orche ...
lessons out of a desire to learn the instrument. In 2009, Evanescence began playing live shows again, with Lee realizing that she missed this part of her life, stating: "I had to get back together with all the guys, and we practiced all the old stuff ... and I enjoyed it so much. I started falling back in love with that part of me, the Evanescence part. I'd kind of been doing everything else, writing-wise, by myself, and I was like, 'Oh yeah, I love this stuff too. Maybe we should all make a record!'" Evanescence released their third studio album, the self-titled ''
Evanescence Evanescence is an American rock band founded in Little Rock, Arkansas in 1995 by singer and musician Amy Lee and guitarist Ben Moody. After recording independent EPs as a duo in the late 90's, and a demo CD, Evanescence released their debut s ...
'' in 2011. Lee said that the decision for the album's title was her love towards Evanescence, as well as the record being composed more collaboratively than past albums, with all members contributing. The record is "about the band", Lee explained. Its lyrical themes include Lee "falling back in love" with Evanescence, her being inspired by nature and the ocean, brokenness, the quest for freedom, and falling in love. Different from ''The Open Door'', which was "all about me and my personal experiences", ''Evanescence'' also includes Lee's musings on events that occurred to others in her life. "But really, whatever makes me feel the most, that's what's on the record, because that's what I need to get off my chest." After the touring cycle for ''Evanescence'', Lee took an extended break. In October 2013, Wind-up Records sold part of their catalog of artists, including Evanescence and their master recordings, to Bicycle Music Company. In January 2014, it was reported that Lee had filed a lawsuit against Wind-up Records for $1.5 million in unpaid royalties owed to the band. In March 2014, via her Twitter account, Lee announced that she and Evanescence had been released from her Wind-up Records contract and she was now an independent artist; she stated: "Today, for the first time in 13 years, I am a free and independent artist. I have wanted this for so long and I am so happy", adding that this meant she was "free to do anything, Ev nescenceincluded." Following several solo projects by Lee from 2014–2017, including
film scoring A film score is original music written specifically to accompany a film. The score comprises a number of orchestral, instrumental, or choral pieces called cues, which are timed to begin and end at specific points during the film in order to e ...
, and Evanescence's resumed touring in 2015, the band reconvened to work on their fourth studio album, ''
Synthesis Synthesis or synthesize may refer to: Science Chemistry and biochemistry *Chemical synthesis, the execution of chemical reactions to form a more complex molecule from chemical precursors ** Organic synthesis, the chemical synthesis of organ ...
''. Released in 2017, ''Synthesis'' is an album of
orchestral An orchestra (; ) is a large instrumental ensemble typical of classical music, which combines instruments from different families. There are typically four main sections of instruments: * bowed string instruments, such as the violin, viola, ...
and
electronica Electronica is both a broad group of electronic-based music styles intended for listening rather than strictly for dancing and a music scene that started in the early 1990s in the United Kingdom. In the United States, the term is mostly used to r ...
–reworked arrangements of the band's previous material in addition to two new songs. The album's release was followed by the Synthesis Live concert tour in which the band performed with a live orchestra for the first time. In April 2020, Lee announced the release date of Evanescence's fifth album, ''
The Bitter Truth ''The Bitter Truth'' is the fifth studio album by American rock band Evanescence. It was released on March 26, 2021, through BMG Rights Management and was produced by Nick Raskulinecz. It is the band's first album of all-new material since the ...
''. Four songs from the album were released as singles throughout 2020 and 2021 during the
COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identif ...
, while a virtual live-streamed show was performed by the band from their recording base at Rock Falcon Studio,
Nashville Nashville is the capital city of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the seat of Davidson County. With a population of 689,447 at the 2020 U.S. census, Nashville is the most populous city in the state, 21st most-populous city in the U.S., and the ...
, in December 2020. The album was released on March 26, 2021. In a Q&A with ''
Forbes ''Forbes'' () is an American business magazine owned by Integrated Whale Media Investments and the Forbes family. Published eight times a year, it features articles on finance, industry, investing, and marketing topics. ''Forbes'' also re ...
'' in May 2020, Lee mentioned that the "image and idea" of the band from the early days was "something that combined multiple dramas, from the dramatic to the rock to the classical to the score", and that although many things have changed since, the "idea that started this whole thing is still there".


2000–present: Solo work


2000–2007: Early solo projects

Lee performed backup vocals for "Missing You", a song on
Big Dismal Big Dismal is a Florida-based Christian rock band featuring vocalist Eric Durrance, guitarist Chuck Shea, bassist Gary Sobel, and drummer Corey Lane. ''Believe'', the official debut, appeared in May 2003. ''Rolling Stone'' named Big Dismal one ...
's 2003 debut album ''Believe'', and sang backup vocals on two songs with
supergroup Supergroup or super group may refer to: * Supergroup (music), a music group formed by artists who are already notable or respected in their fields * Supergroup (physics), a generalization of groups, used in the study of supersymmetry * Supergroup ...
The Damning Well The Damning Well was a rock supergroup comprising Wes Borland of Limp Bizkit on guitar, Danny Lohner formerly of Nine Inch Nails on bass, Richard Patrick of Filter on vocals, and Josh Freese of A Perfect Circle, on drums. While rumors spread t ...
, though her vocals were taken off the final release due to record label issues. Lee later performed a duet with her then-boyfriend
Shaun Morgan Shaun Morgan Welgemoed (, born 21 December 1978) is a South African musician. He is the singer, songwriter, and guitarist for the rock band Seether. Early life Morgan spent most of his early life in South Africa.Bottomley, CSeether: South Af ...
on the track " Broken" for
Seether Seether are a South African rock band founded in 1999 in Pretoria, Gauteng, South Africa. The band originally performed under the name Saron Gas until 2002, when they moved to the United States and changed it to Seether to avoid confusion wi ...
's 2004 album ''
Disclaimer II ''Disclaimer II'' is the second studio album by South African rock band Seether. It is a recompilation of the band's first album, ''Disclaimer'', from 2002. Although the 12 tracks from the original album are present, they have been slightly rem ...
''. The song is in the soundtrack for the 2004 film ''
The Punisher The Punisher (Francis "Frank" Castle, born Castiglione) is an antihero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was created by writer Gerry Conway and artists John Romita Sr. and Ross Andru. The Punisher made ...
''. In 2004, Lee said she was working on music for '' The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe'', but that the music was rejected by the studio for being "too dark". The producers of ''Narnia'' then stated that Evanescence music was never planned for the soundtrack. Lee said that she used part of the instrumental she wrote to segue into the last track of the album, " Good Enough". Lee became the American chairperson for ''Out of the Shadows'' in 2006. This organization is an international foundation with the goal of providing education about
epilepsy Epilepsy is a group of non-communicable neurological disorders characterized by recurrent epileptic seizures. Epileptic seizures can vary from brief and nearly undetectable periods to long periods of vigorous shaking due to abnormal electrica ...
. Lee's younger brother, Robby, was previously diagnosed with this condition. The singer also made a brief guest appearance in the music video for
Johnny Cash John R. Cash (born J. R. Cash; February 26, 1932 – September 12, 2003) was an American country singer-songwriter. Much of Cash's music contained themes of sorrow, moral tribulation, and redemption, especially in the later stages of his ca ...
's "
God's Gonna Cut You Down "God's Gonna Cut You Down" (also known as "God Almighty's Gonna Cut You Down", "God's Gonna Cut 'Em Down", "Run On" and "Sermon") is a traditional American folk song. It was first recorded by the Golden Gate Quartet in 1946 and first issued in 19 ...
" in late 2006. As each celebrity featured in the shoot was allowed to choose what they would be doing for the video, Lee chose to appear laying flowers on a grave. Her scene was recorded at Trinity Church in Manhattan, during which she wore a black velvet coat that previously belonged to
Tim Burton Timothy Walter Burton (born August 25, 1958) is an American filmmaker and animator. He is known for his gothic fantasy and horror films such as ''Beetlejuice'' (1988), ''Edward Scissorhands'' (1990), ''The Nightmare Before Christmas'' (1993), ...
. In February 2007, Lee performed with
Korn Korn (stylized as KoЯn, or occasionally KoRn) is an American nu metal band from Bakersfield, California, formed in 1993. The band is notable for pioneering the nu metal genre and bringing it into the mainstream. Originally formed in 1993 ...
on their song "
Freak on a Leash "Freak on a Leash" is a song by the American nu metal band Korn, featured on the group's 1998 studio album, '' Follow the Leader''. After ''Follow the Leader''s release, the song was released as a single on February 25, 1999, and since then, it ...
" for '' MTV Unplugged: Korn''. The song was also released as the first single from the album. In November 2007, VH1 produced a
mockumentary A mockumentary (a blend of ''mock'' and ''documentary''), fake documentary or docu-comedy is a type of film or television show depicting fictional events but presented as a documentary. These productions are often used to analyze or comment on c ...
in the style of ''
Behind the Music ''Behind the Music'' is a documentary television series on VH1. Each episode profiles and interviews a popular musical artist or group. The program examines the beginning of their career, their road to success, and the hardships they may have ...
'', titled ''Rock Band Cometh: The Rock Band Band Story'', to promote the video game ''Rock Band''. She is one of the celebrity cameos featured on the show.


2008–2012: Tribute albums

In June 2008, the
National Music Publishers Association The National Music Publishers' Association (NMPA) is a trade association for the American music publishing industry. Founded in 1917, NMPA represents American music publishers and their songwriting partners. The NMPA’s mandate is to protect and ...
presented Lee with their 2008 Songwriter Icon Award, which "recognizes outstanding songwriters for their personal achievement". For
Walt Disney Records Walt Disney Records is an American record label of the Disney Music Group. The label releases soundtrack albums from The Walt Disney Company's motion picture studios, television series, theme parks, and traditional studio albums produced by its r ...
' September 2008 release of ''
Nightmare Revisited ''Nightmare Revisited'' is a cover album of songs and score from the 1993 Disney animated film ''The Nightmare Before Christmas''. It was released on September 30, 2008 by Walt Disney Records to commemorate the film's 15th anniversary of its the ...
'', Lee sang a remake of "Sally's Song". The album contains new material and covers of songs from the original ''Nightmare Before Christmas'' soundtrack. Lee performed live renditions of "Sally's Song" during the October 17 ''Nightmare Before Christmas'' re-release premiere in Hollywood, and for an October 13 appearance on ''
The Tonight Show with Jay Leno ''The Tonight Show with Jay Leno'' is an American late-night talk show hosted by Jay Leno that first aired from May 25, 1992, to May 29, 2009. It resumed production on March 1, 2010 and ended on February 6, 2014. The fourth incarnation of the ...
''. During an October 2008 interview for
Spin.com ''Spin'' (stylized in all caps) is an American music magazine founded in 1985 by publisher Bob Guccione, Jr. Now owned by Next Management Partners, the magazine is an online publication since it stopped issuing a print edition in 2012. History ...
, Lee noted that she was writing new songs, possibly for a solo album project. Citing influences in
folk Folk or Folks may refer to: Sociology *Nation *People * Folklore ** Folk art ** Folk dance ** Folk hero ** Folk music *** Folk metal *** Folk punk *** Folk rock ** Folk religion * Folk taxonomy Arts, entertainment, and media * Folk Plus or Fol ...
and
Celtic music Celtic music is a broad grouping of music genres that evolved out of the folk music traditions of the Celtic people of Northwestern Europe. It refers to both orally-transmitted traditional music and recorded music and the styles vary considerab ...
, she says her current writings feel like she is going back to her "really old" roots. She gave no potential release date, but said of her reason for this new direction, "I need to show that I'm more than a one trick pony." Lee stated during an October 2008 interview with ''The Gauntlet'' that she did not know whether or not she would begin a solo career, saying that she was "at a point where I don't know what is next". She noted that Evanescence was still together as a band but that she found touring to be monotonous. She reiterated that she was continuing to write songs, although she did not yet know what purpose they would serve. In a ''
Spin Spin or spinning most often refers to: * Spinning (textiles), the creation of yarn or thread by twisting fibers together, traditionally by hand spinning * Spin, the rotation of an object around a central axis * Spin (propaganda), an intentionally b ...
'' interview in March 2010, Lee stated that she was "in a very different creative space then" regarding her previous work on new material, and that while she wrote some good songs, nothing from those efforts would be included in the band's album ''
Evanescence Evanescence is an American rock band founded in Little Rock, Arkansas in 1995 by singer and musician Amy Lee and guitarist Ben Moody. After recording independent EPs as a duo in the late 90's, and a demo CD, Evanescence released their debut s ...
'', which was released on October 7, 2011. In 2011, Lee covered "
Halfway Down the Stairs "Halfway Down" is a poem by A.A. Milne, included in the 1924 collection ''When We Were Very Young''. A "juvenile meditation", Zena Sutherland comments in ''Children & Books'' that both the poem and Ernest Shepard's illustration "has caught the mo ...
" for '' Muppets: The Green Album'' and "
I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry "I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry" is a song written and recorded by American country music singer-songwriter Hank Williams in 1949. The song has been covered by a wide range of musicians. Authorship and production Various writers quoted Williams a ...
" for the tribute album '' We Walk the Line: A Celebration of the Music of Johnny Cash'' in 2012.


2013–2015: ''Aftermath'' and ''Recover''

On December 2, 2013, it was announced that Lee had teamed up with American
composer A composer is a person who writes music. The term is especially used to indicate composers of Western classical music, or those who are composers by occupation. Many composers are, or were, also skilled performers of music. Etymology and Defi ...
Dave Eggar Dave Eggar is an American cellist, pianist and composer. Early life Eggar was a musical prodigy as a child, beginning to play the cello and piano at age three and performing as a singer and actor on Broadway and at the Metropolitan Opera at a ...
to create music for the American
drama film In film and television, drama is a category or genre of narrative fiction (or semi-fiction) intended to be more serious than humorous in tone. Drama of this kind is usually qualified with additional terms that specify its particular super-g ...
'' War Story''. During an interview with
MTV MTV (Originally an initialism of Music Television) is an American cable channel that launched on August 1, 1981. Based in New York City, it serves as the flagship property of the MTV Entertainment Group, part of Paramount Media Networks, a di ...
, Lee explained that it would be a "surprise" to her fans; the fact that the film was "dark" and lacking of conversations made it a "beautiful, sad platform for music". She added that for the music she blended various sounds and tones, mostly consisting of keyboard. Speaking about the song "Push the Button" which she originally penned for the movie, Lee explained that it marked a departure for her due to its
electronic Electronic may refer to: *Electronics, the science of how to control electric energy in semiconductor * ''Electronics'' (magazine), a defunct American trade journal *Electronic storage, the storage of data using an electronic device *Electronic co ...
sound. She added, "I did it all myself, which was crazy, because I'm used to engineering and writing and mixing demos in my house, but being responsible for that being the end product was a new challenge for me." On August 6, Lee announced that the
soundtrack album A soundtrack album is any album that incorporates music directly recorded from the soundtrack of a particular feature film or television show. The first such album to be commercially released was Walt Disney's ''Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs'' ...
would be called ''
Aftermath Aftermath may refer to: Companies * Aftermath (comics), an imprint of Devil's Due Publishing * Aftermath Entertainment, an American record label founded by Dr. Dre * Aftermath Media, an American multimedia company * Aftermath Services, an America ...
'' and that it would be released on August 25. Lee contributes to all ten tracks, which features Eggar on eight of them and American/ Moroccan musician
Malika Zarra Malika Zarra is a Moroccan singer, composer, and music producer, based in New York City. She is known for singing in Moroccan Arabic, Berber, French, and English. Her music has been on the JazzWeek Top 20 radio chart in world music. Biography ...
on one. Lee revealed a 36-second teaser of the album on the same day. It is her first full-length solo album to not involve her band Evanescence. In March 2015, Lee and Eggar announced that they were recording music, along with Chuck Palmer, for Hammerstep's short film '' Indigo Grey: The Passage'', which was released on September 14, 2015. The film features the songs "Between Worlds" and "Resurrection". Lee composed and recorded "Speak to Me", the title song to Eric D. Howell's 2017 film '' Voice from the Stone'', during August 2015. The accompanying music video was also directed by Howell. It was filmed on October 22, 2015, on the Castle of Celsa estate near
Siena Siena ( , ; lat, Sena Iulia) is a city in Tuscany, Italy. It is the capital of the province of Siena. The city is historically linked to commercial and banking activities, having been a major banking center until the 13th and 14th centuri ...
,
Italy Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical re ...
. During a radio interview in July 2015, Lee said that she had been recording
cover song In popular music, a cover version, cover song, remake, revival, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording by a musician other than the original performer or composer of the song. Originally, it referred to a version of a song release ...
s and expressed an interest in releasing them online. On October 27, 2015, she released the first song from the collection with Portishead's 1994 song " It's A Fire", followed by U2's 1987 song "
With or Without You "With or Without You" is a song by Irish rock band U2. It is the third track on their fifth studio album, '' The Joshua Tree'' (1987), and was released as the album's lead single on 16 March 1987. The song was the group's most successful sing ...
" on November 10, 2015,
Led Zeppelin Led Zeppelin were an English rock band formed in London in 1968. The group comprised vocalist Robert Plant, guitarist Jimmy Page, bassist/keyboardist John Paul Jones, and drummer John Bonham. With a heavy, guitar-driven sound, they are ci ...
's 1971 song " Going to California" on December 1, 2015, and
Chris Isaak Christopher Joseph Isaak (born June 26, 1956) is an American singer, songwriter, guitarist and occasional actor. He is widely known for his breakthrough hit and signature song "Wicked Game", as well as other songs such as "Blue Hotel", "Baby D ...
's 1996 song " Baby Did a Bad, Bad Thing" on December 15, 2015. They are featured on Lee's debut extended play, '' Recover, Vol. 1'', which was released on February 19, 2016. The cover songs are accompanied by music videos directed by Eric Ryan Anderson. Lee confirmed in an interview with ''
Rolling Stone ''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first kno ...
'' that she is "definitely working and making music with every intention of people hearing it at this point," as of October 2015. She also stated that she does not have "any news or plans" for new Evanescence music, but assured fans on Twitter that the band has not broken up saying, "We don't follow the rules of a commerce-driven timeline. Inspiration drives us. We're wide open." She later stated during an interview with ''Loudwire'' that "there is Evanescence in the future". In December 2015, Lee confirmed that she plans to complete some songs from an Evanescence album (originally produced by
Steve Lillywhite Stephen Alan Lillywhite, (born 15 March 1955) is a British record producer. Since he began his career in 1977, Lillywhite has been credited on over 500 records, and has collaborated with a variety of musicians including new wave acts XTC, Big ...
) that was rejected by Wind-up Records in 2010. She explained that she was "devastated" and "furious" over the rejection, but was determined to move forward and ended up being "angry enough to write Evanescence's heaviest album", titled ''
Evanescence Evanescence is an American rock band founded in Little Rock, Arkansas in 1995 by singer and musician Amy Lee and guitarist Ben Moody. After recording independent EPs as a duo in the late 90's, and a demo CD, Evanescence released their debut s ...
''. Although three songs from the Lillywhite sessions ended up on it, Lee admitted, "I was still left feeling unsatisfied about what I lovingly refer to as my 'broken record'."


2016–present: ''Dream Too Much'' and artist collaborations

On June 17, 2016, Amazon.com announced that Lee was scheduled to release the "family" album ''Dream Too Much'' exclusively through Amazon Music, Amazon Prime Music. It features "original music for kids and families" and was released on September 30, 2016. The album was a collaboration that involved her father, who is the lead vocalist on "Goodnight My Love", and her sisters. On September 14, 2016, MTV News reported that Lee had worked on music for the film ''Blind (2016 film), Blind'', starring Alec Baldwin and Demi Moore. The film was premiered at the Woodstock Film Festival on October 13, 2016. On February 10, 2017, Lee released an English-language cover of Francesca Michielin's "L'amore esiste" ("Love Exists"), which she heard while working on a film project in Italy. With Guy Sigsworth as producer and
Dave Eggar Dave Eggar is an American cellist, pianist and composer. Early life Eggar was a musical prodigy as a child, beginning to play the cello and piano at age three and performing as a singer and actor on Broadway and at the Metropolitan Opera at a ...
providing string arrangements, Lee recorded her translated and reinterpreted version of the song over the course of a week at Flux Studios in New York City. In March 2017, the song "
Speak to Me "Speak to Me" is the first track on British progressive rock band Pink Floyd's 1973 album, ''The Dark Side of the Moon'', on which it forms an overture. Nick Mason receives a rare solo writing credit for the track, though recollections differ as t ...
" was made available on streaming platforms. It features as the end theme music for the film '' Voice from the Stone''. In 2018, Lee collaborated with Veridia on their single, "I'll Never Be Ready", where she played piano. She stated that collaborating on the song helped her cope with the passing of her brother, Robby. In 2019 Amy collaborated with
Lindsey Stirling Lindsey Stirling (born September 21, 1986) is an American violinist, songwriter, and dancer. She presents choreographed violin performances, in live and music videos found on her official YouTube channel, which she created in 2007. Stirling pe ...
on Stirling's 2019 album Artemis_(album), Artemis on the track and in the music video for "Love goes on and on". Amy appeared on Body Count (band), Body Count's song "When I'm Gone" off their seventh album ''Carnivore (Body Count album), Carnivore'', which was released on March 6, 2020. On July 31, 2020, American rock band Halestorm re-released their song "Break In", featuring Lee's vocals. The single was included on the ''Halestorm: Reimagined'' Extended play, EP. On September 19, 2020, Japanese rock band Wagakki Band released a song "Sakura Rising" featuring Lee. The song was written and recorded the day before their orchestral show in Osaka on February 16, 2020, where Lee performed as a guest, but it was finished through file sharing due to the coronavirus pandemic. On October 30, 2020, Lee featured on the
Bring Me the Horizon Bring Me the Horizon (often abbreviated as BMTH) are a British rock band formed in Sheffield in 2004. The group consists of lead vocalist Oliver Sykes, guitarist Lee Malia, bassist Matt Kean, drummer Matt Nicholls and keyboardist Jordan Fis ...
song "One Day The Only Butterflies Left Will Be In Your Chest As You March Towards Your Death" from their EP ''Post Human: Survival Horror''.


Musical influences

Lee has cited influence from composers such as Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Mozart and
Danny Elfman Daniel Robert Elfman (born May 29, 1953) is an American film composer, singer and songwriter. He came to prominence as the singer-songwriter for the new wave band Oingo Boingo in the early 1980s. Since the 1990s, Elfman has garnered internation ...
, and artists like Björk, Portishead, Massive Attack,
Korn Korn (stylized as KoЯn, or occasionally KoRn) is an American nu metal band from Bakersfield, California, formed in 1993. The band is notable for pioneering the nu metal genre and bringing it into the mainstream. Originally formed in 1993 ...
, Nine Inch Nails, Tori Amos, Plumb (singer), Plumb, Radiohead, Shirley Manson, Nirvana (band), Nirvana, Soundgarden, Pantera, Depeche Mode, Rob Zombie, White Zombie (band), White Zombie, The Smashing Pumpkins, Pearl Jam, Metallica, and Joan Jett.


Personal life

Lee was in a relationship with
Seether Seether are a South African rock band founded in 1999 in Pretoria, Gauteng, South Africa. The band originally performed under the name Saron Gas until 2002, when they moved to the United States and changed it to Seether to avoid confusion wi ...
's singer
Shaun Morgan Shaun Morgan Welgemoed (, born 21 December 1978) is a South African musician. He is the singer, songwriter, and guitarist for the rock band Seether. Early life Morgan spent most of his early life in South Africa.Bottomley, CSeether: South Af ...
from 2003 to 2005. Following their separation due to his substance addiction, she wrote "Call Me When You're Sober" about her experience with him. In May 2007, Lee married Josh Hartzler, a therapist and long-time friend, whom the songs "Good Enough" and "Bring Me to Life" were inspired by. The couple's first child, son Jack Lion Hartzler, was born on July 24, 2014. In the early 2000s, Lee said that she has never been formally religious and does not attend church, but considers herself a Christian. She stated that regardless of her or any band member's beliefs, Evanescence's music has never had a religious or spiritual affiliation.


Public image

Lee has a recognizable fashion style, marked by her taste for Victorian fashion, Victorian-styled clothing and occasional use of Goth subculture, gothic make-up. She has been labelled a "gothic rock superstar" and a "style icon". She had a piercing on her left eyebrow since she was teenager until 2006; it is visible on the cover of ''
Fallen Fallen may refer to: People * Carl Fredrik Fallén (1764–1830), Swedish botanist and entomologist * Gabriel Toledo (born 1991), known as FalleN, Brazilian ''Counter-Strike'' player Arts, entertainment, and media Fictional entities * Fallen ( ...
''. Her image was described as "independent and self-assured". Lee designs many of her own clothes, including those worn in the music video for "Going Under (Evanescence song), Going Under", the dress worn for the cover of ''
The Open Door ''The Open Door'' is the second studio album by American rock band Evanescence, released on September 25, 2006, by Wind-up Records. The record symbolizes a new beginning for the band, with Amy Lee in full creative control, incorporating new ele ...
'' and the dress she wore to the Nobel Peace Prize Concert in 2011. After she designed the dress she wore at the 2004 Grammy Awards, she chose Japanese designer H. Naoto to make it for her. In 2003, Lee said she wears "lots of funky stuff onstage", and likes to "mix it up" with "two basic elements ... rock, metal and chains and stuff, mixed with fairies and Victorian clothing, fantasy". Lee explained and showcased some of her wardrobe in 2011, commenting that she would rather make her own clothes because it is hard to find exactly what she wants elsewhere. She likes "asymmetrical things" and "a little bit of chaos" in her outfits, and "when it comes to the band, I want to dress to fit the music." Lee said she used to wear corsets more often in the early years when she wasn't as confident on stage, and it wasn't about "goth" but more about making her feel like "you're about to ride a rollercoaster and you're strapped in and not going to fall out." Lee has a
mezzo-soprano A mezzo-soprano or mezzo (; ; meaning "half soprano") is a type of classical female singing voice whose vocal range lies between the soprano and the contralto voice types. The mezzo-soprano's vocal range usually extends from the A below middl ...
vocal range. In a fan meet & greet, Lee stated she was in the alto section in her school choir and was later told by a vocal coach that her range was higher than an alto. In 2006, ''Blender (magazine), Blender'' listed Lee as one of the hottest women in rock alongside such singers as Joan Jett, Courtney Love and Liz Phair. In 2013, Lee ranked first in NME.com's "Hottest Women in Music" award.


Discography

*''Aftermath (Amy Lee soundtrack), Aftermath'' (2014, with
Dave Eggar Dave Eggar is an American cellist, pianist and composer. Early life Eggar was a musical prodigy as a child, beginning to play the cello and piano at age three and performing as a singer and actor on Broadway and at the Metropolitan Opera at a ...
) *'' Recover, Vol. 1'' (2016) *''Dream Too Much'' (2016)


Filmography

*''I Love the New Millennium'' – Herself *''VH1's 100 Greatest Hard Rock Songs – Herself


Awards and nominations


References


External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Lee, Amy Amy Lee, 1981 births 20th-century American women singers 21st-century American women singers American Christians American women singer-songwriters American film score composers American folk-pop singers American mezzo-sopranos American multi-instrumentalists American rock pianists American rock singers American rock songwriters 21st-century American women pianists 21st-century American pianists American women record producers Christians from California Evanescence members Gothic rock musicians Grammy Award winners Kerrang! Awards winners Living people Middle Tennessee State University alumni Musicians from Little Rock, Arkansas Musicians from Riverside, California NME Awards winners Record producers from California Writers from Little Rock, Arkansas Writers from Riverside, California 20th-century American singers 21st-century American singers Singer-songwriters from California Singer-songwriters from Arkansas Nu metal singers