Evanescence lead vocalist Amy Lee: Strange not knowing when we can go back to work (IANS Exclusive)

Amy Lee, lead vocalist and co-founder of the popular American rock band Evanescence, is anxious about the uncertain future amid the coronavirus lockdown. She finds it "very strange not knowing when we can really see our friends again or go back to work".

May 4, 2020, 2:33 pm ISTNewsIANS

Asked if the uncertainty about the future makes her anxious, Lee in an exclusive interview to IANS, said: "It does make me anxious. It's very strange not knowing when we can really see our friends again or go back to work and school and it's hard to explain it to my 5 year old. I've been reminiscing about my own childhood and we've been having fun watching all my favourite shows and movies from when I was a kid (like) ‘Fraggle Rock, ‘The Brave Little Toaster'."

Lee feels music is "therapeutic", and is essential during the ongoing health crisis.

"Well it's been very therapeutic for me personally to make music, to be in love with music. I really need music during this time. I don't think I'm alone. I need to feel touched by something and part of something and like something is alive today that wasn't yesterday. And it makes us all really happy to see the fans excited for new music, to celebrate the same song together. To me this seems like a more essential time for music than ever," she said.

While many projects have been put on hold due to the global lockdown, Evanescence kept its promise of releasing new music this year by launching the song "Wasted on you" from their upcoming album "Bitter Truth". The video clips shows each Evanescence member coping with the isolation in their homes. "Wasted on you" premiered in India exclusively on Vh1 India on April 23.

Talking about the song, Lee said: "I came up with the initial idea just before New Year's Eve and sent it to the band. We already had the songs we were planning to begin recording in January, but I was struggling with lyrics to the song I was trying to finish, and ended up writing this one instead.

"We got into the studio with Nick Raskulinecz, who we had such a pivotal experience with for the self titled album, and finished the song out together in a live setup. Nick pushed us on that bridge right up to the edge of my breaking point and then we finally broke through with what is now my favorite part. He is so good like that. He knows what we're capable of and won't settle for less! We rewrote it at least 7 times," she added.

Lee along with guitarist Ben Moody founded the band in 1995. They came out with their first album in 2003, titled "Fallen". At present, the members are Lee, Tim McCord, Will Hunt, Troy McLawhorn and Jen Majura.

"The Bitter Truth" will be Evanescence's first album with original material in nine years. In 2017, the band released "Synthesis". It had instrumental reworkings of older tracks, and included the breakthrough single "Bring me to life".

(Sugandha Rawal can be contacted at sugandha.r@ians.in)