AXS - Interview with Amy Lee of Evanescence (Aug 2016)

[princeofpersia]

Interview with Amy Lee of Evanescence

Amy Lee is a Grammy Award winning singer and songwriter who first achieved fame in the 2000s with her band, Evanescence, who will be touring the US this fall. A classically trained pianist, Lee presently lives and composes in New York City. Now a mother, she is set to release her first children’s album, Dream Too Much, which features 12 newly recorded songs. The album will be available to Amazon Prime members in the US, UK, Germany, Austria and Japan starting on Sept. 30, 2016.

Amy Lee grew up in a musical family and the songs on this album-which was inspired by her son, Jack -- encourage families to sing together. The songs feature guest appearances by several of Amy's family members, including backing vocals by her siblings and instrumentals by her father and uncle. Amy actually started the album as a birthday gift to her father who works as a DJ, instrumentalist and voiceover actor. From there, she decided to turn the songs into a full-blown album focused on her childhood memories, experiences as a parent and things that interest her son. In fact, the video for the title track is based off of the ideas that Jack had for imagery which explains the surreal quality of the video. Animated and whimsical interpretations of every song are forthcoming.

Although the album is intended for kids, Amy made sure that it will hold appeal to adults as well. Recently, Amy Lee spoke to AXS about her experiences working on this album:





AXS: You grew up in a family of musicians. How did you form your very unique style with Evanescence?

Amy Lee (AL): Finding your sound is about exploration. You play and listen to all kinds of music until you find what really sticks to you. As a child I was really drawn to soulful music- R&B, Motown and good pop. As I got older that thirst for soul remained but my taste became deeper and darker. I was very inspired by classical music I was hearing and learning through choir and piano lessons, especially Mozart and Beethoven, and simultaneously becoming a 90’s teenager who was obsessed with alternative bands like Nirvana, Smashing Pumpkins, Soundgarden and Portishead.

AXS: How did you go about finding places to perform? What was it like climbing up the ladder to outright stardom?

AL: We would pull a few musicians together and play local coffee shops, pizza places, whatever we could make work when I was in high school. We convinced the local radio station to play some of our home-made songs and ended up getting a small internet following pretty early on. I remember going to Kinko’s and printing out flyers to put up around town. Times have changed! We went to master our first full collection of home-made music, “Origin,” at Ardent studios in Memphis and a producer down the hall heard it and liked it, and introduced us to some people in NY, and we got signed shortly after that.

AXS: You won a Grammy, what was that like?

AL: Crazy! My first time to the Grammy’s we we’re nominated for five awards and walked away with two. It was very surreal. It took me a little time after that to process that it had all really happened.

AXS: You are now a mother and are releasing a children's album. How was this similar and different from your rock albums?

AL: Well, it’s similar in that once I get inspired about something and the ball starts rolling in my head, there’s no way to stop it. I get obsessive about what I’m working on, I’m thinking about it every day until it’s done! Even though this is a children’s album, I put just as much of myself into it as any album. It was different because the music was so sweet and fun and the boundaries of what I would and wouldn’t let myself do we’re totally different. Kazoo party in the last chorus? YES PLEASE!

AXS: What has been the best part of working in the music industry, especially branching into children's music?

AL: Well this album has been my first experience working with Amazon, and it has been a true pleasure. The people I’ve worked with over there are creative, passionate, forward-thinking, and talented. They are definitely different than any typical label, and they are part of what’s changing for the better.

AXS: Career wise, where do you see yourself in ten years?

AL: There’s no way to answer that question! I don’t think I would have expected 10 years ago that I would make a children’s album!

AXS: Do you have any upcoming projects that you would like to mention?

AL: I wrote and recorded a song for an upcoming film, “Voice From the Stone,” that I’m very excited about which will be coming out soon, I’ve also been working on a sweet vinyl boxset with some surprise extras for the Evanescence fans, as well as gearing up for a fall tour with the band.

AXS: What advice would you give to someone who is aspiring to enter the music industry?

AL: Work as hard as you can on your music and your skill and believe that you’re good enough.



source
Thanx to happyevfan and EvFan28 for finding and sharing the interview.

[Lycrymosa]

oooo boxset with suprises, could this mean we might get some unreleased songs as bonus tracks or maybe some of the older pre fallen songs re worked (David Hodges did say we was working on something with Amy) or something else?

[happyevfan]

Sept 1, 2016 16:29:02 GMT -5 Lycrymosa said:

oooo boxset with suprises, could this mean we might get some unreleased songs as bonus tracks or maybe some of the older pre fallen songs re worked (David Hodges did say we was working on something with Amy) or something else?

I think it could either be some B-sides and unreleased songs or maybe some unreleased photos from Ev's official photoshoots or pretty much anything else. The only thing I know it that I'm definitely buying it

[Worm Baby]

Vinyl vinyl vinyl ahhhhh! I can't wait! And I should actually have the money for it by the time it comes out!

[Deleted]

That little bit about how Origin was recorded is interesting. I don't think Amy went into that much detail about it before. Anyway, I'm actually more excited for this album than the vinyl boxset, I guess it'll just depend on what's in it.

[fishbowl]

tbh all I want is the original version of Made of Stone (from lillywhite sessions) if that exists..also hi lo which I assume is the song from the "reaching above, so high above" video..

[The_Sacrificed]

Sept 4, 2016 22:33:33 GMT -5 fishbowl said:

tbh all I want is the original version of Made of Stone (from lillywhite sessions) if that exists..also hi lo which I assume is the song from the "reaching above, so high above" video..

That's Perfect Dream.

[happyevfan]

I also hope Amy releases these songs soon, 'Hi-Lo' is confirmed to be released "when the time is right"

[JohnnyScott]

I do not think will have some new song in "evanescence vinyl box set"