Interview With Amy Lee.....

Amy Lynn Hartzler, better known as Amy Lee, a singer-songwriter, classically trained pianist, and Lead vocalist of the everlasting rock band Evanescence. In this interview the up beat, fun Amy Lee lets us into her personal influences ranging from LaRoux, Mariah and Leona Lewis, To whom it is that she thinks has the best vocals around..Bursting on the scene in 03' selling around 15 million records world wide, She tells us that although trouble stirred in the Evanescence crew they are still here to stay...

Ms.A: Amy 'The Voice' Lee Welcome to SAU how are you today?

Amy Lee: LOL Hi Ms.A! I'm doing great today I'm so happy to be talking to you!

Ms.A: The pleasure is all mine, I'm happy to have you here! Since the album 'The Open Door" released in 06' with the two major singles 'Call Me When Your Sober' and 'Lithium', you personally have been fairly quite. We've heard talks about a new Evanescence album but other than that what have you been up to for the last 4 years?

(Lithium Evanescence)




Amy Lee: It does not even seem that long because even though I have been out of the spotlight it has been a wild ride! We suffered the loss of a few band members, and legal issues. After that I had to step away because all of my creative juices were dead, so I had to find a good place in my mind again. So for the last year we have been prepping for the new album.

Ms.A: So since regaining your creative juices, how do you feel you've grown musically?

Amy Lee: I feel like I have opened my mind up to different influences and with traveling to different cultures like India, and Japan, I have been able to open myself up to a whole new world that seems so far beyond the regular '9-5 music' as I like to call it. So my hope is that it translates well into the new work were about to put out.

Ms.A: Going back to what you said previously about losing a couple members in a very open split, your record label released a press release in 07' discussing basically out with the old and in with the new..

Amy Lee: right...

Ms.A: Being that the Evanescence sound that your fans are use to is very heavy Goth & rock/Alternative metal, will the sound now remain the same or has it evolved?

Amy Lee: Were gonna stick to what makes us who we are, but there will be certain new elements like I have a 'secret love crush' on LeRoux LOL so some of that sound will be in there for sure. Who cant love it her sound? its so infectious to me I love it!

(LaRoux 'Bulletproof')


Ms.A: in 09' your former band mates along with Carly Smithson formed 'We are the fallen" the rumors and distinctive similarities have already started, but for the record what are your feelings about 'We are the fallen'?

(We are the fallen)


Amy Lee: Well Of course I knew the similarities were coming with that, but I think they will do well. Carly has a nice voice I liked her on American Idol. But I also think what made Evanescence different was our uniqueness, so I hope they find there own style.....

Ms.A: Do you think that Evanescence made the Goth rock/Alternative sound? (The original Evanescence)

Amy Lee: Oh no its not my place to really say that, but I hope we are a good note in history when its all said and done, that's all I can hope for.



Ms.A: 'The Open Door', Certified platinum a month after its release in the states, 5x's platinum as of today world wide..do you feel the pressure going into another album with new band mates to sell more than last time?

Amy Lee: Well I'm not going to give you the answer of 'no we don't feel pressure, and that we don't expect to sell more'

Ms.A: I was ready for the politically correct answer Amy LOL

Amy Lee: LOL! As far as the album sales, we cant worry about it because to sell 5 million in this day and age you have to be someone other than us so we don't think its realistic. The thing we hope for is that our fans love the music if we can do that than we have made this album a success!

Ms.A: So about what percentage of this new album is finished?

Amy Lee: I will say 70% we are working with some great people and were putting it together. I feel like the hardest part is over, we just have to continue the flow and make sure we take care of the small things.

Ms.A: Most people agree you have a very distinctive voice that differs from any other voice in the music industry..Some even say the best in your genre but what other female singers do you look up to?

Amy Lee: I love Mariah's voice she has always been one of my favorites. I love Aretha and I think Leona Lewis is amazing! I would love to work with her one day


Ms.A: A Leona Lewis Amy Lee song? WHEW!!!

Amy Lee: I love her voice so much, but my hero is not a female singer, I love an idolize Freddie Mercury of Queen I love him

(Freddie Mercury 'Queen')


Ms.A: Good One! We all have different takes on the music industry as a whole but what do you think this music industry and music as a whole is missing?


Amy Lee: Good Music!

Ms.A: Plain and simple!

Amy Lee: If we had good music it would take care of itself . Its almost like to get a hit song you can look in a book and come up with it you know? Its like there's instructions you can follow, but I bet Barry Gordy didn't do that back in the day! We're losing the heart in our music only a few artist and producers make good music now a days.Back in the day you had a bunch of people!

Ms.A: I agree totally!

Ms.A: Give us Amy lee in 5 words...

Amy Lee: A .person. who .loves . hard.

Ms.A: I can imagine your personal fans would love to hear a solo album from you so If Amy Lee was to do a solo album what would be your dream collaborations?...Producers and talent

Amy Lee: Ah man Ms.A, Leona Lewis,Paul McCartney,Greg Wells,Rod Temperton, Kings of Leon, I think the lead singer is a cutie, and just for fun I recorded a verse on there song 'Crawl' of course its not out, I did it for myself but I'm A huge fan of Kings Of Leon!

Ms.A: Of course the question every one wants to know, will you do a solo album one day?

Amy Lee: You know, I'm just focused on my band and giving our fans the best music possible as of right now.

Ms.A: Well Ms. Amy Lee thank you for giving me such great convo today I really appreciate it!!


Amy Lee: your welcome Ms.A thank you so much for having me, and thank you SAU!!