While talking about his early days in the music business, Amy Lee of Evanescence said in the most recent issue of Metal Hammer that many were rooting for her to fail. The singer discussed her difficulties getting noticed, stating: I had a strong sense that, at least initially, people were rooting for me to fail. I believe part of the reason is that they want to know whether you’re the real deal. When you become extremely successful very rapidly and you get to prominence quickly, I believe there’s a small part of human nature that tries to punch a hole in that. I felt defensive and misinterpreted since, judging from the album cover, I appear to be a b*tch because I have a bada** and b*tchy look on my face.
Early Achievement And Insecurity. During the conversation, Lee also discussed how she was uncertain about the band’s place in the music industry after the group’s unexpected early success, such as their 2004 Grammy Award win for Best New Artist. She stated: “What’s the term for that object? False identity syndrome There was no denying that I felt like I’d entered by the back door and managed to attend the Grammys. Like, “This is a prank, people don’t know who we are, and I’m not supposed to be here.” I believe that in part is due to how quickly everything is occurring and how young you are.
Tackling Gender Bias in Rock Culture. Amy has discussed the prejudice and discrimination that women in rock music frequently encounter over the years. In 2020, she talked candidly about her experiences in the business with Forty-Five. In an attempt to appeal more to rock listeners, their record label first proposed adding a male vocalist to their first hit, “Bring Me To Life,” because they didn’t think she could connect with audiences as the band’s lead. At first, Lee wasn’t a fan of this concept, as she said:
“It was just too much as the track began with a woman and a piano. I had to assume that since I refused, we were being dropped for it. Eventually, Evanescence consented to include a guest vocalist on one song. For Lee, this was not an easy choice. Although she welcomed the tune later, she thought that by beginning with a song that didn’t entirely express her vision, she had compromised her craft.
