Latest news with #AmyLee
Buzz Feed
07-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Buzz Feed
Amy Lee On Evanescence's 'The Open Door' And New Music
Evanescence's Fallen launched the band into stardom in the early 2000s with Amy Lee's haunting vocals and the band's blend of orchestral and rock elements. I'll never forget the first time my sister put Fallen into the car's CD player; we were instant fans from the opening chords of "Going Under." We had both Fallen and The Open Door on repeat, and eventually didn't refer to the songs by their titles — just by their track numbers. Following multiple tours and releases — including their self-titled album, the orchestral Synthesis, the deep cuts of Lost Whispers, and 2021's The Bitter Truth — Evanescence is back in 2025 with incredible new material. To celebrate the band's first number one on Billboard's Mainstream Rock Airplay and the release of the "Fight Like a Girl" music video, I sat down with rock icon Amy Lee. Read on as we discuss the making of "Fight Like a Girl," explore upcoming music, and reflect on Evanescence's earliest releases. Note: This interview has been edited for length and clarity. BuzzFeed: You recently released "Fight Like a Girl" for the film Ballerina. How did the collab come about? Amy Lee: I worked with Tyler Bates, who is the composer for all the John Wick films. We've always wanted to work together, but we just hadn't found the right thing. He called me, and I was like, "Hey, I think I finally found our thing. Let's do this song together for Ballerina!" So it was just really laid-back and easy. I watched the film, and listened through and looked for inspiration — it feels so good to see a woman kicking ass right now! Once I had that "Fight Like a Girl" part down, the rest of it happened pretty quickly. I also got to collab with one of my favorite artists, I got to that bridge part, and I didn't know what to sing. It just occurred to me, and I kind of heard her voice in my head. I literally hadn't met her before, but I always liked her. She's one of the coolest people! I love it when you're a fan of somebody, and then you meet them and they are absolutely everything you wanted them to be. I love the use of fire and rain in the music video. Is it fun filming in the pouring rain, and with all the fire around? So fun! It's cool when we get to play in a different world, because we spend the majority of our time focusing on every little detail within the music and the audio. Here, we get these opportunities to really branch out and think about the visual and be artists in that realm. It's great creating visually with people, especially when they're as awesome as Chad Stahelski [producer of Ballerina, director of the music video, and prior John Wick films]. When we get opportunities to work with film directors, I always want to make it as cool and fun and big and exciting as possible. And obviously Chad was very into that, too. He was like, "We need to set someone on fire." I was like, "I think that sounds appropriate!" Is there a favorite behind-the-scenes moment you would like to share about the video? Chad and I were originally talking about working in clips of Ballerina throughout. We wound up getting so much great footage [for the music video] that we didn't end up doing that in the main part of the video — so we ended up trying to match specific scenes. I combed through the movie and screenshotted parts that I thought had a cool look, and one of those was the elevator. The lighting is so cool, it actually reminds me of Fallen a little bit with that very metallic, kind of hyper-future look. So I was like, "Can we find an elevator?" They were like, "No, we really can't, we're just gonna have to build one!" I got there on the set, and there was this amazing elevator with buttons and everything, all lit up exactly like the movie. So we really were shot-matching stuff, and I thought it turned out really cool. This was also the first time that my son, Jack, got to come on set for a video shoot like that. He's really into the production of our live shows, like the lasers and visual effects. That elevator was the first part that we were shooting, and we walked through it with Chad, and Chad was explaining to him how it works. Talk about the world's greatest "Take Your Kid to Work" day! Do you approach writing for TV and movies differently than writing for an Evanescence album? Yeah, for sure. One of the coolest things about getting to do music for a film or even a video game is that it's always a collab in some way. You're working with the director and whoever's making the movie, and they care about the music in the film and want it to fit the film. So instead of the priority solely being, "Let's make whatever we want and how we want it to feel," it's more about fitting a character, the vibe of a scene, or wrapping up a film at the end titles. Ballerina has been really fun because it was going to be just one song, and then it spun out into two different, really cool songs with different collaborations. "Hand That Feeds" kind of came in halfway through the process of working on "Fight Like a Girl." Halsey showed up with this song idea, and we just had a blast. We got to create together and then make that fun music video, and that was all just, like, gravy. This has been a time when I've felt the universe calling me to make music. Music has always been the place where I feel like I belong and where I can make some kind of change, and hopefully, put something good into the world. I just feel compelled right now to do whatever I can to shine some light in the world, and I hope, in whatever I do, that it comes across as meant to empower and inspire. Alex Seaver, who I've worked with before, sent me the beginning of "Afterlife," and I loved it right away. We originally built the song just for a scene, but it got so cool that we went for it. I took it to the band and Nick Raskulinecz [producer]. We got in a room together, garage-band style, finished the song, and then went into the studio. It felt really good to get in there, and also with Emma [new bassist, Emma Anzai started in 2022]. She has brought so much to the band, and it's been a real pleasure working with her. So anyway, it feels amazing. It feels like things are lining up for a reason. It's funny, because they were giving me those numbers and I'm thinking about "Bring Me to Life" — that hit number one on the Top 40 chart. But, as far as the rock chart, this is extra special. I guess we finally earned our place in the rock community, and that means so much. Is there anything that you can confirm about the next album? Yeah! We're working on it. We're partway through. I think we're going to continue to release music as we go, because it feels really good to celebrate with our fans while it's still fresh. We'll release it as a full album when it's all done, but you can expect to have the hits keep coming this year. So stay tuned — we're going to keep this momentum up! Love to hear that! You're also touring with Metallica in the fall. It's an understatement that Evanescence songs are not easy to sing. What are some ways you're mindful about vocal health on tour? There's so many tricks you can do and so many warm-ups, stretches, specialties, and so on. But to be honest, I feel like there are three things that are the hardest on your voice: talking nonstop, not getting enough sleep, and just overuse in general. Like, don't blow your voice out by booking three nights in a row singing a full show. I can't do that anymore. I don't want to. Also, getting a full night's sleep and drinking plenty of water is really important. What really ends up hurting my voice more than anything is stressing that there's going to be something wrong. I think to myself, just calm down, shut up, and play a video game. Don't freak out! Something I've come to trust more than I used to is that your voice comes from your heart. When you really need it, as long as you're not sick or something, when you need it to happen, it's going to happen. It's a power that will come out of you when you want it to; it's about feeling it and going for it and not stressing out about it. I'm curious, which songs on tour are the most vocally challenging? I've learned how to pace the set list better and, if a song is easier for me, I'll make sure and get one or two of those in between. Instead of thinking, "This is what's best for the momentum of the set list," now I'll make decisions based on when I need a break. Maybe I'll sit down for "Lithium" for a second before we go into "Better Without You" or whatever. I have been putting some of the hardest songs at the top of the set to get them out of the way while my voice is fresh. Well, I'll tell you what's hard — "The Change" is a really hard one, "Sweet Sacrifice" is incredibly hard, and that's why we only do it once in a while. "Better Without You" is a difficult one; it's just really high! I got better at learning when to go falsetto in a way that feels like I still mean it. I'm learning to flip my voice and not feel ashamed of that. When I was younger, it had to be full power all the time. Then I'd have a crappy voice by the end of the show, because I wasn't ever willing to let it flip. Falsetto sounds really cool sometimes! Then you save up your gas when you really need it. What about "Bring Me to Life"? I feel like at this point you can sing it in your sleep! I can do that no matter what's going on. It does have that really long note. I would only be scared of "Bring Me to Life" because it is usually the last song in our set. So if I'm ever sick or, like, exhausted at the end of the show, I just try not to be nervous. That's one of those moments where I have to tell myself not to freak out and worry that your voice isn't going to be there. But other than that, like no matter how tired my voice is, you know, it's "Bring Me to Life," so the rest of it's easy for me. But when we get to that part at the end, I just have to trust and take the leap! You just gotta take the leap without fear. That's the trick! Your fans will love you either way! Throwing it back to your first three albums [ Fallen, The Open Door, Evanescence ] — is there a song you feel is underrated now that it's been some time? It's hard to say that anything is underrated by your fans. When we were first coming out, I felt like, "I hope people like me, and that we're able to last. I hope that people hear our second single and our third single, and not just the very first song, and then throw us away." I have such a different feeling now, when we have people all over the world who love our music and grew up with our music. It means something to them, you know, they love the deep cuts as much as the hits. To be honest, I feel so much more appreciation for all of our music than I ever expected when we were starting out. It's hard for me to sit around and think about what's underrated when I feel like everything's been rated much better than I expected! [ We laugh. ] Amy Lee, Evanescence / Via There are songs that I like that we didn't end up making into singles. If I could go back in time, I would have fought for "Imaginary." That's such an Evanescence song to me. That was our first album so I had to fight for a lot, all the time. It was constant fighting for the art and my vision. For whatever reason, the suits wanted "Everybody's Fool," and I love that song, too! But I really felt like "Imaginary" was meant to be that single at that time, and I would have loved to make a beautiful video for it. I've kind of always had it in the back of my head, maybe someday we'll make a video. It's never too late! My last question for you — The Open Door is my favorite album, and its 20th anniversary is next year. When you look back, is there a song you appreciate more over time, or a song that you are extra proud of? I'm proud of that album. That album came out of a time that was a coming-of-age moment for me. And it's right there in the title, like it was time to go out on my own, show what I could do, and prove some things. It was liberating and fun, and I also put a lot of pressure on myself. So the fact that people think of The Open Door as their favorite album, it means so much to me. I mean, things you wouldn't think of as rebellious were. Like, I love organ. Organ is an instrument that I've always super dug. It just didn't fly at the time for Fallen. This time, I was in control. It was like, I'm gonna do organ, I'm gonna do harpsichord, I'm gonna do whatever classical crap I want. I'm going to be sassy, and I'm also going to break the rules about not having vibrato or whatever. I had a lot of rules for myself, honestly, because I was younger on Fallen. But for The Open Door, it was like, okay, it's up to you! There's not just one song for me. I'm so proud of that album, really.
ABC News
21-06-2025
- Health
- ABC News
Dogs are increasingly given anti-anxiety drugs for behavioural issues, but do they need them?
Two-and-a-half-year-old rescue dog Mabel is sweet and happy when her owner, veterinarian Amy Lee, is at home. But when Dr Lee is gone, Mabel can be a whole different animal. "She wouldn't eat when I wasn't home. She would bark, she would whimper, she would cry. She sometimes wouldn't toilet," Dr Lee said. "When we went overseas recently, for the first time in her life, she escaped the yard because there was a dog sitter with her and not our family." Now, Mabel is one of many dogs on a medication called fluoxetine — a type of antidepressant sold under the brand name Prozac. For Dr Lee, being able to prescribe fluoxetine for dogs like hers has been "a godsend". While Dr Lee is comfortable with providing anxiety medicines to dogs like Mabel at her clinic in Blacktown, NSW, she said it wasn't suitable for every animal. Dr Lee takes dog owners through one-hour long consultations about their pet's history and behaviours before deciding whether to prescribe medication. But this isn't standard across the veterinarian sector, with some vets only getting a 15-minute appointment to make the decision. This is creating concerns from some in the industry about how many dogs are going onto anti-anxiety medication as a first-line treatment. A study looking at millions of canine medical records in the US from 2010 to 2020 found a 10-fold increase in behavioural problems, and an increase in antidepressant medications. Dr Lee says she's seen an increase in dogs at her clinic with behavioural issues like aggression, separation anxiety as well as problematic behaviours. Although Australia-wide data on use of drug therapies for animals is not recorded by groups like the Australian Veterinary Association, there is evidence that their use is on the rise. Australian pet pharmacy YourPetPA listed fluoxetine on its website as its third "best selling" prescription medication. But Paul McGreevy, a veterinarian and a researcher of animal behaviour at the University of Sydney, said the real issue for the dogs was the management by their owners. "The danger is that pet owners demand a medication to resolve a problem, when the problem is actually them," he said. Dogs, he noted, have different needs and wants to humans, which we struggle to respond to, and instead, we "expect the dogs to adapt to our way of life". "If you want a dog, expect it to do doggy things, and expect it to have doggy needs," Professor McGreevy said. Michelle Rassool, a behavioural veterinarian who works in both general practice and a behavioural clinic, said many owners were at their wits end with their dog's behaviour when they came to her. "The average person gets a dog to have a friend, and they are normally not skilled in behaviour modification," she said. "People should be aware that there are multiple options for intervening in behaviour. Instead, Dr Rassool suggested positive behavioural training, changes to the environment, and changes to what the owners expect from their dog could all help create a better dog-owner relationship. "Is the dog getting enough exercise? Are they fulfilled? "If we've got a dog that's worried about being left alone, we don't just give medication and leave it alone. "Our goals are always to use medication to leverage change and then look at weaning off or reducing where we can." Dr Rassool said training needed to occur long-term to give dogs the best chance not to develop behavioural problems. "Going to a couple of weeks of puppy school is not going to cut the mustard," she said. "Most people should continue to go to — at a minimum — a weekly training session for that dog's first year because there's so much developmental change." Dr Lee noted that using positive reinforcement, rather than negative, was also extremely important to ensure the behaviour didn't become worse. "If you've got a dog and you use either a combination of punishment and positive [reinforcement], or if you use just punishment, you're actually more likely to end up with aggression in your dog," she said. "[Negative reinforcement] will work for a while because the dog doesn't want to be punished, but because they're not solving the underlying emotions it will eventually make the behaviour worse." Getting the balance right between appropriate training and medication can be life or death for dogs. "Behaviour problems are the biggest killer of young dogs," Professor McGreevy said. "Is that because they're they are not medicated correctly? Arguably. But is it possible that they were managed inappropriately to begin with?" Navigating the fine line of when medication might be appropriate is something Dr Lee is very aware of at her clinic. "I've got a patient that I treat now — Stannis — and he's one of my favourites because when he used to come in … he could have been euthanised in a pound somewhere for being unmanageable," she said. Now, although Stannis will likely need ongoing anxiety medication, his owners have also undertaken significant behavioural work, and according to Dr Lee "his quality of life is so great". "Those are the cases that just make your heart so full because you see people who believe in their dogs, and do the work." Check out What the Duck?! presented by Dr Ann Jones to look at our modern dogs and what we've created and subscribe to the podcast for more.
CBS News
11-06-2025
- Politics
- CBS News
Immigration advocacy group to rally amid Baltimore ICE operations, as viral videos show arrests
The Baltimore City-based immigration advocacy group CASA will march Wednesday morning in protest of local operations by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. ICE ramps up operations in the Baltimore area On Sunday, two people were detained by ICE near the intersection of East Baltimore and Elwood Streets. Another ICE detainment happened near the Ross department store in Catonsville. In May, ICE shared a video showing agents in Baltimore arresting several people. The agency said a tip led them to a Home Depot in a shopping center on Eastern Avenue, where five people were arrested for allegedly being in the U.S. illegally. After the arrest, CASA said the group of people were likely outside the Home Depot so that they could find work. Due process becomes focus of conversations surrounding immigration enforcement On Monday, protesters met at McKeldin Plaza and marched to the George H. Fallon ICE Field Office in Baltimore. The protesters said they were calling on the Trump administration to stop violating human rights. "Everyone who sets foot in this country is entitled to due process, and we are watching what ICE is doing, and we hope that someday they will be held accountable for their actions," Amy Lee from the Free State Coalition said. Due process became a key topic in conversations surrounding immigration enforcement in the recent case of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a Maryland man who was mistakenly deported from Maryland to El Salvador in March. Abrego Garcia was returned to the U.S. on June 6 to face federal human smuggling charges issued on May 21. While the Trump administration is asking a judge to pause Abrego Garcias mistaken deportation case, his attorneys say they still want answers from the U.S. government as to why it initially refused to comply with a court order to return him to the United States. Last week, a federal judge ruled that the Trump administration must give more than 100 Venezuelan men it sent to a supermax prison in El Salvador earlier this year a chance to contest their deportation. In May, the Trump administration began terminating the immigration court cases of certain migrants in order to arrest them and place them in an accelerated deportation process, CBS News reported. Lawyers and advocates reported arrests of migrants outside immigration courthouses nationwide. ICE arrests rise nationwide According to ICE data, an average of 1,000 undocumented immigrants have been arrested each day since President Trump took office. While the Trump administration initially said its intent was to remove violent criminals with its increased ICE enforcement, some say that ICE has arrested non-violent, productive individuals. "They started, supposed to be going after violent criminals, but we've seen U.S. citizens, we've seen those who didn't have violence, be snatched up off the streets of cities all around the country," Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott said.
Perth Now
03-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Perth Now
Evanescence and K.Flay announce Ballerina end-title song Fight Like A Girl
Evanescence have teamed up with on the track 'Fight Like A Girl', the first end-title song in the John Wick film 'Ballerina'. After frontwoman Amy Lee and Halsey dropped the original song 'Hand That Feeds' from the hotly awaited flick, the 'Bring Me To Life' group have joined forces with alternative star on a song they co-wrote with Dylan Eiland and Ballerina film composer Tyler Bates. A description of the song reads: "Fuelled by fierce energy and defiance, Fight Like A Girl channels the film's themes of vengeance, resilience, and female empowerment, mirroring its adrenaline-pumping intensity and emotional depth." Both 'Fight Like A Girl' and 'Ballerina' are released on June 6. Amy Lee said: 'Tyler calling me up to create this song for Ballerina couldn't have come at a more perfect time, I know I'm not the only girl out there ready to dig my heels in and show the world what we're made of. 'I really wanted this song to be a collab, and is one of my favourite artists. It is literally a dream come true to do this together!' Grammy-nominated casually penned her verse backstage after a concert while her "adrenaline was still super high". She added: 'Amy sent me the demo and I was immediately so energised, so inspired. I was on tour at the time, and I wrote my verse backstage after a show, when my adrenaline was still super high. For me, the film and the song are both about how we channel our pain and how we choose to define ourselves. What separates the hero from the villain?' Taking place during the events of 'John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum', 'Ballerina' follows Eve Macarro (Ana de Armas) who is beginning her training in the assassin traditions of the Ruska Roma.
UPI
30-05-2025
- Entertainment
- UPI
Watch: Halsey, Amy Lee team up on 'Hand That Feeds' for 'Ballerina'
1 of 5 | Halsey (pictured) and Amy Lee released a music video for "Hand That Feeds" on Friday. File Photo by James Atoa/UPI | License Photo May 30 (UPI) -- Halsey and Amy Lee released a music video for their song "Hand That Feeds" on Friday. The pair created the song for the Ballerina film starring Ana de Armas as an assassin seeking revenge. The movie is part of the John Wick universe and also stars Keanu Reeves. The music video opens as Halsey runs through a city street in a bloodstained ballerina outfit. Lee, the lead singer of Evanescence, is sharpening a knife when she appears in the video. "You do it cause you know you can, turn around and bite the hand that feeds," they sing. Halsey is currently on their For My Last Trick tour. Evanescence joined the singer for her May 14 show in Los Angeles. Halsey turns 30: a look back Halsey arrives on the red carpet for the MTV Video Music Awards at Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles on August 30, 2015. Photo by Jim Ruymen/UPI | License Photo
