Rocker Amy Lee is taking a stand.
The 25-year-old Evanescence frontwoman, who recently became engaged to a New York therapist, says she’s no longer going to allow people to bully or insult her.
That’s something Lee admits won’t be easy.
“I am the kind of person who takes things to heart when people are just being insensitive or being rude, but I’m getting better. Someone was sitting in a car recently, and they just yelled at me and screamed at me out the window. I realized if that had happened to me like maybe three years ago, I would have probably cried and thought about it all day.
“But now, I’m just kind of like, ‘Ouch.’ It made me mad for, like, 15 minutes and then I was over it.”
Last month a video surfaced on YouTube which shows Lee’s ex-boyfriend, former Evanescence guitarist Ben Moody, with singers Kelly Clarkson and Matt Zane vandalizing what they said was Lee’s house with toilet paper.
While the video was likely meant to be hurtful, thanks to her new confidence, Lee says she wasn’t upset by it (it wasn’t even her house) and actually found the whole stunt amusing.
“This was from years ago, when Ben was still very bitter about our success after he left the band. I think it’s really funny. If he wants to TP his own house on the Internet, then I think that’s awesome,” she says, adding she believes the video was for a reality show that was never picked up. “They are pretending to TP my house — they are just pretending to be funny or cool or whatever. I don’t have anything against Kelly Clarkson — I don’t even know her — and I’m sure she would be completely mortified.”
Lee says her newfound ability to let things roll off her back has impacted her personally and professionally.
She now feels free to experiment when it comes to her music (she says Moody made that impossible) and considers the new album The Open Door — which includes the tracks Lithium, Lose Control and Call Me When You’re Sober — her best work.
“I think it’s better than the last one (Fallen) … I am really proud of it. It makes me feel like I can relax now.”
Lee has also learned to relax on stage, something she says Calgary fans will notice when Evanescence plays the ‘Dome Monday night.
“I am a lot more passionate on stage and expressive because I’m not afraid someone is going to laugh at me or throw something at me.
“And there’s a lot more piano because there’s no longer someone there who thinks I am going to steal the show or whatever.”
Fans can also expect to see Evanescence’s guitarist and Lee’s writing partner Terry Balsamo, who suffered a massive stroke in 2005.
“He has worked and worked and worked through so many frustrating days. It’s been over a year of utter frustration for him and now it’s to the point where we’re touring together and he’s playing. He’s still getting better every day, but I don’t think … you could even tell now,” says Lee.
“He sounds awesome — I am really proud of him.”