Evanescence’s Amy Lee has celebrated the “ever-growing” presence of women in rock and metal.
Talking to The Mistress Carrie Podcast, the singer praises the “rock and metal sisterhood”, highlighting the fact that female musicians seem to be more common and enjoying more success in alternative music compared to previous generations.
She talks about when she recently saw her band at number one on a singles chart in America, followed by rockers The Pretty Reckless, fronted by actress-turned-musician Taylor Momsen, at number two. She says it was “badass” to see “women on top” in that way.
“I love the sisterhood, and the rock and metal sisterhood is amazing because it’s an ever-growing group,” she continues (via Blabbermouth). “It really is. But we all support and push each other, because we want there to be more open-mindedness and inclusivity in general and all of those things.”
Lee also states her belief that women in metal aren’t succeeding simply because they’re women and thus standing out in a traditionally male-dominated field.
“We all also have a really high standard,” she explains. “If you’re gonna make it that far, it can’t be about being a woman. That’s not gonna get you there. It’s gotta be you’re really hardworking and talented. Like they say in New York, the proof is in the puddin’, right? So you just gotta bring it. That’s the way to make it work.”
Metal has historically been a ‘boy’s club’, with almost all of its best-selling bands – including Metallica, Iron Maiden, Black Sabbath, Judas Priest and Korn – having all-male lineups. Festival bills and concert lineups have reflected that gender imbalance. This year, Linkin Park, now co-fronted by Emily Armstrong, became the first band with a female singer to headline Download festival in the UK, despite the festival having existed for 23 years.
However, recent years have seen more bands with female members break through, such as Spiritbox, Jinjer and Halestorm. Last year, Lee collaborated with Spiritbox singer Courtney LaPlante and pop-metal solo artist Poppy on a standalone single called End Of You, which was one of the most anticipated metal tracks of 2025. Lee said the song was “about taking on the patriarchy”.
“In order to make way for the new, we have to let some old ways die,” she continued (via NME), “and I don’t feel that should be as hard as it is. I love change, and things can stand to definitely get a lot better than they are right now. It’s about challenging the norms and showing how strong we are when unified as women.”
Evanescence released their latest album, Sanctuary, last month. Their 2003 debut single, Bring Me To Life, was certified 11-times Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) earlier this week, meaning it’s sold upwards of 11 million units or amassed the equivalent on streaming services in the United States. The band’s debut album, Fallen, was certified Diamond (10-times Platinum) in 2022.
Evanescence are currently touring North America and will play at Credit Union 1 Amphitheatre in Tinley Park, Illinois on July 8. They’ll hit Europe in September, starting with a run of UK shows from September 8 to 13. See the full list of upcoming dates and get tickets via their website.
