Every girl goes through it — the messy task of emerging from her awkward teen years and navigating the complex waters of romance while figuring out what to be when she grows up.

But very few do it as publicly as Amy Lee, lead singer of the goth-rock band Evanescence.

Lee was just 19 when she signed her first record contract, and barely 21 when the band’s major-label debut, “Fallen,” flew up the charts in 2003. The album, co-written by Lee and (now ex-boyfriend) Ben Moody, connected with fans across the globe and netted the band two Grammy awards, including best new artist.

Its hard-driving mix of brooding, spiritually-tinged darkness and dramatic classical orchestration offered fans a window into Lee’s psyche. Or so many of them thought.

“Everyone knows a lot about me without actually knowing me at all,” says Lee, now 24.

Her celebrity status as a singer of edgy songs left her surrounded by teenage fans in search of a role model.

It takes only a few minutes in Lee’s presence to see what drew them: Her porcelain skin and shimmering, pale blue eyes are set off by a mane of black hair, and she seems to embody both confident strength and a delicate femininity.

Think Angelina Jolie with extra eyeliner.

But despite the image of hard-rocking power that Lee projected during her first years in the spotlight, she was struggling with unhealthy relationships and the overwhelming experience of success. And she was still practically a teenager herself.

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Amy posted on the board today ::

Hey Guys!

hey everybody! i just wanted to say hi and welcome! i feel like we all just bought a new house together. any drape suggestions? i was thinking deep red velvet. anyway, i love you guys and it feels good to be able to connect with you again. the shows are going great- thank you so much to everyone who’s come so far and brought letters and dolls and CUPCAKES! they were so delicious. (ok, richie ate most of them but i had one!) were in detroit today and had the day off so i stayed in my room all day and had tea- still getting my tour pipes back. i love you all and hope you like the new site! see ya!
-amy

// Rolling Stone Scans

Thanks again to Amanda for scanning these! =)

// Cosmo Girl Scans

Huge thanks to Amanda for scanning these =)

Sounding better than ever, Evanescence’s Amy Lee commanded the stage as the the band played at Philadelphia’s Electric Factory on Oct. 10.

Breaking into The Open Door opener “Sweet Sacrifice,” Lee began a barrage of near-perfect renditions of new tracks mixed with Fallen favorites, never missing a beat.
The Open Door’s tracks worked well live, especially “Weight of the World” and “The Other One” with their driving bass lines. A piano only rendition of “Good Enough” provided a jaw-dropping moment that had Lee’s lyrics coming to life with an emotional, warm delivery.
Warm is a good way to describe Lee’s voice throughout the night. While at other times she’s sounded gravelly and raw, certainly due to the demands of the material, her voice sounded more pure this time, with almost note for note matches of the album. I’d have considered she lip synced if not for one or two off-key moments that grounded the performance in the live setting.

Fallen favorites “Bring Me to Life,” “Going Under” and “Haunted” came over well, with the fans singing along loudly. At times the crowd sang over Lee in “My Immortal” which one gets the impression is not one of her favorites to sing. That she still sings it after former cowriter and Evanescence guitarist Ben Moody left shows she understands the importance of it to the fans.
While the band played 14 songs, the set seemed over too quickly, mostly because many of The Open Door’s tracks are shorter. Surprisingly, the band didn’t play “Snow White Queen,” a track it has played during other shows. Nor did the band add any surprises, like it did with non-album tracks “Farther Away” and “Missing” on its last tour.

Guitarist Terry Balsamo (who had a stroke last year), drummer Rocky Grey, guitarist John LeCompt and bassist Tim McCord (replacing the departed Will Boyd) provided a dose of energy, giving the material a heavier, more raw feel.
After such a tumultuous beginning after it released debut Fallen, it was unclear if Evanescence could keep the momentum going. But with its second album debuting at number one on the charts and a successful tour, during which the band sounds better than ever, there’s no doubt it can and will.