Revisiting Evanescence's 'Use My Voice' For International Women's Day

Evanescence's comeback is almost upon us with the looming release their new album, The Bitter Truth. On Friday (March 5), the band dropped a new single called "Better Without You," but considering that we've kicked off International Women's Month, iHeartRadio thought it would be appropriate to revisit their last single off the LP, "Use My Voice," an encouraging anthem about speaking your mind.

Released in August 2020, the four-minute track, which was produced by Nick Raskulinecz, was initially intended to be the lead single off the set, but was replaced with "Wasted on You" due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Not only does the song include a string of female back-up musicians, including Within Temptation's Sharon den Adel, violinist Lindsey Stirling, Halestorm's Lzzy Hale and The Pretty Reckless' Taylor Momsen, but it arrived ahead of the presidential election, yet still holds a message that is inarguably timeless. Fun fact: It also dropped around the one hundredth anniversary of the 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which gave women the right to vote. "Whether you like it or not, you're gonna take what I got (Woah, woah, oh)/ If we can't talk about it, we'll just keep drowning in it/ Give me credit or not, I give and I give a lot/ But don't you speak for me (Woah, woah, oh)/ No, don't you speak for me," Lee sings as her female cohorts chant during the hook of the track.

In an interview with CBS This Morning, Lee admitted that the song was inspired by the Stanford University sexual assault trial. "I was so inspired by her statement to her abuser at the end of the trial," the front woman said during the interview. "The one that they couldn't take away was her voice and her ability to simply speak her truth."

Interestingly enough, the release of "Use My Voice" was preceded by a headline-making interview, where Lee was asked about "the lack of women historically on rock radio and in the mainstream rock world," She saved her thorough response for a Facebook post. "Honestly, women do get skipped over," she declared. ​"We do get left out of the recap when it all boils down. It is harder to make it onto the cover or the radio. Because our face is not the classic, quintessential face of rock… if you’re thinking of it as a literal face. I think it’s embedded subconsciously in our brains that women in rock are less authentic somehow, like we’re next gen. We’re part 2. Not the original. A niche little off-brand thing."

"But here’s the deal: The true heart of rock music is the spirit of rebellion. Going against the grain. Challenging views, breaking society’s rules, and unapologetically being who you are. We’re supposed to be the moms, the girlfriends, the fans. But then there are those rogue dissenters who don’t fit the mould and don’t let that stop them from doing what they dream – and that is rock’n’roll! So all you women out there making your mark in the rock world and changing the game, you are the real thing, she concluded. ​"1000 times more legit than any tatted-up riff meisters who merely look the part!"

In celebration of International Women's Day, March 8, iHeartMedia is teaming up withSeeHer, the largest global movement to eliminate gender bias in marketing, advertising, media and entertainment on iHeartRadio PresentsSeeHerHearHer: Celebrating Women in Music. The first-ever virtual event will highlight three successful and influential artists in music with interviews from Cardi B, Gwen Stefani and Kelsea Ballerini. Fans can tune in on March 8 at 8pm ET via iHeartRadio's YouTube and Facebook pages (and will be available on demand through March 14).

Photo: Getty Images


Sponsored Content

Sponsored Content