Amy Lee, the powerhouse voice behind Evanescence, is known for her raw emotion and introspective lyrics, many of which have touched the hearts of listeners worldwide. However, when it comes to tattoos, Lee has just one—and it carries a profound and deeply personal meaning tied to her family and the gaming world.
In a recent Netflix interview, promoting Evanescence’s latest single “Afterlife” for the animated Devil May Cry adaptation, Lee revealed the story behind her tattoo. She proudly showed off her left wrist, where three pixelated hearts—outlined in black and filled with red ink—are permanently etched. The tattoo, she explained, is a tribute to The Legend of Zelda, the iconic Nintendo video game franchise she’s adored for years. In the game, these pixelated hearts serve as a health tracker, a perfect symbol for someone who deeply identifies with both the game and its emotional journey.
“I am a gamer,” Lee, 43, said. “I am a huge Legend of Zelda fan, for life.” She fondly recalled her first experience with the game, sharing how Ocarina of Time, the 1998 installment, introduced her to the world of role-playing games. Even now, Lee still plays the game to relax, saying, “I play it from time to time to just calm my heart down and go to sleep.”
However, Lee’s connection to Zelda runs much deeper. The tattoo’s significance is not just about her love for gaming; it holds an incredibly emotional link to her late brother, Robby. In 2018, Lee first revealed the tattoo in a heartfelt Facebook post. She shared how, despite having never gotten a tattoo before, she decided to finally get one that would honor her brother’s memory. Robby, who tragically passed away in January 2018 after a battle with severe epilepsy at the age of 24, had always wanted to get the same tattoo, but sadly never had the chance.
Lee wrote, “I held out for 36 years but today I got my first tattoo. It’s exactly what my brother wanted, but didn’t get the chance to get. I always thought it was cool but it means more to me now.” She went on to explain that playing Zelda together was one of the siblings’ favorite pastimes and that Robby “took a piece of my heart with him when he left.” Lee ended the post with a heartfelt message: “I love you forever, Robby!”
The tattoo serves as a permanent connection between Amy Lee and her late brother, a tribute to both their shared memories and her ongoing grief. This sense of loss and reflection permeates much of Evanescence’s 2021 album The Bitter Truth, which was deeply influenced by the pain Lee felt after Robby’s death. In an interview at the time, she described how the album became a form of therapy. “Our music has always been a very sacred place for me to really just bare my soul,” she said. “Having that outlet to not only pour my pain into, but also to be able to listen back and reflect, and see that something good was coming out of something so painful… it honors the people we’ve lost.”
Lee also mentioned that she believes her brother would be proud of the album. “He would want me to be the best me I can be,” she reflected. “And I know if he can see me right now, he’s totally banging his head to this album and so proud of it.”
While the tattoo symbolizes the deep bond she shared with her brother, it also represents Lee’s journey of healing and finding strength in the face of loss. The connection to Zelda and the symbolism of health and resilience are especially poignant as she continues to channel her grief into music, creating something meaningful not just for herself, but for the world.
As for Evanescence’s future, Lee also shared her excitement about the band’s upcoming work. “We’ve been writing for a new album,” she said. “Creation is just something that we need right now. I feel a sense of purpose to put something good, something empowering, into the world.”
Through her music, her tattoo, and her reflections on love and loss, Amy Lee continues to inspire and connect with her fans on a deeply personal level, all while honoring the memory of her brother, Robby.
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