Hi-Lo

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General information

Written by: A. Lee and W. B. Hunt

Hi-Lo is the third track from Evanescence's fourth studio album, Synthesis. It was written in 2007 by Amy and Will "Science" Hunt, being it their first collaboration ever. It was conceived when the two decided to write an original song after working on the cover song Sally's Song. It was originally chosen to be released for the third, self-titled album, but when recording sessions were stopped, the song was discarded and remained on the back burner for 7 more years. The song was first announced in a Spin interview in March 2010:

"Hi-Lo." It's a working title. It's going in an electro-pop direction -- there are no organic instruments. It's a Portishead or Massive Attack direction, and lyrically it's about moving on, but in a very non-confrontational, non-angry way. It's just, 'Hey, everything that happened, I'm over it and I'm not mad at you.'

Hi-Lo was confirmed to be on Synthesis when the track list was revealed through the album's pre-order on September 15, 2017.

In an article by Revolver, they published that musician and violinist, Lindsey Stirling, makes a guest appearance on the song. Amy Lee confirmed it was true in an Evanescence Q&A on Facebook, making it the second Evanescence song ever to feature an external artist (the first being Paul McCoy on Bring Me To Life).

Q: How was it working with Lindsey Stirling? Amy: She is amazing. I can't WAIT for you to finally hear Hi-Lo, and the amazing new life she brought to the song!!!

Once most of the song was recorded, Amy felt it would be a perfect moment to feature a guest solo in the "interesting long instrumental part without a lead focal point." Instead of writing new lyrics for this part, she approached Lindsey Stirling to collaborate. Although she had other people in mind, she said Lindsey was "the obvious, natural choice." Lindsey demoed her violin solo after Amy told her what she imagined, then she recorded it in Los Angeles and sent it to Amy, who was recording the album in Fort Worth, TX.

Hi-Lo was premiered live at the first Synthesis Live show at the Pearl Concert Theater in Las Vegas, Nevada on October 14, 2017.

In the songbook/tour program given to those who purchased VIP packages and available at the merch booth, Hi-Lo is explained:

After 10 years in the vault it is our pleasure to finally bring this song into the light. It was the first creative collaboration with Will Hunt (Spaceway), Synthesis producer and programmer. After a decade of not quite fitting in, it finally found its rightful home on this project.

Episode four of Inside Synthesis features Lindsey Stirling in the studio recording Hi-Lo. Amy speaks about how she thought of Lindsey after talks of a guest featuring on the song took place:

Amy: We had a piece in one of the new songs that felt like it could use one more thing, and we talked about the possibility of having a guest and I thought of Lindsey right away. She's the very definition of somebody who doesn't fit inside of a box. She really paved her own path. I respect that so much. It's very interesting that we've never, like, met, because I think creatively we have a lot in common.

Lindsey talks about her admiration for Amy Lee as an artist in the episode:

Lindsey: Not only do I love [Amy's] voice and her music, but I love that she is so incredibly- you can tell she's very creatively involved in her craft. You know, you can just feel that about certain artists, and I can feel that with Amy in the work that she does.

When asked about the song in an interview with Vanity Fair, Amy said:

It's a brand new song, but I'd been keeping it for ten years. It's about a love that's been over for a while. Songs about exes are usually, ‘you broke my heart, I hate you.’ This, on the other hand, says, ‘hey, I forgave you, it's alright. Thinking about you doesn't make me angry because I moved on with my life.’

In a Synthesis track-by-track on Facebook, Hi-Lo is given another little explanation:

This is one of the two ‘new’ songs on the album. I first wrote it 10 years ago with [producer] Will [Hunt], it was the first thing we ever did together. We were friends who connected over our ideas on music and musical tastes, so we decided to go into the studio and spend a day or so to see if we had any chemistry, and that’s where this song comes from. I’ve loved it ever since. I’ve always had it at the top of my pile to release, but it never quite fit, it was never finished. The song is now finally home. I imagined it with strings and a full orchestra in that epic place. And it all came together. Then Lindsey Stirling played that beautiful violin solo. It really takes Will and I back to our own beginnings as collaborators.

Evanescence performed Hi-Lo with Lindsey Stirling during the Summer 2018 tour. Click here to watch a video of the performance.

Versions

Studio Versions

Hi-Lo (feat. Lindsey Stirling)

• Recording Date: 2007, May - August 2017
• Status: Released, Available
• Released On: Synthesis (track #3)
• Length: 5:07

Hi-Lo (feat. Lindsey Stirling) [Radio Edit]

• Recording Date: 2007, May - August 2017
• Status: Released, Available
• Released On: Hi-Lo Single (track #1)
• Length: 4:16

Hi-Lo [Lillywhite sessions]

• Recording Date: February 22 - April 2010
• Status: Unreleased, Unfinished
• Released on: Broken Record (scrapped)

Live Versions

Hi-Lo [Synthesis Live]

• Performing period: October 14, 2017 - April 9, 2018
• Status: Released
• Recording date: November 3, 2017
• Released on: Synthesis Live (track #11)
• Length: 5:08

Hi-Lo [with Lindsey Stirling]

• Performing period: July 6 - September 8, 2018
• Example: Starlight Theater, Kansas City, MO, USA

Lyrics

I don't know your heart
I don't know where to begin
But I could feel you erasing the rivers I'd drawn in
The more I stood still the faster you were running
You don't know how it feels crawling under your skin
so far, so far away
Don't you know we could be

High or Low, you never fell beneath me
And I gave up on you, but I never forgot you

I can't be your friend
Hold your hand while you bleed

There's nothing left to give you
Nothing more I need
Time to let it sleep
Oh, the damage was real
But nothing cut me so deep I could not heal

Don't you know we could be
High or Low, you never fell beneath me
And I gave up on you, but never forgot you

High or Low
You never fell beneath me
And I gave up on you
But I never forgot

Music Video

Hi-Lo music video.

The music video was announced to be released at midnight on June 8, 2018 EST. However, when the video was published, it was only available to view in selected countries, which caused the band to take down the original and re-upload later in the day.

The layered shots were filmed by Paul R. Brown at Evanescence's two shows at the Royal Festival Hall in London, UK and the surrounding areas in the city. When the song comes to Lindsey's part, it cut to her dancing around and playing the violin. Lindsey confirmed that her shots were filmed at a studio in Los Angeles, CA.