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== General information ==
== General information ==
''Imperfection'' is the first single from the passion project album, "[[Synthesis]]". It was released digitally on September 15, 2017 despite speculation of the song being released on September 5, 2017. ''Imperfection'' unfortunately was leaked on September 4, 2017 but Amy and Sony BMG quickly intervened and all videos posted to YouTube were blocked from being seen and played.  
''Written by: Evanescence and [[Will "Science" Hunt|W. B. Hunt]]


On September 14, 2017 a live stream of the song as well as a Q&A session on Evanescence's Official Facebook page were hosted. A fan asked what the inspiration for the song was and Evanescence replied:
'''''Imperfection''''' is the sixteenth track and the first commercial single from [[Evanescence]]'s fourth studio album, ''[[Synthesis]]''. It was released digitally on September 15, 2017. Amy wrote the song from the perspective of someone “left behind” after a suicide or loss, with Amy saying:<ref name=RS />


{{quote|We had the music for a few months before I could figure out what the lyrics were going to be. It's hard to force yourself to feel. Then I couldn't deny what was going on inside me anymore, even though its so fucking hard to talk about. The loss. The loss to suicide. The pain and the connection we have to make with each other. Never stop fighting for your life. Life is worth it, it's impossibly hard sometimes but we have a purpose here, and it's impossibly beautiful sometimes too. Give it that chance. Stay. And what makes us different is what makes us US. Our flaws are our beauty.}}
{{Quote|“I struggled with the lyrics for a long time because there was a lifetime of work to live up to and I wasn’t sure what to say or how to be good enough,” Lee said. “When it finally started pouring out of me, it was undeniable. I had no choice. It’s for all the people we’ve lost, all the people who we could lose, to suicide and depression. I’m singing from the perspective of the person left behind, the person in the waiting room. It’s a plea to fight for your life, to stay. Don’t give into the fear – I have to tell myself that every day. Nobody is perfect. We are all imperfect, and it’s precisely those imperfections that make us who we are, and we have to embrace them because there’s so much beauty in those differences. Life is worth fighting for. You are worth fighting for.}}


Also during the Q&A on Facebook, Evanescence confirmed that Imperfection will have a music video and it would be filmed the next day, September 15, 2017.
On September 14, 2017 a live stream of the song as well as a Q&A session on Evanescence's Official Facebook page were hosted. During the Q&A, Amy confirmed that ''Imperfection'' will have a music video and it would be filmed the next day, September 15, 2017<ref>[https://www.facebook.com/Evanescence/videos/10154694847346786/ Live Q&A on Evanescence's Facebook]</ref>.


Many fans have the opinion that Amy raps the verses while others opine that she is just singing fast such as in her cover of [[Baby Did A Bad, Bad Thing]]. This misconception could be derived from the beat of the song and the copperphone whisper track and lead vocal track that sounds like it was recorded with both a copperphone mic and regular mic.
In the songbook/tour program given to those who purchased VIP packages and available at the merch booth, it was stated:


This song is the first Evanescence song to be labeled as explicit.
{{quote|We realize it's quite unusual to have the first single as the last song, but if you look at ''Synthesis'' as a whole, it is our story: From the beginning of our origins through both dark and beautiful hours, to what we have become. From the tiniest flicker of hope in our most painful and isolated moments, to the overflow of love we find when we finally reach each other: Imperfection is our soundtrack song to the story of Evanescence thus far, may it bring home this recurring truth: We are broken, but we are not alone. Sometimes it can be hard not to feel like the world is falling apart all around us. We're not numb to the pain we feel it. We even see the beauty in it. Life is pain and love and beauty and loss and so much more... We have to feel it to live it and it's worth it. Don't give into the fear. Never stop fighting, never give up hope, love is worth fighting for.}}


== Versions ==
Vocally, the song was challenging because Amy had to "step away from it several times, then come back with a fresh voice and brain and hit it again". She finished writing the lyrics the night before she started recording her vocals for the song.<ref name=stencil /> She said it was "a hard song to write".<ref name=kerrang2017 /> Apart from choosing her favorite songs from her career to be reworked on ''Synthesis'', she had to write a single, saying that "every single word had to be so perfect. It had to be about something I really truly felt."<ref name=kerrang2017 />
'''Studio versions:'''


{{quote|I couldn't deny all of the loss all around us. I realised I was thinking about that, struggling with it every day. We meet fans before every show, and many of them have experiences and scars, where they've been affected by suicide and depression, loss and grieving. It's so hard to get through every day in life feeling this intense pain. Step one is admitting it's really hard - the pain is real. Step two is realising your life is worth living, that you never know what's coming next, and that we need each other deeply. I hope that that's people take away: don't give up the fight - life and love are worth it.<ref name=kerrang2017 />}}
As part of [[Inside Synthesis]], a video of the recording process and making of the song was released on September 29, 2017.<ref name="insidesynthesis" />
''Imperfection'' was performed live for the first time on October 14, 2017 at the Pearl Concert Theater in Las Vegas, Nevada for the Synthesis Live tour. Watch a performance of the song [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rc_VsVrACBo here].
For Evanescence's [[Live Shows 2019|2019 tour]], the song was included on the setlist and was changed to include more "rock" elements. Watch the performance of this version [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PKc_bmXer_4 here].
Amy said the song became "more special" for her after her [[Robert Thomas Lee|brother]]'s passing in January 2018.<ref name=robbieimperfection />
==Versions==
===Studio Versions===
'''Imperfection'''
'''Imperfection'''
*''Recording date:'' 2017
*''Recording date:'' February - August 2017
*''Status:'' Released
*''Released On:'' September 15, 2017 as the first single from ''Synthesis''
: ''[[Synthesis]]'' (Track #16)
*''Length:'' 4:22
 
'''Imperfection [Clean Edit]'''
*''Recording date:'' February - August 2017
*''Status:'' Released
*''Status:'' Released
*''Released On:'' September 15, 2017 as the first single from Synthesis
*''Released On:'' "Imperfection" [[Imperfection_Single#UK_Radio_Promo|UK Radio Promo]]
: [[Synthesis]] (Track #16)
*''Length:'' 4:22
*''Length:'' 4:22
===Live Versions===
'''Imperfection [Synthesis Live]'''
*''Performing period:'' October 14, 2017 - September 8, 2018
*''Status:'' Released
*''Recording date:'' November 3, 2017
*''Released on:'' ''[[Synthesis Live]]'' (track #16)
*''Length:'' 6:52
'''Imperfection [Rock Version Live]'''
*''Performing period:'' May 3 - September 26, 2019
*''Example:'' Welcome to Rockville, Jacksonville, FL, USA (May 3, 2019)


== Lyrics ==
== Lyrics ==
The more you try to fight it <br>
The more you try to fight it<br>
The more you try to hide it <br>
The more you try to hide it <br>
The more infected rejected you feel alone inside it <br>
The more infected rejected you feel alone inside it <br>
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== Video ==
== Video ==


The music video for this song was filmed in Los Angeles, CA on September 15, 2017 by [[Paul Brown]]. Teasers were uploaded to Evanescence's Official Instagram. Will Hunt and Dani McCord posted teasers as well. In this video, Amy is rained on, each band member goes underwater in the tank and there is a small girl who we know as "Rogue". Amy's inspiration for part of the video came from the anime in which Amy if a fan of (source coming soon).  
[[File:imperfection.jpg|300px|thumb|right|''Imperfection'' video still.]]
 
The music video for ''Imperfection'' was filmed in Los Angeles, CA on September 15, 2017 and directed by [[Paul R. Brown]]. Some behind-the-scenes teaser videos and photos were posted to Evanescence's Instagram story. Will Hunt and Tim McCord's wife, Dani McCord, posted teasers as well.
 
In this video, Amy is rained on, each band member goes underwater in the tank and there is a small girl who we know as "Rogue". Amy's inspiration for part of the video came from the anime in which Amy is a fan of (source coming soon).
 
The music video premiered exclusively on NME on October 19, 2017, before being available on Evanescence's YouTube channel<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7_XoKJP1XK4 "Evanescence - Imperfection (Official Video)"]. ''YouTube''.</ref>.
 
An exclusive behind-the-scenes video was later published by Revolver.<ref>[https://www.revolvermag.com/music/bts-evanescences-imperfection-video "Go Behind the Scenes of Evanescence's Imperfection Music Video"]. ''Revolver''. October 20, 2017.</ref>
 
In an interview with Rolling Stone, Amy and Paul R. Brown explained the story and the visual style they were aiming for:
 
{{quote|'''Amy:''' The idea for the ''Imperfection'' video was about bringing [the ''Synthesis'' album art] to life, and capturing the emotion of the lyrics. Our amazing young actress, Rogue Parker, plays the role of me as a girl, my inner-self. The video is meant to give visual to feeling, an internal picture of processing loss, and life, speaking from an adult's perspective to my past self.
'''Paul Brown:''' This is such a powerful track that resonates on a truly emotional level. The goal we wanted to achieve in the video was to create a visual translation of the music and reveal the meaning in an abstract way. We all struggle in life and need help to get through everything. In this case we wanted to show that sometimes the strength needed to get through has to come from you.<ref>Kreps, Daniel (October 21, 2017). [http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/watch-evanescences-reflective-new-imperfection-video-w509867 "Watch Evanescence’s Reflective New ‘Imperfection’ Video"]. ''Rolling Stone''.</ref>}}


== Commercial Release ==
== Commercial Release ==


== Commercial release ==
{{Main|Imperfection Single}}
{{Main|Imperfection Single}}
The digital single was released on September 15, 2017.
The digital single was released on September 15, 2017.
Line 93: Line 135:
== References ==
== References ==
{{reflist|refs=
{{reflist|refs=
<ref name=insidesynthesis>{{cite web|last=|first=|title=EVANESCENCE - Inside Synthesis: Episode 2 - Imperfection
|work=YouTube|date=September 29, 2017|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u9cc40p1wLc|accessdate=}}</ref>
<ref name=robbieimperfection>{{cite web|last=Akyildiz|first=Tolga|title=Evanescence founding leader Amy Lee: Nobody's perfect and that's what makes the world beautiful!|language=Turkish|work=Hürriyet|date=September 7, 2019|url=http://www.hurriyet.com.tr/kelebek/hurriyet-cumartesi/evanescencein-kurucu-lideri-amy-lee-kimse-mukemmel-degil-ve-dunyayi-guzel-yapan-da-bu-41323201?fbclid=IwAR1QaoHlFXrSUOTQfO4wY7ELz7Eb9NrGpT2DrnN5PjxVUhRophLeiJ71fx4|accessdate=}}</ref>
<ref name=RS>{{cite web|last=Reed|first=Ryan|title=Hear Evanescence’s Operatic New Song, ‘Imperfection’|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/hear-evanescences-operatic-new-song-imperfection-119830/|work=Rolling Stone|date=September 15, 2017}}</ref>
<ref name=stencil>{{cite journal|title=EVANESCENCE: Interview with Amy|journal=Stencil Magazine|year=2017|month=December|issue=46|page=156|url=https://evthreads.proboards.com/thread/2507/interview-stencil-online-magazine-2017}}</ref>
<ref name=kerrang2017>{{cite journal|last=Law|first=Sam|title=Symphonic Possession|journal=Kerrang!|year=2017|month=October|volume=|issue=1694|pages=27|url=https://evthreads.proboards.com/thread/2472/symphonic-possession-kerrang-issue-1694|accessdate=|issn=‎0262-6624}}</ref>


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{{Evanescence}}
{{Evanescence}}
[[Category:Songs]]
[[Category:Synthesis songs]]

Latest revision as of 09:59, 7 September 2023

Across the Universe*
All That I'm Living For
Anything for You
Anywhere
Artifact/The Turn
Ascension of the Spirit
Away from Me
Before the Dawn
Better Without You
Bleed
Blind Belief
Breathe No More
Bring Me to Life
Broken Pieces Shine
Call Me When You're Sober
Catherine
Cloud Nine
Demise
Disappear
End of the Dream
Erase This
Eternal
Even in Death
Everybody's Fool
Exodus
Far From Heaven
Farther Away
Feeding the Dark
Field of Innocence
Forever You
Forgive Me
Give Unto Me
Going Under
Good Enough
Haunted
Hello
Hi-Lo
If You Don't Mind
Imaginary
Imperfection
Instrumental 1
Instrumental 2
Instrumental 3
Instrumental 4
Lacrymosa
Lies
Like You
Listen to the Rain
Lithium
Lose Control
Lost in Paradise
Made of Stone
Me & You
Missing
My Heart Is Broken
My Immortal
My Last Breath
Never Go Back
New Way to Bleed
Oceans
October
Origin
Overture
Part of Me
Perfect Dream
Say You Will
Secret Door
Sick
Snow White Queen
So Close
Solitude
Spanish
Surrender
Sweet Sacrifice
Swimming Home
Take Cover
Taking Over Me
The Chain*
The Change
The End
The Game is Over
The In-Between
The Last Song I'm Wasting on You
The Only One
The Other Side
Together Again
Tourniquet
Understanding
Unknown Title
Unraveling
Use My Voice
Wasted on You
Weight of the World
What You Want
Where Will You Go?
Whisper
Yeah Right
You Got a Lot to Learn
Your Love
Your Star
* Cover songs


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General information

Written by: Evanescence and W. B. Hunt

Imperfection is the sixteenth track and the first commercial single from Evanescence's fourth studio album, Synthesis. It was released digitally on September 15, 2017. Amy wrote the song from the perspective of someone “left behind” after a suicide or loss, with Amy saying:[1]

Vin1.jpg “I struggled with the lyrics for a long time because there was a lifetime of work to live up to and I wasn’t sure what to say or how to be good enough,” Lee said. “When it finally started pouring out of me, it was undeniable. I had no choice. It’s for all the people we’ve lost, all the people who we could lose, to suicide and depression. I’m singing from the perspective of the person left behind, the person in the waiting room. It’s a plea to fight for your life, to stay. Don’t give into the fear – I have to tell myself that every day. Nobody is perfect. We are all imperfect, and it’s precisely those imperfections that make us who we are, and we have to embrace them because there’s so much beauty in those differences. Life is worth fighting for. You are worth fighting for.” Vin2.jpg


On September 14, 2017 a live stream of the song as well as a Q&A session on Evanescence's Official Facebook page were hosted. During the Q&A, Amy confirmed that Imperfection will have a music video and it would be filmed the next day, September 15, 2017[2].

In the songbook/tour program given to those who purchased VIP packages and available at the merch booth, it was stated:

Vin1.jpg We realize it's quite unusual to have the first single as the last song, but if you look at Synthesis as a whole, it is our story: From the beginning of our origins through both dark and beautiful hours, to what we have become. From the tiniest flicker of hope in our most painful and isolated moments, to the overflow of love we find when we finally reach each other: Imperfection is our soundtrack song to the story of Evanescence thus far, may it bring home this recurring truth: We are broken, but we are not alone. Sometimes it can be hard not to feel like the world is falling apart all around us. We're not numb to the pain we feel it. We even see the beauty in it. Life is pain and love and beauty and loss and so much more... We have to feel it to live it and it's worth it. Don't give into the fear. Never stop fighting, never give up hope, love is worth fighting for. Vin2.jpg


Vocally, the song was challenging because Amy had to "step away from it several times, then come back with a fresh voice and brain and hit it again". She finished writing the lyrics the night before she started recording her vocals for the song.[3] She said it was "a hard song to write".[4] Apart from choosing her favorite songs from her career to be reworked on Synthesis, she had to write a single, saying that "every single word had to be so perfect. It had to be about something I really truly felt."[4]

Vin1.jpg I couldn't deny all of the loss all around us. I realised I was thinking about that, struggling with it every day. We meet fans before every show, and many of them have experiences and scars, where they've been affected by suicide and depression, loss and grieving. It's so hard to get through every day in life feeling this intense pain. Step one is admitting it's really hard - the pain is real. Step two is realising your life is worth living, that you never know what's coming next, and that we need each other deeply. I hope that that's people take away: don't give up the fight - life and love are worth it.[4] Vin2.jpg


As part of Inside Synthesis, a video of the recording process and making of the song was released on September 29, 2017.[5]

Imperfection was performed live for the first time on October 14, 2017 at the Pearl Concert Theater in Las Vegas, Nevada for the Synthesis Live tour. Watch a performance of the song here.

For Evanescence's 2019 tour, the song was included on the setlist and was changed to include more "rock" elements. Watch the performance of this version here.

Amy said the song became "more special" for her after her brother's passing in January 2018.[6]

Versions

Studio Versions

Imperfection

  • Recording date: February - August 2017
  • Status: Released
  • Released On: September 15, 2017 as the first single from Synthesis
Synthesis (Track #16)
  • Length: 4:22

Imperfection [Clean Edit]

  • Recording date: February - August 2017
  • Status: Released
  • Released On: "Imperfection" UK Radio Promo
  • Length: 4:22


Live Versions

Imperfection [Synthesis Live]

  • Performing period: October 14, 2017 - September 8, 2018
  • Status: Released
  • Recording date: November 3, 2017
  • Released on: Synthesis Live (track #16)
  • Length: 6:52

Imperfection [Rock Version Live]

  • Performing period: May 3 - September 26, 2019
  • Example: Welcome to Rockville, Jacksonville, FL, USA (May 3, 2019)

Lyrics

The more you try to fight it
The more you try to hide it
The more infected rejected you feel alone inside it
You know you can't deny it
The world's a little more fucked up every day

I'm gonna save you from it
Together we'll outrun it
Just don't give into the fear
So many things I would have told you if I knew
that I was never gonna see you again
I wanna lift you up in to the light that you deserve
I wanna take your pain in to myself so you won't hurt

Don't you dare surrender
Don't leave me here without you
Cause I could never replace your perfect imperfection

The way you look us over
Your counterfeit composure
Pushing again and again and sinking lower and lower
The world is on our shoulders
Do you really know the weight of the words you say?

You want a little of it
You just can't let go of it
You've got an ego to feed
Too late to rise above it
Don't look now but the little girl's got a grenade
I'm gonna lift you up in to the light that you deserve
I'm gonna take you down to the real world so you can watch it burn

Don't you dare surrender
Don't leave me here without you
Cause I could never replace your perfect imperfection

We stand undefined
Can't be drawn with a straight line
This will not be our ending
We are alive, we are alive

Don't you dare surrender
Don't leave me here without you
Cause I could never
replace your perfect imperfection
Don't you dare surrender
I'm still right beside you
And I could never replace your perfect imperfection

Video

Imperfection video still.

The music video for Imperfection was filmed in Los Angeles, CA on September 15, 2017 and directed by Paul R. Brown. Some behind-the-scenes teaser videos and photos were posted to Evanescence's Instagram story. Will Hunt and Tim McCord's wife, Dani McCord, posted teasers as well.

In this video, Amy is rained on, each band member goes underwater in the tank and there is a small girl who we know as "Rogue". Amy's inspiration for part of the video came from the anime in which Amy is a fan of (source coming soon).

The music video premiered exclusively on NME on October 19, 2017, before being available on Evanescence's YouTube channel[7].

An exclusive behind-the-scenes video was later published by Revolver.[8]

In an interview with Rolling Stone, Amy and Paul R. Brown explained the story and the visual style they were aiming for:

Vin1.jpg Amy: The idea for the Imperfection video was about bringing [the Synthesis album art] to life, and capturing the emotion of the lyrics. Our amazing young actress, Rogue Parker, plays the role of me as a girl, my inner-self. The video is meant to give visual to feeling, an internal picture of processing loss, and life, speaking from an adult's perspective to my past self.

Paul Brown: This is such a powerful track that resonates on a truly emotional level. The goal we wanted to achieve in the video was to create a visual translation of the music and reveal the meaning in an abstract way. We all struggle in life and need help to get through everything. In this case we wanted to show that sometimes the strength needed to get through has to come from you.[9]

Vin2.jpg


Commercial Release

Exquisite-kfind.png Main article: Imperfection Single

The digital single was released on September 15, 2017.

Tracks released with the single include:

  • "Imperfection"

Chart Performance

N/A

References