Metal fans are all abuzz following the revelation that Nightwish frontwoman Floor Jansen is working on a secret new project.

The news first broke at the end of April when the Dutch vocalist announced on Twitter that she was recording new material from her home. Jansen followed up by posting a short video on Twitter on May 8, further fuelling fan excitement by reporting the recordings would be in two languages and released this month. This surprise comes a mere three weeks after the release of Human :||: Nature, the ninth studio album by Finnish symphonic metal band Nightwish, which she has fronted since 2013. Jansen took over the role of Nightwish lead vocalist following the departure of former frontwoman, Swedish singer Anette Olzon. Olzon in turn, had taken on the role following the dismissal of original singer Finnish soprano Tarja Turunen in 2005. Initially joining on a temporary basis to help the band complete their 2012-2013 Imaginaerum World Tour, Jansen soon became a permanent member and instant fan favourite thanks to her incredible vocal talent and commanding stage presence. 

One of the hardest working women in metal, Jansen has often taken on additional projects, including appearing on Dutch reality music talent show Beste Zangers (Best Singers), and frequent collaborations with other artists. On top of the two studio albums and three live albums she has released with Nightwish since 2015, she put out a further album in 2018 with side-project band Northward, a two person collaboration with Jansen and Norwegian guitarist Jørn Viggo Lofstad of progressive metal band Pagan’s Mind. Other side projects have included teamings with Dutch symphonic metal band Epica, Swedish progressive metal band Evergrey and original Nightwish vocalist Turunen. Jansen has also lent her powerful voice to some of Ayreon’s work, the Dutch metal opera musical project championed by Arjen Anthony Lucansen, featuring on six of their projects to date. Most recently she has appeared as a guest vocalist for Swedish power metal band Sabaton, of whom her husband, Hannes van Dahl is the drummer.

With this latest teaser of a new project and Nightwish also expecting to start their world tour for Human :||: Nature later this year, symphonic metal fans have plenty more to look forward to from Jansen in 2020.

 Rock     Metal 

Sooooon more! I promise! I’m so happy with this special project 🙏🏻 pic.twitter.com/D4TXW0ZfvA

— Floor Jansen (@FloorJansen_) May 8, 2020

Author: Harley Houghton

Harley Houghton is a writer and blogger, based in Melbourne, Australia. Her passions include music, especially metal, gaming and comics. Check out her blog www.harleysmadhouse.com and follow her on Twitter.