Lead Singer of After Forever

Sixteen was definitely sweet for Floor Jansen as this was her age when she joined Apocalypse (the name of the band After Forever in its early days) in 1997. Floor began studying music at the Dutch Rock Academy in 1999 and entered the conservatory three years later. She studied Musical Theatre and one year of Opera. Floor plays the guitar, piano and flute and has completed several years of music studies.

Floor has obtained most of her experience as a performer, songwriter and singer during her time with After Forever. She wrote all the vocal melodies and most of the lyrics for the band. In 2000 After Forever released their first album ´Prison of Desire´. At that time nobody had ever heard of the band, but that soon changed after this release. The second album ´Decipher´ was released in 2001. At this point they started to become a well known band on many stages and festivals, nationally as well as internationally.

In 2003 the mini album ´Exordium´ was released, soon followed by the third full length album ´Invisible Circles´ in 2004. In that same year Floor also graduated from the Rock Academy and continued studying (part time) at the conservatory in Tilburg on music theatre and opera.

In 2005 the album ‘Remagine’ came out. After this release After Forever signed a new deal with Nuclear Blast and the Dutch team ‘The Entertainment Group’. With this brand new team they released their self titled album ‘After Forever’ in 2007.

After Forever is currently on hiatus with Guitarist/composer Sander Gommans suffering from severe burn-out.

Floor is currently involved with other projects.

Floor Jansen really shows she is the Queen of metal, with her impressive vocal skills, elegant yet forceful with sensitivity and power. She is a stunningly beautiful woman with the voice of an angel.

May I present Beyond Me by After Forever.

Our next beautiful voice belongs to finnish soprano Tarja Turunen. She was born August 17th, 1977 in Kitee,Finland. Tarja started studying music at the age of six with piano lessons, had singing lessons at age 15, and in her 18th year had moved to the city of Kuopio to study at the prestigious Sibelius Academy. She became a founding member of the symphonic metal band Nightwish in 1996, teaming up with Sibelius classmate Tuomas Holopainen who invited her to join in his new musical project. Tarja has risen to prominence as the voice and the face of Finnish outfit Nightwish. Nightwish’s operatic power metal delivers the jackhammer of speed metal combined with the epicness of an orchestra all of which are complemented by the hauntingly powerful vocals of Tarja. Her voice both entices and entraces and her unique tones and striking stage presence having played a key role in the international success of that band. After a dispute with other Nightwish members in 2005 Tarja embarked on her solo career. Her previous musical experience has uniquely prepared her to take her solo career to a whole new level of musical ambition. Her first solo release was Henkäys Ikuisuudesta, a Christmas album produced in 2006. In 2007 she released ‘My Winter Storm’.

‘My Winter Storm’ is a masterpeice beautifully performed by an angel. The album was produced by renown producer Daniel Presley of Faith No More, Jewel, and The Breeders fame. She has been joined in the studio by all star line-up of musicians: Doug Wimbish on bass (Living Colour, Annie Lennox, Joe Satriani, Jeff Beck, Madonna, Rolling Stones), Alex Scholpp on electric guitars (Farmer Boys) and Earl Harvin on drums (Seal, Pet Shop Boys, Air), a player personally selected by Tarja after she saw him stealing the show at a Seal concert. Keyboards & programming, meanwhile, are being provided by Torsten Stenzel, whose previous credits include Nelly Furtado, Moby, Tina Turner, Vanessa Mae and more.

Throughout her career, Tarja has managed to achieve that most difficult of tasks – seamlessly joining worlds that, at first glance, would appear to be poles apart; in this case, Metal & Opera. Could these two ever really stand shoulder to shoulder without one diluting the other? Well… not only did the soprano singer drive herself to achieve the perfect balance, with hits such as ‘Nemo’ storming the international charts, but in doing so she helped to create a style that is currently exerting a huge influence on the Rock & Metal scene.

Tarja would be a great addition to any music collection.

May I present one of Tarja’s masterpieces “Ghost Love Score”.

In Concert photos of Simone Simons by Pekka Saarinen

Simone Simons (born January 17, 1985) is a Dutch mezzo-soprano singer who is the lead vocalist of symphonic metal band Epica.

Simons had an interest for music ever since the age of 10, and after listening to the Nightwish album Oceanborn at the age of 15, she began taking classical singing lessons. She sang in a choir for a couple of months in 2002, joining Epica soon after. She was previously in a romantic relationship with Epica guitarist Mark Jansen and co-writes the band’s lyrics with Mark Jansen.

Her favourite song to perform is “Reprendo mai più” by Emma Shapplin.

Epica is a Dutch symphonic metal band founded by guitarist and vocalist Mark Jansen after leaving the group After Forever.

Please enjoy “Cry for the Moon”.