FLOOR JANSEN On Singing For NIGHTWISH: 'You Cannot Imagine How Nervous I Was' Before First Show

October 4, 2012

Dutch singer Floor Jansen (REVAMP, ex-AFTER FOREVER) made her live debut as the frontwoman of NIGHTWISH this past Monday night (October 1) at Showbox Sodo in Seattle, Washington.

Jansen is filling the role of lead vocalist in NIGHTWISH on the band's current North American tour after the group parted ways with Anette Olzon over the weekend.

In a blog post on her official web site at FloorJansen.com, Floor had the following to say about the first couple of days of the tour:

"I am writing to you sitting here in the tour bus with NIGHTWISH! We are heading to San Francisco. The sun is shining bright here and the scenery is beautiful.

"I am trying to find words to describe how I feel, but it's impossible to really cover it. I am on a high!

"What do you do when NIGHTWISH asks you to join them on tour? Stay calm and say, well, OK…? Or does your heart start beating twice as fast instantly, hands start to sweat and your mouth is unwilling to pronounce words like, 'That sounds amazing.' I guess I don't need to tell what happened to me.

"The time to prepare was scarily short… I packed my bags and left and printed the lyrics into my head all the way over from Amsterdam to America. Fifteen hours of airplane later, I arrived with a jetlag, a full head and the most happy feeling ever. The next day I jumped on board on this bus and the adventure truly began. I was welcomed into the group as an old friend and I felt great instantly.

"It is now 10 years ago I joined NIGHTWISH on tour with AFTER FOREVER as their support act. We stayed in touch ever since and that made the whole situation so much easier and smooth.

"The day of the first show, we also did a long soundcheck to rehearse the songs. That was the only possibility. You cannot imagine how nervous I was before that first show started! Next to nerves, my voice was battered by a cold due to all the travels, lack of sleep and airco's.

"The intro started… I ran on stage… and all nerves were gone! The music and the guys took me in and so did the audience.

"What an experience! The excitement lasted the entire show, and way after. When I went to my tour bus bed that night, I still had a smile on my face. I felt so happy and satisfied I fell asleep instantly.

"The next morning I woke up — ahem — afternoon… in Portland. Show number two was there already. So were the first online reactions and the massive amount of press that responded to the news. You must be living under a stone if the news didn't reach you yet. I even did an interview with the Dutch radio, standing outside the venue in my stage outfit. With a nine-hour time difference… My cold got worse and the doctor had to give me some power supplies to help me. Thank goodness for that, they helped instantly and the second show was an amazing blast.

"The Crystal Hall in Portland is a beautiful venue and the atmosphere extraordinary! Again the audience welcomed me warmly! I am so grateful!!!

"Today [Wednesday, October 3] we'll play in San Fransisco! I always wanted to see this city so I hope there is some time (and energy) left for this!

"I will keep writing to you. And for those who came to the show: thank you for your support!"

A 22-minute compilation of fan-filmed clips of Tuesday night's NIGHTWISH concert (October 2) at the Crystal Ballroom in Portland, Oregon can be seen below.

Featured songs:

00:03 "Storytime"
03:17 "Wish I Had An Angel"
05:13 Floor Jansen introduction
05:47 "Dark Chest of Wonders"
08:28 "Amaranth"
09:14 "Scaretale"

NIGHTWISH stated about the sudden singer switch, "In recent times it has become increasingly obvious that the direction and the needs of the band were in conflict, and this has led to a division from which we cannot recover."

They added, "We are all strongly committed to this journey, this vehicle of spirit, and we are sure that this will lead to a brighter future for everyone.

"We forever remain excited about the adventures to come, and we are extremely proud of the two beautiful albums and the wonderful shows we shared together."

Olzon joined NIGHTWISH in 2007 as the replacement for Tarja Turunen after the latter was fired in 2005.

Video below: NIGHTWISH performing live on October 3 in San Francisco, California

Pictured below: Floor Jansen in her dressing room after NIGHTWISH's October 3 concert in San Francisco

Video below: NIGHTWISH performing live on October 2 in Portland, Oregon

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