NIGHTWISH Manager Says Singer's Surprise Pregnancy Won't Affect Band's Recording Plans

NIGHTWISH manager Ewo Pohjola of King Foo Entertainment Ltd tells Finland's MTV3 that singer Anette Olzon's surprise revelation that she is expecting her second child will not affect the band's plan to begin recording its new studio album this fall. "Anette's pregnancy doesn't alter our plans in any way," Ewo is quoted as saying. "Having a baby is a happy thing after all."

Anette, who has an eight-year-old son, Seth, with her now-ex-husband, isn't the only member of NIGHTWISH who is a parent to a young child. Both drummer Jukka Nevalainen and bassist/vocalist Marco Hietala have had to balance their responsibilities at home with those of touring musicians while performing around the world with the Finland-based symphonic metal act.

"Other members [of NIGHTWISH] have children, too, so this particular situation isn't actually new for us in any way," Ewo said. "Besides, Marco's twin sons were born just when we started [one of our previous tours] so..."

In an interview with the Finnish web site Rytmi.com, Olzon stated about NIGHTWISH's current recording plans, "I do have to go as soon as possible to Finland for rehearsals with the [NIGHTWISH] boys after I have delivered my child and then we'll stay there for a couple of weeks working with the new songs. After that the album will start to be recorded but since we always record all the instruments, orchestra and choirs before I go in and do my vocals, I don't have any big pressure to do anything in the fall. I will, of course, go and visit the recordings when it feels OK to do so, but otherwise my recordings aren't gonna be happening until 2011."

Regarding how she will handle touring with NIGHTWISH while tending to a newborn child at home, Olzon said, "It will work out just fine.

"We have all decided that the last world tour was to intense in the planning and we will take it a bit easier this time. Planning is everything, and I have a great father to my baby who will take care of her/him when the day comes and I also have a nanny who can come with me if that is needed at some points.

"I don't stress over these things 'cause I know everything is gonna be just fine.

"The last tour was so hard and still it worked out with my son being at home."

NIGHTWISH played a special homecoming show in September 2009 at the sold-out, 11,000-capacity Hartwall Arena in Helsinki to mark the end of the band's colossal "Dark Passion Play" two-year world tour.

NIGHTWISH is not expected to play any more shows until the release of the band's next studio album in September 2011.