NIGHTWISH Singer Says 'It Will Be A Challenge' Raising A Kid While Being In A Touring Band

NIGHTWISH singer Floor Jansen, who is expecting a baby early next year with her partner, SABATON drummer Hannes Van Dahl, was asked by Finland's Radio Rock whether it will be difficult for her to calm down and enjoy family life during NIGHTWISH's previously announced year-long break in 2017. She responded (see video below): "I don't know. I don't know how it is to calm down, really, yet. But I do know I will enjoy family life. What I've seen from moms, or heard stories from people who became a parent, it's such a consuming thing, it's such a wonderful thing, I consider it an extreme luxury to have that time and to not have to do anything else, and just be with my kid. Therefore, I think it's wonderful to have that time and to just let it all happen. And the rest, it comes as it comes."

Regarding the challenges of raising a child while being in a touring band like NIGHTWISH, Floor said: ""Well, yeah, of course, it's an important… It's a very challenging combination, and I was very happy that the way we are today — or, actually, have always been — it's a very open group; we can talk about things. And the guys, actually, were curious. A few months ago, we started talking about it, like, 'So, 2017… How about kids? Yeah?' So it's great to think about things together: how can we combine it? Also 'cause my partner is in a successful band, touring a lot. Yeah, then you need the cooperation of the people that you are family with also. So I am not afraid that won't work. It will be a challenge, for sure, but, yeah, a little SABATON or NIGHTWISH daycare program sounds lovely, doesn't it? [Laughs]"

Jansen, who officially joined NIGHTWISH in 2013, recently shot down speculation that NIGHTWISH's upcoming break has something to do with tension between members of the group. She told AXS: "Even though we will have this year off, it doesn't have anything to do with how things are in the band. I've seen some people starting to gossip online of why we [would] take a year off. We'll take a year off because we can and because we want to. That's all there is to it. It has nothing to do with how things are in the band. And it also doesn't mean that we haven't been thinking about what's coming next; we have a lot of cool stuff coming up. So we hope that, after this break, people will still be equally excited to come out and see whatever we've got cooking up in our kitchen for them."

Jansen also dismissed rumors that she will leave the band after welcoming her first child. She told Mariskal Rock TV: "No, I won't [quit NIGHTWISH]. I love this way too much; don't worry. You don't even have negative speculations one way or another. Things are great, and let's keep on doing this forever."