NIGHTWISH Singer Defends Her Decision To Work On Solo Album

NIGHTWISH singer Anette Olzon has commented on her decision to work with Swedish producer/songwriter Anders Bagge on material for her upcoming solo album, which she plans to record during the band's downtime in early 2010. According to Anette, the as-yet-untitled CD "is, of course, just in the starting stage], but I will contribute doing the songs together with [Anders and other songwriters] and I will start that immediately. Anders is thinking on his side and me here... Then we meet and try out the ideas and we'll see what it will be like. But yeah, rocky it will be for sure. Not metal, but rock."

Regarding how her decision to work on a solo album will affect her status in NIGHTWISH, Olzon states, "You all know I love that band, and, of course, this is not a solo career, but an album. I can't sit and do nothing for maybe 1.5-2 years [while NIGHTWISH is preparing to record a new studio album]. None of the guys can either. Marco [Hietala, NIGHTWISH bassist/vocalist] has TAROT and several other bands and projects, Emppu [Vuorinen; NIGHTWISH guitarist] has BROTHER FIRETRIBE and projects, Tuomas [Holopainen; NIGHTWISH keyboardist and main songwriter] [has] bands and projects and Jukka [Nevalainen; NIGHTWISH drummer] [has] his merch company. So, I need something too. And I don't want another band, 'cause I have NIGHTWISH. Then a solo will be just perfect. I can decide when and what I will tour or perform, all in the aspect of when NIGHTWISH will do something new. We don't know that. It's all in Tuomas' hands and he is the creator. We are the instruments."

She adds, "I hope people can stop thinking that the singer CAN'T do anything else but the instrumentalists can. I have the same right as my fellow band members to do anything on the side when NIGHTWISH is not playing or touring.

"I am, for sure, excited and I know I have my part to play with the songs and the album and I have already started thinking of songs and lyrics. It was a long time since I did songs, but I will soon be back in business."

Olzon was interviewed on August 13, 2009 prior to her performance with the Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra at a special concert in Stockholm, Sweden as part of the Stockholms Kulturfestival (Stockholm's Culture Festival). According to Anette, "The evening [was] in the theme of Sweden-Finland and it [was] called Suomi Safari. There [was] a big symphonic orchestra, choir and more soloists that have something to do with Finland."

Watch the chat in three parts below.

Part 1:
 

Part 2:

Part 3: