Nightwish and Vocalist Floor Jansen Announce Official Split

Mutual Agreement and Future Ambitions

On Thursday, October 15, Nightwish released an official statement via social media confirming the departure of lead vocalist Floor Jansen. The band characterized the split as a "mutual agreement" reached after careful consideration of their collective future. According to the group, the decision is a necessary step to pursue separate artistic goals.

The band's official statement regarding the transition reads:

"NIGHTWISH and Floor Jansen part ways. After careful consideration, we have, in mutual agreement, decided to part ways. This decision is necessary and important to us and our future ambitions. Thus, we will now pursue those goals in our own separate ways. We wish each other nothing but the very best on our respective artistic journeys. For you, dear listener, and indeed for us, this marks the end of a truly great voyage. NIGHTWISH will continue. We will move forward and enter the studio in 2027 to record a new album. As we celebrate 30 years of NIGHTWISH, we couldn't be more excited about our music and our future."

— Nightwish

Jansen also shared a personal message with the public, expressing gratitude for the time spent with the band while looking forward to her upcoming solo endeavors. She stated:

"Endings create new beginnings, and even though it was a hard decision to make, I believe there is a bright musical journey ahead of me. I invite you to follow along on this path, as you were with me in all the great years before. Thank you for your support through the rollercoasters of life. My solo career will now get all of my attention and gives my new upcoming album 'Hytress' (out 2027) and the tour all space to grow. Hope to meet you on the road again in a near and happy future. With love and respect, Floor"

— Floor Jansen

Solo Career and Health Milestones

Following the split, Jansen will focus entirely on her solo career. Her second solo studio album, titled Hytress, is scheduled for release on January 15, 2027, through REVAMP Music/Warner Music. This follows her debut solo effort, Paragon, which was released in 2023 and has achieved nearly 150 million streams. Jansen's solo work has already seen significant success; in 2019, her first solo tour sold out in less than 24 hours, and she was awarded the Dutch Popprijs for her contributions to music in the Netherlands.

In addition to her musical milestones, Jansen has faced significant personal challenges and triumphs. In November 2022, she announced she was "cancer free" after undergoing surgery for breast cancer. On the family front, Jansen and her husband, Sabaton drummer Hannes Van Dahl, welcomed their second daughter, Lucy, in October 2023. They also have a nine-year-old daughter named Freja, who was born in March 2017.

Legacy and Band Continuity

Nightwish, a prominent fixture in the Power Metal and symphonic metal genres, was formed in 1996 by leader Tuomas Holopainen, guitarist Emppu Vuorinen, and original singer Tarja Turunen. Jansen officially joined the lineup in 2013 as the replacement for Anette Olzon, though her first live performance with the band took place on October 1, 2012, in Seattle, Washington.

During her tenure, Jansen performed on three studio albums: Endless Forms Most Beautiful (2015), Human. :II: Nature. (2020), and Yesterwynde (2024). She also appeared on three live albums: Showtime, Storytime, Vehicle Of Spirit, and Decades: Live In Buenos Aires. In April 2023, the band announced they would not be touring for the foreseeable future, including for the September 2024 release of Yesterwynde.

The decision to continue the band marks a shift in perspective for Holopainen. In August 2021, while discussing the departure of bassist Marko Hietala, Holopainen had previously suggested that Jansen’s departure would mean the end of the group. He told Metal Hammer magazine:

"That's how I felt back in 2019, and that's also how I felt when Marko left. I take my words back when it comes to that. But if it would be Floor leaving, that's it, it's the end of NIGHTWISH. Absolutely, 100%."

— Tuomas Holopainen

Despite these past comments, the band has confirmed they will enter the studio in 2027 to record their next album as they mark 30 years as a group. Nightwish has released a total of 10 studio albums since its inception.