Nightwish facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

Quick facts for kids Nightwish
Nightwish after a performance in Toronto in May 2022; (L–R): Jukka Koskinen, Tuomas Holopainen, Floor Jansen, Troy Donockley, Kai Hahto, Emppu Vuorinen
Background information
Origin	Kitee, Finland
Genres	Symphonic metal power metal folk metal gothic metal
Years active	1996–present
Labels	Spinefarm Nuclear Blast Roadrunner Century Media Drakkar Entertainment

Members	Tuomas Holopainen Emppu Vuorinen Troy Donockley Floor Jansen Kai Hahto Jukka Koskinen

Past members	Tarja Turunen Jukka Nevalainen Sami Vänskä Marko Hietala Anette Olzon

Nightwish is a famous Finnish band from Kitee that plays a type of music called symphonic metal. The band started in 1996 with lead songwriter and keyboardist Tuomas Holopainen, guitarist Emppu Vuorinen, and singer Tarja Turunen. Soon after, drummer Jukka Nevalainen joined. After their first album, Angels Fall First (1997), bassist Sami Vänskä also joined.

In 2001, Marko Hietala took over as bassist and also became the male singer. Nightwish became very popular in Finland with their first album. But they became famous worldwide with albums like Oceanborn (1998), Wishmaster (2000), and Century Child (2002).

Their 2004 album, Once, sold over a million copies and helped them become well-known in the United States. Their song "Wish I Had an Angel" (2004) was played on MTV and used in three US movies. After this, Tarja Turunen left the band in October 2005.

In May 2007, Anette Olzon became the new singer. Their sixth album, Dark Passion Play, came out that September and sold almost 2 million copies. The song "Amaranth" from this album was very successful in Europe. Their seventh album, Imaginaerum, was released in late 2011 and early 2012. Anette Olzon left the band in October 2012. Floor Jansen then joined as the new singer, and Troy Donockley, who played uilleann pipes, also became a full member in October 2013.

In July 2019, Jukka Nevalainen, who had been away since 2014 due to health issues, announced he would not return. Kai Hahto, who had been filling in, became the official drummer. In January 2021, Marko Hietala left the band after 20 years. Jukka Koskinen was announced as the new bassist in August 2022.

Nightwish is one of the best-selling bands in Finland, with nearly 900,000 records sold. They are also the most successful Finnish band globally, selling over 10 million records and earning more than 60 gold and platinum awards. They have had six albums and thirteen singles reach number one. On October 26, 2018, Nightwish was honored by being added to the Finnish Music Hall of Fame.

About Nightwish's Journey

How Nightwish Started (1996)

Tuomas Holopainen (left) and Emppu Vuorinen (right), two of the band's founding members.

In 1996, Tuomas Holopainen, who played keyboards in other metal bands, had an idea for his own music project. He was sitting by a campfire with friends when the idea came to him. He wanted to create experimental acoustic music, like the songs played around campfires, but with a unique sound using his keyboards.

Tuomas wanted the band to be acoustic with flutes, strings, piano, and a female singer. He was inspired by bands like The 3rd and the Mortal and The Gathering, which featured female vocalists.

He soon asked his friend and schoolmate Emppu Vuorinen to play acoustic guitar. He also invited Tarja Turunen, a classical singer who had the same music teacher as him. The three of them recorded an acoustic demo in late 1996. They named the band "Nightwish" after one of their first songs.

First Album and Tours (1997–1998)

In early 1997, Jukka Nevalainen joined as the drummer. The band then changed from acoustic to electric guitars, adding heavy metal sounds to their experimental style. This mix created Nightwish's special sound.

The band went into the studio in April 1997 to record seven songs for their second demo, called Angels Fall First. In May 1997, the Finnish record label Spinefarm Records heard the demo and wanted to release it as Nightwish's first album. The band added four more songs, and Angels Fall First was released in November 1997. It reached number 31 on the Finnish album charts. The single "The Carpenter" reached number 3 on the Finnish singles chart. Tuomas Holopainen also sang on four songs on this album, along with Tarja.

Nightwish played their first live show in their hometown of Kitee on December 31, 1997, for 400 people. They were very nervous! Since they didn't have a bass player, Samppa Hirvonen joined them for the show. Marianna Pellinen also helped with keyboards and backing vocals. Later, Sami Vänskä joined as the permanent bassist. In early 1998, the band played seven more concerts while Tarja finished school and Jukka and Emppu completed their military service.

Becoming Famous Worldwide (1998–2000)

Nightwish returned to the studio in August 1998 to record their second album, Oceanborn. This album had a more technical and progressive sound than their first. It moved away from the folk elements, except for the song "Moondance". The album also featured guest male vocals by Tapio Wilska.

Oceanborn was released in Finland on December 7, 1998, and was an instant hit, reaching number 5 on the Finnish album charts. The first single, "Sacrament of Wilderness", was number 1 for several weeks. Because of its success, Spinefarm released Oceanborn internationally in 1999. In May 1999, Nightwish recorded "Sleeping Sun", and 13,000 copies were sold in Germany before it was even officially released. Nightwish then opened for the band Rage on their 1999 European tour. Both Oceanborn and the singles "Sacrament of Wilderness" and "Walking in the Air" became gold records in Finland.

In early 2000, while working on their third album, Nightwish entered the Finnish Eurovision Song Contest tryouts with the song "Sleepwalker". They won the public vote but finished third overall.

On May 19, 2000, Nightwish released their third album, Wishmaster. It was number one on the Finnish album charts for three weeks and quickly became a gold record. After Wishmaster, Nightwish went on their first world tour, playing in South America, Mexico, and Canada. They also played at big festivals like Wacken Open Air in Europe.

New Bassist and Orchestral Sounds (2001–2003)

In 2001, Nightwish recorded a cover of Gary Moore's "Over the Hills and Far Away". They also included two new songs and a new version of "Astral Romance" with Tony Kakko from Sonata Arctica singing. This was released as their first EP (Extended Play) called Over the Hills and Far Away.

Around this time, the band faced some challenges. There were issues with bassist Sami Vänskä's behavior, and guitarist Emppu Vuorinen felt like he wasn't a full member. Tuomas Holopainen even thought about ending the band. But after a trip to Lapland with Tony Kakko, Tuomas decided to keep Nightwish going.

To move forward, Tuomas made some changes. He asked Sami Vänskä to leave the band, partly due to musical differences. Marko Hietala from the band Tarot was asked to join as the new bassist and male vocalist. Tuomas has said that he and Sami are still in touch.

In 2002, Nightwish released Century Child, with singles "Ever Dream" and "Bless the Child". Century Child became a gold record just two hours after its release and platinum two weeks later. It also set a record in Finland for how much more popular it was than other albums. A music video was made for "Bless the Child".

A big change on Century Child was the use of a live Finnish orchestra on several songs. A fan favorite from this album is the band's version of "The Phantom of the Opera" from the famous musical. They played this song often in concerts until Tarja Turunen left the band in 2005. They said they wouldn't play it again, but they did perform it with Dutch singer Henk Poort in 2022.

In 2003, Nightwish released a DVD called End of Innocence. It was a documentary that told the band's story through interviews and live performances.

Once Album Success and Tarja's Departure (2004–2005)

Nightwish released their fifth album, Once, on June 7, 2004, along with its first single, "Nemo". This album was a huge success. It sold triple platinum in Finland, platinum in Germany, and gold in six other countries. It also reached number 1 in Greece, Norway, and Germany. "Nemo" was number 1 in Finland and Hungary. Other singles from Once included "Wish I Had an Angel", "Kuolema Tekee Taiteilijan", and "The Siren". Critics liked Once, often comparing it to Oceanborn. "Nemo" is still one of the band's most successful singles.

Once used a full orchestra on nine of its eleven songs. This time, Nightwish worked with the London Philharmonic Orchestra. It was also their second album to feature a full song in Finnish, "Kuolema Tekee Taiteilijan" (meaning "Death Makes an Artist").

The production of Once cost about 250,000 euros, making it Finland's most expensive recording at the time. The album's success allowed them to go on the Once Upon a Tour, playing in many new countries. Nightwish even performed at the opening ceremony of the 2005 World Championships in Athletics in Helsinki. A "best of" album, Highest Hopes, was released in September 2005. It included a live cover of "High Hopes" by Pink Floyd and a new version of "Sleeping Sun".

After a concert in Helsinki on October 21, 2005, the other four members of Nightwish decided to continue without Tarja Turunen. They gave her an open letter, which was also posted on the band's website. The letter said that they felt her husband and business interests had changed her attitude towards the band. Tarja said she was shocked by this and felt the public discussion was unfair.

New Singer Anette Olzon and Dark Passion Play (2006–2009)

To find a new female singer, Nightwish asked vocalists to send in demo tapes starting March 17, 2006. They told fans to only trust information from the band itself about the new singer. In the end, Anette Olzon, a 35-year-old singer from Sweden, was chosen.

In September 2006, the band started recording their sixth album, Dark Passion Play. Anette Olzon was officially announced as the new singer in May 2007. Tuomas Holopainen said he waited to announce her identity until new music was ready, so fans would judge her by her singing, not just a picture.

On May 25, 2007, the song "Eva" was released for download. It was the first song with Anette. On June 13, Nightwish announced the title and artwork for the new album and the second single, "Amaranth". "Amaranth" was released in Finland on August 22 and quickly became a gold record.

Dark Passion Play was released in Europe in late September 2007. It quickly became double platinum in Finland and reached number one in Germany, Finland, Switzerland, Hungary, and Croatia. It also broke the band's own record for the most expensive audio recording in Finland, costing over 500,000 euros.

On this album, male singer Marko Hietala had more singing parts. He sang lead vocals on "The Islander", "Master Passion Greed", and "While Your Lips Are Still Red".

On September 22, 2007, the band played a secret concert in Tallinn, Estonia, pretending to be a Nightwish cover band called "Nachtwasser". Their first official concert with Anette Olzon was in Tel Aviv, Israel, on October 6, 2007. The Dark Passion Play tour then began, taking them across the United States, Canada, Europe, Asia, and Australia.

The Dark Passion Play tour was Nightwish's longest tour ever, lasting from late 2007 to September 2009. On March 6, 2009, Nightwish released a live EP/DVD called Made in Hong Kong (And in Various Other Places), featuring live songs from the tour and a documentary.

Imaginaerum and Anette's Departure (2009–2012)

Nightwish performing in Denver, Colorado with Elize Ryd and Alissa White-Gluz, who filled in for Anette Olzon, who parted ways with the band afterwards.

In June 2009, Tuomas Holopainen said he had started working on a new Nightwish album. By April 2010, he had finished writing the songs. He hinted that the new album would have a "big twist" and be like a "Burton-Gaiman-Dalí – amusement park."

On February 10, 2011, Nightwish announced the new album title would be Imaginaerum. They also said they were making a movie based on the album, which would be released in 2012. The movie title was later changed to Imaginaerum to avoid confusion. On September 2, the band announced that the first single, "Storytime", would be released on November 11.

On October 1, 2012, Nightwish announced that they were parting ways with Anette Olzon. This news came after Anette fell ill at a show in Denver, Colorado, and couldn't perform. Nightwish used singers from the opening band, Kamelot, to finish the show. Anette later said she was upset that they used other singers without asking her.

The band stated that their different directions and needs caused the split. Dutch singer Floor Jansen (from the bands After Forever and ReVamp) stepped in to sing for the rest of the Imaginaerum World Tour.

New Members and Endless Forms Most Beautiful (2013–2018)

Floor Jansen (left) and Troy Donockley (right) became official members in 2013, making Nightwish a six-person band for the first time.

On October 9, 2013, Nightwish announced that Floor Jansen would be their permanent new singer. Troy Donockley, who played uilleann pipes and other instruments, also became a full-time member. This made Nightwish a six-person band for the first time. The band planned to record their eighth album in 2014 for a 2015 release. They also said it would include Nightwish's longest song ever.

In May 2014, Tuomas Holopainen said he had recorded 12 demo songs for the new album. He said the album would explore all kinds of sounds and bring out the best in Floor and Troy. He also mentioned that the album would have a special theme.

On August 6, the band announced that founding drummer Jukka Nevalainen would not be part of the new album or tour due to his ongoing health issues. Kai Hahto from the band Wintersun took his place for the album and tour.

Nightwish performing in Oberhausen, Germany, in November 2015

The famous evolutionary biologist and author Richard Dawkins was a guest on the album. Tuomas Holopainen said he was very inspired by Dawkins's writings.

In November, the band filmed a music video for "Élan", which was released as the first single on February 13, 2015. The new album's title, Endless Forms Most Beautiful, and cover art were revealed on December 22. The album was released on March 27, 2015. Its title comes from the writings of Charles Darwin. The album featured a choir and orchestra. Professor Richard Dawkins narrated parts of the album's opening and closing songs. The band went on the Endless Forms Most Beautiful World Tour from April 2015 to October 2016.

In December 2015, Nightwish became the first Finnish band to headline a show at the Wembley Arena in London. Richard Dawkins even joined them on stage for his narrated parts. The shows in Tampere and London were filmed for a live album called Vehicle of Spirit.

On August 20, 2016, the band played a special 20th-anniversary show in Finland. Original bassist Sami Vänskä and drummer Jukka Nevalainen joined them on stage for a few songs. The band took a break in 2017.

On June 9, 2017, the band announced a nine-month world tour called Decades: World Tour starting March 9, 2018. They also released a new compilation album called Decades. The tour featured "rarely heard material." A show in Buenos Aires was filmed for a live DVD, Decades: Live in Buenos Aires, released in December 2019.

More Lineup Changes and Human. :II: Nature. (2019–2023)

(Left): Kai Hahto became an official member in July 2019; (right): Jukka Koskinen joined the band as an official member in August 2022

In July 2018, Tuomas Holopainen said he had written most of the songs for the next Nightwish album. Recording was set to begin in July 2019, with a release planned for spring 2020. He mentioned that the band would use orchestral instruments in new ways.

On July 15, 2019, Nightwish announced that Kai Hahto would permanently replace Jukka Nevalainen as the drummer. Jukka explained that while his health was better, he didn't want to risk returning full-time but would continue to help with band business behind the scenes.

On October 31, 2019, Floor Jansen confirmed that the new album's recording was finished. On January 10, 2020, Tuomas Holopainen announced that the mixing and mastering were complete.

The new album's title, Human. :II: Nature., and cover were revealed on January 16, 2020. The album was released on April 10, 2020. The first single, "Noise", was released on February 7, 2020, with a music video. The second single, "Harvest", came out on March 6, 2020. On release day, Nightwish put out lyric videos for all the album's songs. The album reached number one in Finland, Spain, Switzerland, and Germany.

Nightwish announced a partnership with World Land Trust, an organization that works to protect land for conservation. They released a video promoting the charity, featuring their song "Ad Astra."

Jansen, Holopainen and Donockley during the Festival de Nîmes concert in July 2022

In July 2020, a new crab species was named Tanidromites nightwishorum in honor of the band, especially their 2015 album Endless Forms Most Beautiful. In August 2020, a prehistoric rockshelter in Pennsylvania, USA, was named Alpenglow Rockshelter after their song "Alpenglow."

On January 12, 2021, Marko Hietala announced he was leaving the band, mentioning his struggles with depression and his feelings about the music industry. The band said a temporary bassist would fill in for the tour.

The band started their world tour in May 2021 with online virtual reality concerts. These shows broke records for virtual performances in Finland. The band then resumed their live tour in Finland in July 2021. The tour ended in June 2023.

In January 2021, Nightwish was nominated for several Finnish Emma Awards and won "Metal Album of the Year."

After playing at several summer festivals, the band announced on August 21, 2022, that Jukka Koskinen would become their permanent bass player.

Yesterwynde and Break from Touring (2023–Present)

In April 2021, Tuomas Holopainen began working on ideas for the next Nightwish album. By June 2022, he had finished writing the demos.

Floor Jansen said in June 2022 that the new album would be heavier but still sound like Nightwish. Tuomas confirmed in August 2022 that the next album would be the third and final part of a story that started with Endless Forms Most Beautiful. He said the album would be released in early 2024. Recording for the tenth album began after the demos were finished. The mixing and mastering were completed by the end of February 2024. The band also signed a new deal with Nuclear Blast in March 2024.

The band announced on April 6, 2023, that they would take a break from touring after the new album's release. Kai Hahto later said they wouldn't tour for "two or three years."

The name of the tenth studio album, Yesterwynde, was announced on April 30, 2024, and is set to be released on September 20, 2024. The first single, "Perfume of the Timeless", was released on May 21, 2024.

Nightwish's Music Style

What Their Music Sounds Like

Keyboards are a very important part of Nightwish's unique music.

Nightwish plays symphonic metal with a touch of goth, featuring female vocals. Their music combines metal, opera, emotional ballads, and keyboard solos. While they were famous for operatic vocals, they don't use them as much now. On their ninth album, Human. :II: Nature., "Shoemaker" was the only song with operatic vocals after Tarja Turunen left. They also play power metal, folk metal, and gothic metal.

The band's music is known for being complex and having many layers. It often feels epic, like a play or an opera. One critic noted that their "rich melodies, changing textures, and theatrical performances make them a unique musical group."

The powerful soprano vocals of Tarja Turunen were a key part of Nightwish's early sound until she left the band in 2005.

Having a female singer became a signature for Nightwish. However, many new bands with female singers appeared in the mid-2000s, like Evanescence and Within Temptation.

Former bassist and singer Marko Hietala called their music "melodic symphonic metal." But the band's main songwriter, Tuomas Holopainen, simply calls it symphonic metal. Some critics felt the band had a gothic sound from the beginning. The early music of Nightwish was known for the "operatic voice" of soprano Tarja Turunen, who was a "charismatic frontwoman with a powerful voice." Critics noticed her vocals became less operatic on the album Once. After Tarja left, Nightwish moved away from the operatic style, but they brought some of it back when Floor Jansen became the lead singer.

While a female singer is central to Nightwish's music, they have also had male vocals since their first album, Angels Fall First. This first album also included "folk music and atmospheric elements" that were less present on their next album, Oceanborn. However, later songs like "Creek Mary's Blood" from Once and "The Islander" and "Last of the Wilds" from Dark Passion Play brought back folk music influences.

What Their Songs Are About

At first, Tuomas Holopainen mainly wrote about myths and fantasy. He often used ideas from "metaphysics and nature." Fantasy novels were a big inspiration for Nightwish's lyrics. Songs like "Wishmaster," "Elvenpath," and "Wanderlust" clearly refer to fantasy series like Dragonlance and J. R. R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings. "FantasMic" from Wishmaster is a tribute to Walt Disney and Disney animated films, which Tuomas loves. Dark Passion Play brought back fantasy themes with songs like "Sahara" and "7 Days to the Wolves," which is based on Stephen King's novel Wolves of the Calla.

Over the years, the lyrics became more personal. "Dead Boy's Poem" from Wishmaster is a very emotional song that Tuomas calls his "legacy." He wanted to write it to share his thoughts and feelings with the world. This personal touch became even clearer on Century Child. Tarja Turunen felt that the lyrics were no longer about "dreamland" but about "the real parts of life."

"Kuolema Tekee Taiteilijan" (meaning "Death Makes an Artist") from Once talks about how losing someone can affect art. "Nemo" is about feeling lost, and "Dead Gardens" is about a time when Tuomas couldn't think of new ideas for songs. "Creek Mary's Blood" is based on a story about Native Americans in the late 1800s.

The 2007 album Dark Passion Play had many personal songs. "The Poet and the Pendulum" is like Tuomas's life story as a composer. "Meadows of Heaven" describes his childhood memories. Two songs, "Bye Bye Beautiful" and "Master Passion Greed," are about former member Tarja Turunen and her husband. The album also includes references to authors like Edgar Allan Poe.

The songs on Imaginaerum have different themes. For example, "Ghost River" is about a fight between the Devil and Mother Earth, while "Scaretale" is about childhood nightmares.

On Endless Forms Most Beautiful, the lyrics talk about the beauty of the world ("Shudder Before The Beautiful"), criticize how some religions limit people's lives ("Weak Fantasy"), and explore the meaning of life ("Élan").

The first part of Human. :II: Nature. continues the themes of the previous album, focusing on human nature. Songs are about modern society ("Noise"), life ("Harvest"), human imagination ("Pan"), and kindness ("How's the Heart?").

While Nightwish's lyrics are usually serious, they also have some lighter songs. For example, the bonus track "Nightquest" talks about the band members' connection as musicians and Nightwish's "quest."

Language Used in Songs

Nightwish's first album, Angels Fall First, had one song in Finnish. Since then, the band has mostly written songs in English. The only exceptions are "Kuolema tekee taiteilijan" from Once (2004), the single "Erämaan viimeinen" (2007), and "Taikatalvi" ("Magic Winter") from Imaginaerum (2011). Tuomas Holopainen feels that writing in Finnish can be difficult and sometimes sound "cheesy."

What Influences Nightwish

Nightwish live in 2004. Band members from the left: Keyboardist Tuomas Holopainen, lead vocalist Tarja Turunen, bassist Marko Hietala, guitarist Emppu Vuorinen.

Tuomas Holopainen, who writes most of Nightwish's songs, says he gets much of his inspiration from film music. Songs like "Beauty of the Beast" (from Century Child), "Ghost Love Score" (from Once), and "The Poet and the Pendulum" (from Dark Passion Play) show this influence. Tuomas also enjoys listening to film music in his free time. He likes the music from movies like The Village, Van Helsing, The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, and almost everything by Hans Zimmer.

Other songs, like "Bye Bye Beautiful" and "Wish I Had an Angel", have elements of industrial metal. Some songs, such as "The Islander" and "Last of the Wilds" (from Dark Passion Play), "Creek Mary's Blood" (from Once), and the Angels Fall First album, include folk music elements. Bands that influenced Nightwish include Children of Bodom, Theatre of Tragedy, The Gathering, and The 3rd and the Mortal.

Nightwish has also inspired other bands. Simone Simons, the lead singer of the Dutch band Epica, said she started singing in a classical style because of Nightwish's 1998 album Oceanborn. Tony Kakko, the lead singer of the power metal band Sonata Arctica, has also said how much Nightwish influenced him.

Band Members

Current members

Tuomas Holopainen – keyboards (1996–present), male vocals (1996–1998)
Emppu Vuorinen – guitars (1996–present), bass (1997–1998)
Troy Donockley – uilleann pipes, tin whistle, low whistle, guitars, bouzouki, bodhrán, male vocals (2013–present; session/touring musician 2007–2013)
Floor Jansen – lead vocals (2013–present; touring musician 2012–2013)
Kai Hahto – drums, percussion (2019–present; session/touring member 2014–2019)
Jukka Koskinen – bass (2022–present; session: 2021–2022)

Albums

Angels Fall First (1997)
Oceanborn (1998)
Wishmaster (2000)
Century Child (2002)
Once (2004)
Dark Passion Play (2007)
Imaginaerum (2011)
Endless Forms Most Beautiful (2015)
Human. :II: Nature. (2020)
Yesterwynde (2024)

Tours

Summer of Wilderness (1999)
Oceanborn Europe Tour (1999)
Wishmaster World Tour (2000–2001)
World Tour of the Century (2002–2003)
Once Upon a Tour (2004–2005)
Dark Passion Play World Tour (2007–2009)
Imaginaerum World Tour (2012–2013)
Endless Forms Most Beautiful World Tour (2015–2016)
Decades: World Tour (2018)
Human. :II: Nature. World Tour (2021–2023)