Anette Olzon

Anette Ingegerd Olsson (born 21 June 1971), known by the stage name Anette Olzon, is a Swedish singer, best known as the former lead vocalist of Finnish symphonic metal band Nightwish from 2007 to 2012.

She is also the vocalist of Swedish classic rock band Alyson Avenue, and of the Finnish heavy metal band The Dark Element.

Olzon was raised in a musical family and has been singing since childhood.

Her mother also forced her to play the oboe for eight years.

She toured with her mother's band and sang with them on some occasions.

Later, she started to take part in various talent shows and received laudable recognition.

The first band she joined at seventeen years of age (Take Cover) was a cover band.

However, it was short-lived as she took part in several bands and projects.

At 21, she played the leading role in the rock opera/musical "Gränsland" in Helsingborg.

After that she got into the Balettakademien in Gothenburg.

She sang in choirs, did studio work for various projects and occasionally performed as a wedding singer.

Olzon also sang a duet with Michael Bormann (ex-Jaded Heart singer) on his album Conspiracy.

In her earlier days, Olzon took singing lessons at the Copenhagen Music Conservatorie, in Helsingør, Denmark, with a private teacher.

She also took lessons from a private teacher at the Malmö Music University.

Before singing, Olzon has worked in a factory, in a hamburger restaurant, as a waitress, as a veterinarian assistant, in a number of offices and as a hair dresser.

She has also studied musical artist education, psychology, project management and leadership and organization.

Olzon then joined Alyson Avenue, at first only as a studio singer, but later as their leading lady, replacing the male vocalist.

The band received huge feedback for a demo they sent out in 1999, and Alyson Avenue was soon able to contact various labels.

Main composer and keyboardist Niclas Olsson gathered the band, recording a four track demo which resulted in a record deal with AOR Heaven.

In November 2000, their debut album Presence of Mind was released to positive reviews.

The song on her demo tape was the 2002 single "Ever Dream".

The next album Omega was released in 2004.

She replaced the previous singer Tarja Turunen, who was fired in an open letter in the autumn of 2005.

Olzon's demo was one of the first that Nightwish received, although she was originally denied the position, as band leader Tuomas Holopainen was concerned about the fact that she had a young son.

However, Olzon was persistent and sent the band a live DVD of her performing with Alyson Avenue.

Olzon left Alyson Avenue in 2006.

Olzon officially joined Nightwish as their new lead singer in early 2007, chosen from about 2,000 applicants of which 10 made it to prove their place in front of the band.

She was then contacted by Nightwish's manager Ewo Pohjola, which eventually led to her taking up the position in February 2007.

Tuomas commented on her selection saying "we (the band) took a formal vote, but it was unanimous that she would be the one. It was a matter of heart. We felt she was right."

Her identity was kept secret by various methods, including pretending to be Ewo's "Swedish cousin" at a Tarot concert, until she was eventually announced as the new Nightwish singer on 24 May 2007.

The day after this revelation, 25 May 2007, charity single "Eva" was released as the first off the album, as download only.

It was originally scheduled for release on 30 May but this was changed due to a leak on a British music download site.

This was the first published song to feature Olzon.

On 13 June Nightwish released the title, Dark Passion Play, and artwork to the new album on their official website, as well as the name and the cover of the second single (this time CD), "Amaranth".

"Amaranth" achieved gold status in Finland after less than two days in stores.

Dark Passion Play was released around Europe in the last week of September 2007, in the UK on 1 October and the United States on 2 October.

It was awarded double platinum in Finland the second day after its release and took the No.1 position on the charts of Germany, Finland, Switzerland, Hungary and Croatia and got in top 100 in other 16 countries, including the United States.

Dark Passion Play has sold 6× Platinum worldwide up to date (over 1.5 million copies).

In May 2009, Alyson Avenue introduced Arabella Vitanc as their new lead vocalist.

In 2018 the band reunited and played at Melodicrockfest Scandinavia in Malmö in early June.