Nightwish

Nightwish, a Finnish symphonic metal band from Kitee, was formed in 1996 by lead songwriter and keyboardist Tuomas Holopainen, guitarist Emppu Vuorinen, and former lead singer Tarja Turunen. The band gained further members, including drummer Jukka Nevalainen and bassist Sami Vänskä, after the release of their debut album Angels Fall First in 1997. Vänskä was later replaced by Marko Hietala in 2001, who also took over the male vocalist role.

The band achieved significant success with the albums Oceanborn (1998), Wishmaster (2000), and Century Child (2002), but their major international breakthrough came with the release of Once in 2004, which sold over one million copies. Their single “Wish I Had an Angel” received considerable airplay in the U.S. and was featured on multiple film soundtracks.

In 2005, Tarja Turunen was dismissed from the band, and in 2007, Anette Olzon was introduced as her replacement. With Olzon, the band released Dark Passion Play (2007), which sold nearly two million copies and featured the hit single “Amaranth.” Olzon was replaced by Floor Jansen in 2012, who became a permanent member along with session musician Troy Donockley in 2013.

In 2019, Jukka Nevalainen, who had been inactive since 2014 due to insomnia, officially left the band, with Kai Hahto taking over as the drummer. In 2021, Marko Hietala departed from the band and was replaced by Jukka Koskinen in 2022.

Nightwish is one of Finland’s best-selling bands, with nearly 900,000 certified copies sold in Finland and over 10 million records sold worldwide. They have been inducted into the Finnish Music Hall of Fame and have received over 60 gold and platinum awards. The band’s music is known for its symphonic and gothic metal influences, complex compositions, and epic, theatrical style, initially characterized by Tarja Turunen’s operatic vocals. Over time, their music evolved, incorporating a variety of styles, including power metal, progressive metal, and folk metal. Their lyrical themes have ranged from mythology and fantasy to more personal and introspective topics.