Beyond the Boys’ Club is a monthly column from journalist and radio host Anne Erickson, focusing on women in the heavy music genres, as they offer their perspectives on the music industry and discuss their personal experiences. Erickson is also a music artist herself, recently releasing the song “Eternal Way” with Upon Wings. This month’s piece features an interview with Anette Olzon, formerly of Nightwish.
Anette Olzon previously fronted one of the biggest symphonic metal bands in the world, Nightwish, but has since embarked on a solo career. This year, she returned with her sophomore solo album, Strong.
The new set is nothing like her debut solo release, Shine. While the latter was a much more stripped-down, intimate collection of songs, Strong takes the listener in a much heavier and darker direction with triumphant metal instrumentals and powerful vocals.
For Heavy Consequence‘s latest edition of “Beyond the Boys’ Club,” Olzon checked in to discuss the new album, how the pandemic influenced the darker tone on the set, her experience as a woman in metal music, and much more.
Read our interview with Anette Olzon below, and order her new album, Strong, via Amazon.
On her new solo album, Strong, and why it was the right title for the release
It felt like a great title to show that this album is heavier and stronger. In the times we’ve had since I started writing this album in 2020, we’ve need the strength to stay strong.
On how Strong, her second solo album, differs from her solo debut, Shine
For me, they’re not even linked, since it’s been so many years between them, and they were also written in such different approaches. With Shine, I was still in another band, so I couldn’t write a metal album and compete with my other band, whereas this time, I had no such thing to consider. So, I really could just make the album as I wanted and under a great record label, Frontiers, that supports me in whatever I want to do. That’s also different from the first album. And, of course, if you both listen to and look at the videos and artwork, they are very different. Shine was a softer, more intimate album about more personal things in my own life, and Strong is heavier, faster, darker and more about how I see the world around me after my 50 years walking this earth.
