COLLEEN GRAY for new NIGHTWISH VOCALIST

[St Enigma]

People, you read too much in one simple word. The poor English translation looks more of short-hand and doesn't quite reveal the ideas in the original text in Finnish. Take a look at these most important sentences from the statement.

The English version:
We need the obvious things: Looks, charisma, courage and, of course, a big voice.

The original Finnish tex translated:
For the basic requirements we wish the applicant to posess looks, charisma, courage, good command of pronouncing and speaking in English and of course a great deal of voice.


The English version:
You should however be prepared to sing with a lot of dynamics and versatility. From loud and high to very sensitive stuff.

The original Finnish tex translated:
The most important thing is, were the applicant's style whatever, that she is able to sing dynamically and in the widest possible range. The applicant's voice has to be adaptable to many [purposes], capable of high and loud songs as well as delicate and moody [atmospheric].

The only thing they seem pay more attention to are the qualities of the voice, the others are only "basic" requirements without any closer definitions from the band. IMO, you can concentrate on the voice thing and give your best shot in the 2-3 chosen songs to show your versatility and range. From full classical through athmospheric to poppish. Tuomas Holopainen has in many interviews said that the singer is just another instrument in the band he composes for and it has to be able to adapt into a wide scale of different styles. Just listen to "White Night Fantasy", "The Siren", then "Kuolema Tekee Taiteilijan" "Romanticide", and "Ghost Love Score" in that particular order to cover the variety of styles needed in the job. It goes from full opera style in GLS to the Kate Bush-alike honey-dripping in White Night Fantasy and everything in between. Any singer who can make a hirsute metalhead to queeze a tear in the corner of his eye by singing Kuolema Tekee Taiteilijan solo in Finnish, will be close to be hired for the job. I've seen Tarja doing it to many tough guys, - even they would never admit it in public,

Just go for it, Colleen, there'll be nothing to loose.

Btw. did you know that Marco Hietala auditioned for Iron Maiden frontman back in 1993 when Bruce left and was very close to be chosen for the job? Definitely didn't hurt his further career to be recognized for that.
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[J-Man]

Colleen, go for it. 'Nuff said.


Heck, it's a bit like the lottery: sure, the odds are against you winning....but the odds are a big fat zero if you don't play at all.

--And besides, we'd all be left wondering "Would things have been different if Colleen had sent in a demo?"

Colleen, i agree with Pellaz, GO FOR IT, you have nothing to lose and everything to gain. What is the worst they can say, No. You will do great, and i know alot of people don't like the adult contempory stuff, but i do it shows a softer side of you, and the song with Marcel Conenen are fabulous and people should listen to them first.

Nightwish songs to audition with.

NEMO of course

EVERDREAM

SLAYING THE DREAMER

WISHMASTER

DEEP SILENT COMPLETE

OCEAN SOUL

WISH I HAD AND ANGEL

So go for it and let the chips fall as them may, that way you can never say "WHAT IF"

John

 

[kamelotica]

SIMONE of Epica would fit perfect if you ask me!!! She is much hotter than Tarja and her stage prescense blows Tarja away!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rX3Pzqhj9vM&search=epica

 

[Yippee38]

SIMONE of Epica would fit perfect if you ask me!!! She is much hotter than Tarja and her stage prescense blows Tarja away!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rX3Pzqhj9vM&search=epica

Sure she would, but....
1) It'll never happen since Mark Jansen couldn't go along, and
2) Why break up an already great band?


I agree Colleen with others. Don't let the "what ifs" stop you. Why not send in an audition and see what happens? There's two possible outcomes:
1) They don't like your audition. Very little negative for you other than the cost and effort of putting together the audition recording, or
2) They like your audition. If they do, then you have an opportunity. At that point you can decide whether or not you'd like to join them or not. Just because they like you audition doesn't mean you are committed to join them. It's like any other job. It has to be a good fit for you and them. Maybe your personalities would mesh really great. Maybe they wouldn't.

Go for it!

 

[pyramazekeyboardist]

Colleen, you have a very nice voice. I wish you good luck -jonah

 

[13ShadesofGray]

What is the story with Ancient Egyptian stuff on your website? Did you by any chance read The Eye of Horus by Carol Thurston?

I experienced the first King Tut exhibit when I was a kid... touched me more than I can express here in text, and I've studied ancient civilizations ever since. The heiroglyphs on my site are lyrics to "Only I", actually.

Haven't read that book, but just checked it out on Amazon. Was a bit shocked to see the similarity between the cover and my background image! I think I'll be reading that some time. heheh Did you enjoy it?

 

[booB]

Colleen >>>>>>> Nightwish

 

[longshot9]

SIMONE of Epica would fit perfect if you ask me!!! She is much hotter than Tarja and her stage prescense blows Tarja away!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rX3Pzqhj9vM&search=epica

True, she is much prettier to look at than Tarja (who IMO is gorgeous)... personally can't comment on the stage presence since i've never seen Epica... but the main problem here... SHE'S ALREADY IN EPICA.

Is there THAT much of a shortage of singers in the world that bands feel the need to get someone singing for them that already sings in another band? Put a little effort into it and find someone (like one of background singers on Epicas DVD! Cute, great voices, not recognizable with any other band). I personally hate it when established vocalists whore themselves out and sing in a bazillion projects. The only reason Simone would leave Epica or stay and sing in Nightwish also, is $$$$. That's just a low as Nightwish looking for someone with "Looks" as a priority IMO. It would ruin Epica, and it would not be Nightwish. I personally highly doubt Nightwish will ever be the same or better. How many bands replace singers and recapture the glory they had with their original singer? Motley Crue, no. Maiden, no. Priest, no. Iced Earth, no (although I know alot disagree on this last one... but I fall into the camp of "IE will never be as good as they were with Barlow"). I personally can't think of any.

I'm just NOW getting used to Lance King being the singer for Pyramaze, and now I also have to think of him as the singer for Avian. Before it's always been "here's another cd with the singer from Balance Of Power", not that I don't love Lance's voice, but to me he's always been the singer for BoP and can't ever top it or escape it. Musically I like Pyramaze better, but Lance was and will always be best in BoP IMO.

I realize it's probably a better financial solution to hire a recognizable voice, but personally, i feel a singer for obvious reasons is the most associated member of a band. A guitarist can change his guitar tone or play a different kind of axe, but most singers no matter how hard they may try, still sound like themselves no matter what they sing on.

I think Colleen should continue working on establishing her own project or an up and coming band that can be associated with her voice. She's a very talented singer and songwriter... and personally I don't think she'd like being in a situation where someone else writes all the material and tells her what to sing.

Just my $.02

 

[13ShadesofGray]

Thanks to everyone who's posted their support! Can't tell you how much this means to me. I'm going to go ahead and give it a shot. As most have said, what harm could it do? Just have to go through the song suggestions and choose the best to send along.

For anyone who was interested/curious about the really heavy Marcel Coenen tune, go ahead and click here. I'm curious as to your thoughts on including this track in the audition pack.

John, you brought up one of the biggest downsides to the possibility of being chosen: not being involved in the writing process. Although I went through this with the new Persephone's Dream album, they were very open to me bringing my own style and delivery into what was already written. I guess the possibility for exposure for the project(s) I'm involved in is worth it. Hope you don't think I'm whoring my voice out. lol

 

[J-Man]

Thanks to everyone who's posted their support! Can't tell you how much this means to me. I'm going to go ahead and give it a shot. As most have said, what harm could it do? Just have to go through the song suggestions and choose the best to send along.

WOOOOOOOOHOOOOOOOO i knew you would in the long run, now just knock em dead with that beautiful voice and that wonderful smile, we will all be behind you. One day we will be able to say " I knew the new NIGHTWISH singer when...." Just make us a promise Colleen, You will have to make sure that after you're selected you and the guys come to the states and play and all of us get quest passes when you come to our town.

 

[batmura]

Colleen absolutely rules on the Marcel Coenen track. Love her vocals.

And yes, she can sing heavy if she wants.

 

[Yippee38]

For anyone who was interested/curious about the really heavy Marcel Coenen tune, go ahead and click here. I'm curious as to your thoughts on including this track in the audition pack.

Are you doing the growls? hehe

Wow! Your voice on that song sounds a LOT like Lana Lane's voice - which is a good thing.

 

[longshot9]

Hope you don't think I'm whoring my voice out. lol

Not at all, it's one thing to be doing little guest spots here and there, totally different to be the official lead singer in like 2+ bands at once.

 

[Cheiron]

That's a great track. I love the song.

 

[The_Kinslayer]

Since you've stated that the older material is in fact in your range (which impresses me!), I would suggest that you try covering a track from each of the previous four albums if that is at all possible. Maybe Planet Hell from Once for the heavier, more agressive side, Ever Dream from Century Child for the more sensitive side, Dead Boy's Poem from Wishmaster for the slower, darker side, and Stargazers from Oceanborn for the more operatic side. Of course it's all up to you but I think something along those lines would be pretty effective and diverse.

 

[13ShadesofGray]

Just make us a promise Colleen, You will have to make sure that after you're selected you and the guys come to the states and play and all of us get quest passes when you come to our town.

You know... that *is* one aspect of having a US vocalist in the band... damn straight I wouldn't say no to any touring here. Thank you so much for your kind words!

I'm thrilled y'all enjoyed Traumatized! And no... it's not me on the growls. lmao Marcel is singing first, Menno Corbeek (ex-Chemical Breath) does the shouts and Dennis Schreurs (Severe Torture) does the growls. Although I did fill in for them during the first rehersal for the show in January (hoping that will make it on the DVD). heheh

I will be checking out all the suggestions and should know which ones to go with by the end of the week. And I'll upload 'em here once they've been recorded. I guess they're requesting 2-4 songs so I need to be really picky. From the reactions here, I'll be including Trauamatized.

 

[Formerly known as Chris F5]

Really, anyone blindsided by the fact that Nightwish is considering looks as one of the main attributes in a new singer really needs to wake up.

Like it or not, this is a business, an industry. Nightwish's fan base would probably be 50-75% less if they had some 400 lb person on stage. Lots of fans are won over from a band by the live performance - and face it, metal is not an opera concert. They're a metal band that needs a frontman (woman in this case) who can sell the product and be pleasing to the eye.

You should be listening to the bands for the music in the first place. If you found out lots of bands true feelings about things, you'd probably just stop listening to music in general.

I strongly agree with this statement,especially that I have a female vocalist.
It IS a buisness,and in this world,you have to have a marketing plan.
Metal(especially either the metal we love here,or,in my case,the experimental "trance core" that I write) is already at a terrible dissadvantage already with its demographics,audience,ect(in a hip hop/pop world of flash/ect).
When I had to replace Leann,why do you think it took so long to find a replacement.I want to broaden my sales beyond this niche,and having an ugly singer doing experimental "uncool to the brain dead sheeple_ metalwould only guarentee me limited sucess.
One of the biggest most loyal demographic in the record buying industry is the 14-21 year old female,especially when it comes to female idols.They love someone they can relate to,and look like.Most girls want to be Hillary Duff,not some fat goth slob.You get that demographic,and you write heavy music,you get the girls,and the guys will come.
Which is why I settled for an 18 y,o cute mall type of girl with a much better voice than Lean.
But Looks is not what I was solely looking for,as I was also looking for a type of vocalist.I'm not into the rock and roll voice like most female vocalists who do this genre do(ie,try to re create Janis Joplin),and I turned away many vocalist who had a strong look but the voice was not fitting what i wanted
And one more thing,the vocalist is selling the product,and I'd rather have some cute piece of eye candy selling my music than my ugly metal ass.
Flame away

 

[Formerly known as Chris F5]

Oh,and Colleeen,go for it.

 

[BenMech]

As I've said elsewhere about this:

the worst that could happen is that Nightwish picks another singer without ever hearing CG.

There's an old saying that goes:

"'Tis Better to regret that which you HAVE done, than that which you have NEVER TRIED."

I got a feeling this is CG's mindset.

 

[Petethedrummer]

I strongly agree with this statement

Yeah, unfortunately, I do too.