MeNaiset 13.12.2007
Перевод Afrodite
Anette's first time
How does Anette manage the rock'n'roll? Nightwish's new vocalist is on the first world tour of her life. We went to California.
Though the weather in San Fransisco in November looks summery to the Finnish eye, Anette Olzon, 36, is coughing while waking up.
Outside the camp of two tour busses and one trailer causes a fuss. Eventhough the gig is almost one and a half day away about twenty fans have lined outside the Slim's club.
There is no unclarity what band they're waiting for. Many are wearing Nightwish shirts. On the other hand fans also have merchandise of many other Finnish bands. Finland is known as a country of heavy music.
Inside the buss it's calm. It's waking up to a new day after the nightly drive. There's still sleep in eyes.
Nightwish's Swedish vocalists morning huskiness is starting to clear up.
- This is challenging for a singer's voice. We've driven from Canada towards south. Sometimes the weather is like in the winter and it may be heat the next day. And of course air conditionings do their part, Anette says.
Anette's public job as Nightwish's new singer has now lasted for about six months. When Anette was introduced to the public in late May, she was immediately thrown into quite a media storm. After 24 hours Finland knew about Anette's husband and son, home in Helsingborg and her past in the Abba musical. And also bemoan complain was heard of what will happen to the natural treasure Nightwish.
Judging by the international response nothing too bad. Nightwish's long tour started in the United States in October. Near Christmas they'll tour Scandinavia. They'll return to the US again next spring.
Crosses from fans
Eventhough the Slim's-club is located by San Francisco's standards at the bad area of town, during the day a striking-force of two woman can go shopping. That hasn't been the case everywhere.
- I've seen so many cities and they change so fast that I don't even remember where this happened, but one day I looked around me and noticed that I was the only white person around. It felt quite weird though the color of one's skin doesn't really matter in the United States, Anette tells.
When Anette gets off the buss one fan gives her a silver necklace resembling a rosary. In the US the band's changing vocalist isn't as big of a deal as in Europe and not that many know the 'old' Nightwish.
- Still they already know I like crosses, Anette admires.
- Fans have accepted me amazingly well. I have met virtually no unpleasant people.
Anette's road to rock stardom hasn't been self-evident nor a dream from childhood. At the age of 20 she was mostly known from musicals and she sang coversongs with her band Take Cover. In the 21th century she did two album with a band called Alyson Avenue before moving to Nightwish's rows.
Pill eater's treasury
A sore throat has to be overcomed for good so to the pharmacy we go!
At home in Helsinborg Anette doesn't even take painkillers but now on her first long tour she has turned into pharmacies constant customer.
- The guys laugh when I go to every town's pharmacy. To this point I've had to take two antibiotic treatments. The whole buss seems to be taking turns in being sick. People hug, shake hands, pick their noses and bacteria travel.
The American supermarkets are pill lover's treasuries. Finally Anette returns with a pastil and vitamin arsenal to the tour buss, in front of which the band's guys are talking to fans.
Nightwish's inner chemistry is better now than in a long time and it shows.
If with Tarja Turunen the gap between the vocalist and the band had turned into a kilometre now it's about a millimetre.
Nevertheless the gap is still there just for a different reason. The long friendship and same language with the other members affect so that Anette can't always be on the same line.
- Touring has been pretty much like I thought it would be. Sometimes the guys have been quiet for hours and I've felt lonely. To counterweight they occasionally go wild. And sometimes we fight, Anette says.
- We have to get to know our bad sides too so we can live closely together.
Can the head take it?
In the Slim's-club's backroom the band's foreman Tuomas Holopainen and bass player Marco Hietala have lost themselves in their books, guitarist Emppu Vuorinen is slouching on the couch and drummer Jukka Nevalainen is somewhere doing his own things.
On tour the band's biggest quarrels have risen from Anette not being happy with her own performance. But talking helps. After soundcheck Anette and Tuomas talk about tonight's songs for a long time.
- The guys have been doing this for so long that they are able to forgive themselves for small errors. I don't know how to do that yet, but I thought I'd start tonight, Anette grins.
Tuomas Holopainen says that going on the first tour is an exciting spot for anyone. In the United States you can also forget the thoughts about stardom since the touring circumstances are worse than in Scandinavia for example.
But the band's circumstances aren't unbearable here either. They have a good buss and on free days the band lives in hotels. It's a good situation when you keep in mind that a lot of bands tour the US from the back of a pickup van from one pizza place to another.
- I'm just concerned if Anette's head can take all this. At one point we said that she has no idea what she's getting herself into. A few days ago she admitted that we were right, Tuomas says.
Like everyday today some difficulties must be faced.
The band doesn't have to give interviews since most of the interviews done in California are arranged in Los Angeles in a few days. So there's time for lounging.
Also tonight's support Paradise Lost is taking it easy. The band starts to gather in the neighbor dressing room and goes to do their own soundcheck after Nightwish.
A terrible homesickness
Anette has her own dressing room but she prefers to spend time with the guys. When the cigarette smoke starts to feel too much for the singer, Anette moves on to her side and starts to do her hair and put on make-up. Also the crew's members who don't smoke come to hang out at her dressing room.
Touring has been quite a slimming diet for the already slim Anette. The food isn't to her likings and Anette thinks with warmth about boiled potatoes and fish stew.
Homesickness has hit otherwise as well a couple of times. In California there's three weeks down and ahead of the US tour. At least at the moment Anette's family isn't coming with her on tour. The man folk have their own things at home, work and school.
Anette's husband used to travel a lot for his work now the situation is reversed. Perhaps that's why mum's travelling job has been understood at home.
- Twice I've really collapsed and missed my son enormously. Luckily with modern technology we can be in contact a lot and I've also found souvenirs for him. If only I could still find wheel shoes, normal shoes with roller skate wheels, Anette plans.
The vocalist backcombs her hair. For a moment she looks like troll Rölli and giggles at her picture in the mirror. Not so long ago Anette had short blond hair but appearance is an essential thing in show business. Turning into a brunette was painless.
In an half an hour the make-up is finished and the front woman starts to open her voice.
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