Floor Jansen says she left Nightwish as band members stopped growing together

Floor Jansen says her decision to leave Nightwish after 13 years as the Finnish metal band’s frontwoman was not prompted by one dramatic event, but by a sense that she and the group were no longer growing together.

In an interview with AD, the singer compared the split to the end of a relationship. “Usually there isn’t one reason why you decide to break up, unless something serious has happened. That wasn’t the case for us,” she said. She declined to give more detail, adding that it had “certainly not been a decision taken lightly”.

Jansen, who says she still speaks to the band, announced her departure in October. She said she had initially been afraid to look at her phone in case fans turned against her, but instead received many messages of support.

She is continuing as a solo artist. Her new single, “Everything Is Moving On”, is from her second solo album, due out on 15 January.