NIGHTWISH frontwoman FLOOR JANSEN will release a new solo single, "Run," on Friday, June 26. The track marks the Dutch vocalist's first new solo music since her debut solo album, "Paragon," arrived in March 2023.
Jansen shared some insight into the song's meaning and direction on social media. "It's about no longer making yourself smaller to fit into a shape that was never yours," she said of the track's lyrical theme — a message of self-assertion that fits the bold, identity-driven tone of her solo work.
Musically, "Run" appears to push Jansen somewhere new. "Musically, it feels like the start of something new," she explained. "A little heavier, a little more direct, but still honest, still melodic." That description will intrigue fans who have long wanted to hear the powerhouse singer flex her metal muscles outside the symphonic grandeur of her main band. Jansen has already road-tested the unreleased song at select European shows earlier in June, giving early audiences a first taste of the new material.
The release continues to build Jansen's identity as a solo artist alongside her role in one of symphonic metal's biggest bands. She became a full-time member of NIGHTWISH in 2013, following her show-stealing debut with the group in 2012, and has since become the defining voice of the Finnish institution. Before joining NIGHTWISH, she fronted Dutch symphonic metal pioneers AFTER FOREVER and later led the band REVAMP, establishing herself as one of the most formidable vocalists in the genre.
The solo material also arrives during a quieter period for her primary band. NIGHTWISH announced in 2023 that they would not tour in support of their album "Yesterwynde," leaving Jansen free to channel her energy into her own music. With "Run" promising a heavier and more direct approach, the single suggests her solo path is evolving into something distinct from both NIGHTWISH and her more orchestral debut.
"Run" arrives June 26 on all streaming platforms.