Why Ex-Nightwish Singer Anette Olzon Became a Registered Nurse

Former Nightwish singer Anette Olzon, who is currently active as a solo artist and as the frontwoman for The Dark Element, was the subject of a recent CNN interview where she touched on her latest solo record, Strong, as well as her profession as a registered nurse.

First, Olzon talked about the message behind her new single, "Sick of You," which was written as an empowerment anthem in response to the increased levels of abuse women are facing in her home country of Sweden since the onset of the pandemic. "This woman finally gets the strength to throw him out or get him out," she said of the song.

The two-minute segment then turned its focus away from music and over to Olzon's job outside of music.

"I always wanted to help people and work with something that gives me something on the inside," revealed Olzon, who continued, "I'm a registered nurse. So I started studying and got a bachelor's degree. It took me some years. And I've been working with that for three years now. And I feel that it's a good complement — it's a good complement to do music and to do another work. I believe it's good for us to see other things."

"I'm working with newborn babies at the maternity ward, so it's really a very nice job," the singer concluded.

See the full video clip here.

In 2017, Loudwire spoke with Olzon ahead of the release of the debut, self-titled album by The Dark Element, and at that time she was nearing the completion of her studies to be a nurse.

"I want to sing full time, of course, but this is a good back up plan to have since you never know if music will sell and so on," she said when asked if nursing would be her primary focus or whether she would be pursuing music full time with The Dark Element.

"I have learned the hard way that things can be on top one day [and] be at the lowest the day after. I guess I am older and wiser now too and a mother to three lovely boys and we all need to provide for those little ones which means to have a steady income. Even if I'd love to just rock 'n' roll for the fun of it, it's just not doable. Musicians need to pay bills too," offered the singer.

Olzon has managed to balance work and music exceptionally well over the last couple of years. The singer released Songs the Night Sings with The Dark Element in 2019, Worlds Apart last year as a collaboration with Symphony X singer Russell Allen under the appropriately dubbed Allen / Olzon project, and Strong, her first solo record since 2014, came out in September. Learn more about the album and watch the video for "Sick of You" here.