Old interview with Floor

Just found this old interview with Floor ( I think it is from 2002)
Enjoy!

Floor Jansen
Country: The Netherlands
Band: After Forever

- When did you start singing? What got you into music?

Floor: I started experimenting a bit when I was around 14. I took part in a school musical, which title was “Joseph and theamazing technicolor dreamcoat”. Then it seemed that I could sing and that I enjoyed it. After the musical I started singing in a school band (at the same school). A very nice and active group. In the meantime I also started playing guitar a little and writing acoustic songs. Then we moved, and soon after that I started singing in After Forever. Thanks to all those musical activities my interest for music grew. However, I also got into music thanks to my family. Earlier my father was also in a band, and he plays guitar and bass. He wasn't that active for some time, but when I myself became busy with music, he started playing again. Really nice! My mother has become a real metalfan, and has her own collection with e.g. Iced Earth or Nightwish etc.

- What was your first band?

Floor: The school band at the high school. However, my first real band was still After Forever. It has always been like this for me, and now it has grown. I could have never imagined that, at the time when I was 16 and went for my 'audition'.

- Your earliest influences? Do you have any favourite singers now?

Floor: Oh, it's the music that my father liked. The music of The Beatles, Annie Lennox, Sting, Alan Parson, Pink Floyd, etc. He also listened to lots of classical music, by the way. So actually to everything. My first real CDs were rock-oriented, but not much metal. I don't really have favourite singers. I have a whole list of the ones that I think are very good, like Annie Lennox, Lara Fabian, Tarja from Nightwish, Russel Allen from Symphony X, Geoff Tate from Queensryche, etc.

- Have you ever taken singing lessons? What is your musical background?

Floor: At the time our first album was recorded, "Prison of Desire," I had never had any singing lessons earlier. In the same year I started my studies at the Rock Academy. And there, of course, I have had many singing lessons. I am now at the fourth year, but will still do one more year because of, among others, busy times with the band. The singing lessons at the Rock Academy are of course more pop-oriented. And because I also sing in a classical way, I have now lessons at the Conservatorium in Tilburg as well. So actually only now I have singing lessons that can help me with After Forever, namely classical singing and belting (high singing with my 'stomach-voice', to explain quickly). When I was small, I didn't really sing. Though I had transverse flute lessons for 8 years.

- What do you think makes a good singer?

Floor: I think it's very important to know what your own sound is. Everyone has something at which he or she is good. Beside this I think it's important to be able to do different things, to be able to produce more sounds, so that your singing becomes varied and you become really versatile. Therefore technique is for me also important since you need it to show this variety of your sound. When you work hard on your technique, then I think your sound can also grow. So, in other words, it's a combination of both.

- What do you think is your strongest quality as a singer?

Floor: I think the variety of my sound. Something that, by the way, can be still developed further, and that's the thing I'm busy now with.

- What is (are) your favourite song(s) to sing/perform?

Floor: Oh, this is always difficult. I really enjoy "Estranged" and "Intrinsic."

- What are your interests and hobbies apart from music?

Floor: Interests sure... Hobbies are difficult, because music was my first hobby, and now it takes so much time that I actually don't have much left for anything extra. I am crazy about horses, and have ridden a lot, and it's something I would love to do again. For the rest, I read a lot, and devote lots of time to my boyfriend - eating together, going together to cinema... making music, haha!



Photo by Andrea Beckers

Nice interview.

yeah, it is!

I like when she spoke about her musical background and studies, she really loves metal and what she do!

I'd love if my mother likes metal.. but she only knows some songs. SHe sings Cry for the moon by Epica, and Over the hills and far away..

hahaha, that's nice!
my mom likes NW and AF as well! :P


from the interview, it was also interesting to know which songs are a bit hard to sing for Floor O.o

I think that she said that it's difficult to her to choose her favourite songs..

lol!:

yeah, it was that!
I was reading so many interviews that I'm now confusing and mixing

I have some interviews but in portuguese.. do you wanna see them?

ok, cool

post them!

Ok. Done.

Ah, thanks for posting that interview! It was cool to read.

Thanks! Really interesting interview!

Franneke wrote:
- Have you ever taken singing lessons? What is your musical background?

Floor: At the time our first album was recorded, "Prison of Desire," I had never had any singing lessons earlier.

WHAT? went immediately to listen prison of desire and she's claiming she never took any lessons? LOL that's sick superb talent

indeed
she's the super woman!