Simone Simons

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Simone Simons
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Simone Simons performing at Santa Coloma Rock Fest in 2014
Background information
Birth name Simone Johanna Maria Simons
Born (1985-01-17) 17 January 1985 (age 39)[1]
Hoensbroek, Heerlen, Limburg, Netherlands
Origin Netherlands
Genres Symphonic metal,
Progressive metal
Occupation(s) Singer-songwriter
Instruments Vocals, Piano, Flute
Years active 2002–present
Labels Transmission, Nuclear Blast
Associated acts
Website www.smoonstyle.com www.epica.nl

Simone Johanna Maria Simons (born 17 January 1985)[2] is a Dutch singer-songwriter. She is the lead vocalist of Dutch symphonic metal band Epica.

Early life and formation

Simons was born in Hoensbroek, Netherlands. She has a younger sister by the name of Janneke who was born on Simone's second birthday.[3] Her interest in music manifested itself at a very early age. Simons started playing flute for two years after joining music school at the age of 12.[4] At the age of 14, she had one year of pop singing lessons, and at age 15, she switched to classical singing after listening to Nightwish's Oceanborn,[5] which remains her favorite Nightwish album.[6] At one point she was invited to join in a rehearsal for a black metal band; she joined it, although was a little afraid to sing.[7] Simons sang in a choir for a few months, and later joined Epica.[8]

Epica

In early 2002, Mark Jansen left After Forever over creative differences. He then began looking for musicians who would work towards a more classical/symphonic type of music project; this was initially named “Sahara Dust”.[9] In late 2002, the band courted Helena Michaelsen[9] (from Trail of Tears) as its frontwoman, but shortly after she was replaced by the then unknown Simons, who was Jansen's girlfriend at the time.

File:Simone Simons em um concerto em América do Sul.jpg
Simons in 2012 during a concert in South America

The band's line-up was completed by guitarist Ad Sluijter, drummer Jeroen Simons, bassist Yves Huts, and keyboard player Coen Janssen. The name was later changed to Epica, inspired by Kamelot’s eponymous album. Epica then assembled a choir (made up of two men and four women) and a string orchestra (three violins, two violas, two cellos and an upright bass) to play along with them. Still under the name Sahara Dust, they produced a two-song demo entitled Cry for the Moon in 2002. As a result, they were signed to Transmission Records.

Epica performs a blend of progressive metal,[10][11][12] gothic metal[13][14][15] and symphonic metal.[16][17] Another component of Epica’s style is power metal;[16] their former guitarist Ad Sluijter having described the band as “a bridge between power metal and gothic metal.”[18] Simons has expressed a preference for the group to be described as symphonic metal[19] though the founder of the group Mark Jansen notes that they do not mind being called gothic metal.[20]

The music of Epica is aggressive, bombastic[21] and excessive[17] with some songs being “epic, grand and majestic” and others “more subdued and introspective.”[14] The band is also known to have progressive tendencies[22] while a gothic atmosphere and sentimentality is also present in their music.[14][17]

Personal life

Simone Simons, 2009

In January 2008 Simons was suffering from MRSA. This forced Epica to cancel many of their shows. In February, her condition improved, but she had not completely recovered. In March, Epica toured with Amanda Somerville, replacing Simons for their USA tour until May 11, 2008, when Simons performed again at their show in Bibelot, Dordrecht.[23]

Asked about her looks as one of the factors that attracts attention to Epica, Simons said: "First of all the most important is the sound of the band, because beauty will fade one day, and I hope my voice won't [Laughs]... But, yeah, you have two aspects of the band – the music (the CD's) and then the live side of it (the show), and part of the show is also that it has to look nice, so I take good care of myself, I make sure that the fans have something to look at during the show."[24]

Among her inspirations, Simons cited metal bands such as Lacuna Coil, Nightwish, Tristania, Kamelot, Within Temptation, Dimmu Borgir, Tiamat, some classical music such as Mozart. While appreciating tattoos in other people, Simons said she won't ever get one.[25]

Simons and long-time partner, Kamelot keyboard player Oliver Palotai have a son, Vincent Palotai, born on October 2, 2013.[26] In December 2013, Simons announced on her blog that she had recently got married to Palotai.[27]

Simons runs a blog called "SmoonStyle", where she writes about her fashion, makeup, food and experiences she has had as a member of Epica, as well as in her personal life.[28]

Discography

With Epica

Albums

Singles

DVDs

Other releases

Guest appearances

References

  1. Simone Simons. Epica.nl. Retrieved on 2011-12-04.
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  4. http://www.spotlightreport.net/slider/on-the-spot-epicas-lead-vocalist-simone-simons-interview Archived May 1, 2013 at the Wayback Machine
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  10. Rivadavia, Eduardo. Simone Simons at AllMusic. Retrieved 2011-08-18.
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  23. [1] Archived November 29, 2012 at the Wayback Machine
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External links

Preceded by as vocalist for Sahara Dust Vocalist for Epica
since 2003
Incumbent