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Above all, I would like to inspire other people to be themselves, to find their identities.”

Wikimetal (Daniel Dystyler): Hi, can I speak to Simone Simons, please?

Simone Simons: Yes, this is her speaking.

W (DD): Hi Simone, how are you? This is Daniel from Wikimetal in Brazil, how are you?

SS: Very well, thank you. How are you?

W (DD): Very well, thank you. It's an honor and a pleasure to have you here on our program. Thank you so much for spending this time with us.

SS: Thank you too.

W (DD): To start, could you talk a little about Epica's latest album, "Requiem for the Indifferent"? How has the album been received by fans? It's an excellent album, so could you elaborate on it?

SS: Yes, it's the fifth studio album, and “Requiem for the Indifferent” had a concept behind the CD; it's about people who are indifferent to the current problems of our society… Those who don't care should change their thinking, everyone will come together to work for a better future. And the music in general, when I listen to the CD, I think it's one of the heaviest, but also one of the most melancholic albums we've written. For example, “Design Your Universe” is very bombastic and epic. “Requiem for the Indifferent” is a bit darker, in a way. It has very melancholic, dark parts, and some songs have… Especially the last one on the album, “Serenade of Self Destruction,” has a sad message, and besides that, I think one of the best songs we've ever written is there, “Storm the Sorrow.” It's a big hit, and we recorded a video for it, and the fans loved it. During our live shows, we play “Storm the Sorrow,” we always open with “Monopoly on Truth.” “Delirium” is almost acoustic and a cappella, it’s very intimate. So, yes, we’re already working on the sixth album. For me, “Requiem” is already an old album.

W (DD): Yes, yes, so you're already working on a new album… Is there anything you could tell us about it?

SS: Well, these are more basic songs, and we have a new song that we're going to play during our show in Eindhoven on March 23rd, so we wrote a new song especially for that occasion, so that's big news. And as soon as we play that show, we can focus more on working on the songs and detailing them more, and making some demos in the studio. Right now we're very busy, we're preparing for a big show, so the songs we wrote before are kind of put away in a drawer, and we'll pick them up later so we can continue working on them. But so far, Isaac has written a lot of songs, and Mark. They are the main songwriters on the new album. Our new bassist has also started writing songs, he has a very cool, very different style, so we'll see which songs we can use from which songwriter, so we'll try to make an amazing album.

W (DD): Excellent, I'm sure you'll do that. Let's talk a little about the beginning of your career, what came first, your interest in more classical singing, or rock 'n' roll? And what were your main influences at the time?

SS: My main influences when I started… When I was little, I liked Whitney Houston because when I was twelve, I sang in a school musical, and my music teacher told me I had a good voice and that I should start taking singing lessons and do more with my voice, so I started taking pop and jazz lessons. I didn't like it very much, I only did it for a year. I played the flute, and then I slowly started getting involved with rock, punk, alternative music, and then I got into metal because my first boyfriend was a metalhead, and that's how I discovered metal bands like Lacuna Coil, Nightwish… Nightwish in particular, I love the classic female vocals combined with metal. Then I got in touch with Mark, and he started the band Epica, and I joined Epica, and that's how it all began. So in the beginning of Epica, I sang more classically, and over the years, I developed a style that was more between classic pop and rock, to be more versatile, and not all of these songs need classical singing. I think if we do too much of it, it gets a bit saturated. It's not always necessary. Operatic singing is, in a way, always beautiful, and sometimes you need something more raw… That's better.

Recording a solo album is definitely on my agenda. Metal, but I'm also going to record a jazz CD, maybe even classical.”

W (DD): And when you joined Epica, you were very, very young. And since you mentioned Nightwish, Tarja Turunen must have been a big influence. How do you feel nowadays, now that you're one of the big influences for teenage girls who are learning to sing because of you?

SS: I think it's incredible. I love listening to other bands, they're a source of inspiration, they motivate you to pursue what you can do with your talent. To think that I'm an example for them is a great honor, but it's also very surreal for me, because I don't think I'm perfect, and if other people think you're really cool and want to be like you… I don't see myself as a role model, I just do what I like, and we're writing lyrics for other people, but above all, I'd like to inspire other people to be themselves, to find their identities, instead of…

W (DD): Excellent, well, everyone has flaws, and I'm sure you're a great role model for all those teenage girls who are starting their careers. We have a classic question on our show that we ask all our guests, which is, imagine you're listening to your iPod on shuffle, and there's a lot of heavy metal music, or you're listening to a rock station while driving your car, and suddenly a song starts playing that makes you lose your mind, and you feel like headbanging immediately, no matter where you are, you can't stop, you can't contain yourself. What song would that be, so we can hear it on the show now?

SS: I was recently listening to Rammstein again. I loved Rammstein when I was younger, and I still love them now. They give me a good feeling, they make me move in an uncontrollable way. It's easy to go crazy with them. Maybe from their new album, I really like "Haifisch," it's from "Liebe ist für alle da."

W (DD): You're always invited to contribute to other bands' albums, like Kamelot or Primal Fear. What's it like to participate in these recordings, and can we expect to hear a solo album from Simone Simons someday?

SS: All contributions greatly enrich my voice, and me as an artist. I have a special relationship with Kamelot because when Epica was still called Sahara Dust, we went to the studio to record "The Phantom Agony," and we were looking for a band name, and Kamelot was in the same studio, recording an album called "Epica." We loved the name, we loved Kamelot as a band, and also the meaning of the name. So that's how we started. We wanted Roy to sing on one of our albums, and they wanted a female vocalist, so I sang on "The Haunting," on "The Black Halo," and Roy sang with us. Since then, we've toured together, and in total, I think I've sung on five Kamelot songs, on three different albums. I've toured with them many times, and I've been with Kamelot's keyboardist for seven years, and every time I hear "The Haunting" I get nervous. With Epica stuff, I never get nervous, but I don't know why, with "The Haunting"... I have a special connection with it, I love that song, I loved when we filmed the video, and Kamelot is like my second band, my family. And the second question was...? Can you repeat that?

W (DD): Can we expect a solo album from Simone Simons in the future?

SS: Yes, definitely. When I have free time, I'm going to write like crazy. Since Epica is touring a lot, I'll probably record my solo album and do some shows, but I won't do a full tour because Epica is my priority, and we're already touring a lot. But this will definitely be part of my schedule: recording a solo album. Metal, but I'll also record a jazz CD, maybe even classical, I don't know. A solo album takes years of preparation, and so far Epica has been my full-time job, so I don't have much free time.

W (DD): Excellent, I'm looking forward to your future projects, solo projects. Is there any specific artist you'd like to work with in the future?

SS: I love Opeth, I always have, and I still love them very much. Outside of metal, it would be Imogen Heap. She's a solo artist, singer/songwriter, who plays all the instruments, and she's very different. I don't know if she writes her own music, but I love her voice, it gives me chills, so singing with her would be incredible. Rammstein sometimes has female vocals on their albums, so since I'm living in Germany now, maybe I should make some contacts, but that will probably never happen, but you never know. I could never have imagined that I would record with Kamelot, and now I've sung on three of their albums. So that's another thing I'd like to say to everyone: never think that your dreams won't come true, always believe in them, and when you have the chance, go for it, don't overthink it, just do it.

W (DD): Excellent, it's going to be really cool to see you sing with Rammstein, it's going to be great.

SS: Yes… This will be cool.

W (DD): Could you choose a song that you are very proud to have participated in or recorded, so that we can listen to it on Wikimetal now?

SS: Yes, let's listen to "The Haunting" by Kamelot.

"Back then, I could never have imagined that I would record with Kamelot, and now I've sung on three of their albums."

W (DD): What's it like working with Sascha Paeth again, and what is his importance to Epica's music?

SS: Sascha is like the seventh member of the band; he's been involved with Epica since day one. He's been working with me on my vocals, and he's been reworking some songs, bringing more structure to them, selecting which ones have potential, and which ones need more work… So he's a wonderful guy, he has a great sense of humor, energy, he's very creative, talented, and we consider him a member of the band. We work with him again and again, he knows us very well, he's like family when we go to work with him. He's truly an amazing guy with a heart of gold.

W (DD): He also produced great Brazilian heavy metal bands.

SS: Yes, like André Mattos. They are great friends.

W (DD): I think you sang on “Consign to Oblivion” with André, right?

SS: He sang in the choir, yes. He's a very funny guy too. He has those big eyelashes and huge eyes. He speaks German perfectly.

W (DD): He's a great friend of mine. He's a really cool guy.

SS: Say "hi" to him.

W (DD): Yes, we grew up together. He's very nice, I'll say "hi" to him.

SS: OK, cool.

W (DD): How does the heavy metal scene in the Netherlands compare to other northern European countries like Sweden and Germany? Is heavy metal still popular there?

SS: Yes, we definitely have a lot of festivals too. But I would say that when you walk down the street, you see a lot of metalheads, and in the Netherlands, it's still an underground scene.

W (DD): That sounds great. How is your health after the treatment in 2008? Are you completely cured?

SS: Yes, thank you for asking. I'm much better now, all that is behind me. I am, thankfully, completely free of that illness.

W (DD): I'm glad to hear that. Before we finish the interview, could you choose an Epica song for us to listen to on the show?

SS: “Storm the Sorrow”.

W (DD): Could you please leave a final message for all the Brazilian headbangers who are listening?

SS : Thank you, my dear Brazilian fans. Epica loves you, I love you, I can't wait for you to check out our new releases. I hope we can tour there again someday. Live the heavy metal lifestyle.

W (DD): Simone Simons on Wikimetal, thank you very much for your time, it was great talking to you, and count on Wikimetal whenever you need to promote anything from your solo careers, projects with other bands, or with Epica.

SS: Thank you very much.

W (DD): Thank you, goodbye, Simone.

SS: Bye.

Listen to the full episode here: