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Simone Simons

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Not to be confused with Simone Simon.

Simone Simons
Simons with Epica live at Hellfest 2022
Simons with Epica live at Hellfest 2022
Background information
Birth nameSimone Johanna Maria Simons
Born (1985-01-17) 17 January 1985 (age 39)[1]
Hoensbroek, Limburg, Netherlands
GenresSymphonic metal, classical, progressive metal
Occupation(s)Singer, songwriter
Years active2002–present
Member of
Spouse
​
(m. 2013)​
WebsiteEpica Official Blog Personal Website

Simone Johanna Maria Simons (born 17 January 1985)[2] is a Dutch singer. She is best known for being the lead singer of Dutch symphonic metal band Epica, which she joined at the age of seventeen, releasing eight studio albums and touring the world. In her singing career, she has also collaborated with bands such as Kamelot, Leaves' Eyes, Primal Fear, Ayreon, and Angra. She also has a side pursuit as a lifestyle blogger, via her website SmoonStyle.[3]

Early life

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Simons was born in Hoensbroek, Heerlen, near the border with Germany and Belgium. She has a younger sister named Janneke who was born on Simone's second birthday.[4] At age 10 she started taking singing lessons, taking also flute lessons for two years, and then joined a music school at age 12.[5] At age 15 she switched from pop/jazz singing lessons to study as a lyrical singer, becoming also interested in classical music and composition, after listening to Nightwish's second album Oceanborn and hearing Tarja Turunen's voice for the first time.[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 at the age of 17, after meeting Mark Jansen through the After Forever's blog and fanclub.[8]

Simons cited her musical influences as Lacuna Coil, Nightwish, Tristania, Kamelot, Within Temptation, Dimmu Borgir, Tiamat, and some classical music such as Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.[citation needed]

Epica

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Main article: Epica (band)
Simons performing with Epica live @ Revolution Live, Ft. Lauderdale
Simons performing with Epica in 2014

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 Iren 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.

Personal life

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In January 2008, Simons was suffering from recurrent MRSA infections. 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 United States tour until 11 May 2008, when Simons performed again at their show in Bibelot, Dordrecht.[10]

Asked about her looks as one of the factors that attract 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 CDs) 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."[11]

Simons and long-time partner, Kamelot keyboard player Oliver Palotai have a son, Vincent Palotai, born on 2 October 2013.[12] In December 2013, Simons announced on her blog that she had recently married Palotai.[13] They reside in Stuttgart, Germany. In the past, she had a relationship with Mark Jansen; the relationship ended in 2005, shortly after the release of Consign to Oblivion.[14] Simons first met Jansen in the chatroom on After Forever's website, when Jansen was searching for a singer for a side project, with the then-16 year old Simons making a positive impression after singing to him over the phone during their first telephone conversation.[15]

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.[3]

Discography

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Studio albums:

With Epica

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Main article: Epica discography

Guest appearances

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Filmography

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References

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  1. ^ "Simone Simons". Epica.nl. Retrieved 4 December 2011.
  2. ^ "Simone Simons". Epica.nl. Archived from the original on 28 October 2012. Retrieved 18 November 2012.
  3. ^ a b "A Beauty & Lifestyle Blog by Simone Simons". SmoonStyle.com. Retrieved 28 July 2014.
  4. ^ "Smoon's Snoepjes (Smoon's Candies)". SmoonStyle.com. Retrieved 13 February 2015.
  5. ^ "On the Spot - Epica's Lead Vocalist Simone Simons Interview". Spotlightreport.net. 14 April 2013. Archived from the original on 1 May 2013.
  6. ^ "Biography". Simone Simons.nl. Archived from the original on 12 January 2013. Retrieved 18 November 2012.
  7. ^ di Viale, Alberto. "Epica – part I (English version) Simone Simons". Heavy Worlds.com. Retrieved 10 September 2007.
  8. ^ "Simone Simons". A New Age Dawns – Fã Clube Oficial Brasileiro do Epica (in Portuguese). Archived from the original on 27 September 2013. Retrieved 18 November 2012.
  9. ^ a b "Epica". Metal Storm.ee. Retrieved 19 November 2012.
  10. ^ "Simone Simons". Listal.com. Archived from the original on 29 November 2012.
  11. ^ "Epica – הקונספירציה חוזרת לישראל" [Epica - The conspiracy returns to Israel]. Metalist.co.il (in Hebrew). Retrieved 18 November 2012.
  12. ^ "Simone and Oliver have a little boy!". Epica.nl. 4 October 2013. Archived from the original on 4 October 2013. Retrieved 4 October 2013.
  13. ^ Simons, Simone (2 December 2013). "Vrolijk Kerstfeest!". SmoonStyle.com. Retrieved 28 July 2014.
  14. ^ FaceCulture. "Epica interview - Mark Jansen (part 2)". YouTube. Archived from the original on 21 December 2021. Retrieved 23 January 2021.
  15. ^ Begai, Carl. "Epica - The Ecstasy of Agony". Bravewords. Retrieved 25 August 2021.
  16. ^ "Epica's Simone Simons To Release Debut Solo Album". Blabbermouth.net. 6 May 2024. Retrieved 7 May 2024.
  17. ^ "First singer for Avalon II revealed!". Avalon Opera.com. 7 October 2013. Archived from the original on 24 October 2013. Retrieved 23 October 2013.
  18. ^ "New Album "Secret Garden" Announced By Angra". Metal Underground. 17 November 2014. Retrieved 17 November 2014.
  19. ^ Countermove (8 December 2014). "The Power of Love : Dutch Metal For Serious Request 2014". YouTube. Retrieved 29 March 2018.
  20. ^ "New Ayreon Album: Guest Musicians". Arjen Lucassen Official. Retrieved 29 December 2016.
  21. ^ theholographicalena (1 December 2017). "TARJA – Feliz Navidad (Barbuda Relief and Recovery Charity Version)". YouTube. Archived from the original on 21 December 2021. Retrieved 29 March 2018.
  22. ^ "Electric Castle Live And Other Tales (2CD/DVD)". Mascot Label Group. 27 March 2020. Retrieved 12 May 2020.
  23. ^ "Ex-Delain Singer Charlotte Wessels Teams Up With Epica's Simone Simons For New Single 'Dopamine'". Blabbermouth.net. 11 July 2024. Retrieved 12 July 2024.
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