Sharon den Adel

Sharon den Adel
Sharon den Adel at Black Symphony in Rotterdam
Background information
Birth name	Sharon Janny den Adel
Also known as	Sharon den Adel
Born	12 July 1974 (1974-07-12) (age 36)
Origin	Waddinxveen, South Holland, Netherlands
Genres	Symphonic metal, symphonic rock
Occupations	Singer-songwriter, fashion designer
Instruments	Vocals
Years active	1996 -present
Labels	Roadrunner, DSFA, Gun
Associated acts	Within Temptation
Website	Within Temptation Official

Sharon Janny den Adel (born 12 July 1974, in Waddinxveen, South Holland, Netherlands) is a Dutch singer and composer, best known as the lead vocalist and one of the main songwriters in the Dutch symphonic metal/rock band Within Temptation. She has performed with various bands since she was 13, including a blues rock band called Kashiro,^[1] and joined Robert Westerholt in Within Temptation in 1996.^[2]

Within Temptation

Together with her boyfriend, Robert Westerholt, den Adel is one of the founding members of Within Temptation. She has defined their work as epic and cinematic^[3]. Her vocals play a major role in the band's sound, despite having never received formal vocal training. ^[4] Sharon has sings in the mezzo-soprano range but her vocal quality is light and lyric despite her range. ^[5] Before Within Temptation became famous, Sharon worked for a fashion company. As the band became more successful with their hit single Ice Queen, Sharon left the fashion industry to focus on music. She utilises her fashion expertise by designing her stage costumes and the band's merchandise. ^[6]

Other bands

Sharon den Adel has performed on-stage and in the studio with several notable bands, including Armin van Buuren, After Forever, De Heideroosjes, and Delain. She sang the part of Anna Held in Tobias Sammet's Avantasia projects, and the part of the Indian on Ayreon's rock opera Into the Electric Castle. She sang the vocals of one Timo Tolkki song, "Are You The One?", co-wrote and provided the vocals for the track "In And Out Of Love" from Armin van Buuren's 2008 album Imagine, and sang on the track "No Compliance" for Delain's album Lucidity, as well as working with the band Voyage on the track "Frozen" (not to be confused with the Within Temptation song of the same title).

Personal life

Sharon den Adel and long-term partner Robert Westerholt have a daughter, Eva Luna, who was born on 7 December 2005. She was pregnant with Luna during the band's The Silent Force tour. They currently live near Hilversum, in the Netherlands and they have two cats, Haplo and Lola. On 22 February 2009, Sharon announced that she was pregnant with her second child.^[7] The band's website subsequently announced that, on 1st June 2009, Robin Aiden Westerholt was born. Going by the name of Aiden, he was born premature at 32 weeks & 6 days ^[8]

Discography

Within Temptation

Studio Albums

• Enter (1997)
• Mother Earth (2000)
• The Silent Force (2004)
• The Heart of Everything (2007)
• TBA (2010)

Singles and EPs

• Restless (1997)
• The Dance (EP) (1998)
• Our Farewell (2001)
• Ice Queen (2001)
• Mother Earth (2002)
• Never Ending Story (Promo only) (2003)
• Running Up That Hill (EP) (2003)
• Stand My Ground (2004)
• Memories (2005)
• Angels (2005)
• Jillian (I'd Give My Heart) (Promo only) (2005)
• What Have You Done (2007)
• Frozen (2007)
• The Howling (compilation/EP) (2007)
• All I Need (2007)
• Forgiven (2008)
• Utopia (2009)

DVD

• Mother Earth Tour (2002)
• The Silent Force Tour (2005)
• Black Symphony (2008)

Live Albums

• Black Symphony (2008)
• An Acoustic Night at the Theatre (2009)

Guest Appearances

• Embrace (Voyage, 1996) "Frozen"
• Bash (Silicon Head, 1997) "Hear"
• Into the Electric Castle (Ayreon, 1998) "Isis & Osiris", "Amazing Flight", "The Decision Tree", "Tunnel of Light", "The Garden of Emotions", "Cosmic Fusion", "Another Time, Another Space"
• Schizo (De Heideroosjes, 1999) "Regular Day in Bosnia"
• Prison of Desire (After Forever, 2000) "Beyond Me"
• The Metal Opera (Avantasia, 2000) "Farewell"
• Inside (Orphanage, 2000) "Behold"
• Architecture of the Imagination (Paralysis, 2000) "Fly", "Architecture of the Imagination"
• Fast Forward (De Heideroosjes, 2001) "Last Call to Humanity"
• Fooly Dressed (Aemen, 2002) "Time", "Waltz"
• The Metal Opera Part II (Avantasia, 2002) "Into the Unknown"
• Hymn to Life (Timo Tolkki, 2002) "Are You the One?"
• Lucidity (Delain, 2006) "No Compliance"
• "Crucify" (De Laatste Show-band, Tori Amos cover live)
• Imagine (Armin van Buuren, 2008) "In and Out of Love"
• The Metal Opera: Pt 1 & 2 - Gold Edition (Avantasia, 2008) "Farewell", "Into the Unknown"
• Pure Air (Agua de Annique, 2009) "Somewhere" (Duet)
• Night of the Proms 2009 (John Miles, Katona Twins, Sharon den Adel) "Stairway to Heaven"
• Truth Or Dare (Oomph!, 2010) "Land Ahead"

Notes

External links

• Within Temptation official website (English, Dutch and German)
• Discogs Profile

Interviews

• Interview with Live-Metal.net
• Interview with About Heavy Metal
• Ask The Artist
• Interview with Sharon den Adel