Sharon den Adel
Template:Short description Template:Use dmy dates Template:Use American English Template:Family name hatnote Template:Infobox musical artist Sharon Janny den Adel (born 12 July 1974) is a Dutch singer who is the lead vocalist of the symphonic metal band Within Temptation. She has been performing since age 14, and co-founded Within Temptation with partner Robert Westerholt in 1996. She was also elected to be the Dutch chairperson of the jury for the Eurovision Song Contest 2018.<ref name="eurovisie">Template:Cite web</ref>
Early life
Sharon Janny den Adel was born on 12 July 1974 in Waddinxveen.<ref name=WTSharon>Template:Cite web</ref> She lived in Indonesia for five years as a child. The Balinese dancers that she saw during that time inspired her dance movements on stage.<ref>Template:Cite webTemplate:Cbignore</ref> After returning from Suriname to the Netherlands, she was bullied by classmates because of her different clothing style, hairstyle, and darkened skin.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> From the age of 14, she performed with various bands, including a blues rock band called Kashiro.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref> As their partnership grew, in 1996 they came to form a band called The Portal, though the name was changed to Within Temptation before their debut recording.<ref name=WTSharon /><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Den Adel has a bachelor's degree in fashion design.<ref name="aboutinterview">Template:Cite web</ref>
Career
Training and voice
Sharon never formally studied singing and stated in a 2006 interview that she had sung a short while in a choir and was mostly self-taught.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> She used to practice alone three or four hours per day.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> She has been described as possessing a mezzo-soprano voice.<ref name="Sharon">Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Within Temptation
Robert Westerholt and den Adel formed Within Temptation (initially called The Portal, though the name was changed before their first recording) in 1996. Westerholt had introduced den Adel to his music when he performed with the band The Circle, which was sonically similar to the music that Within Temptation would make.<ref name="QA"/><ref name=WTSharon /> She has defined their work as epic and cinematic.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Her vocals play a major role in the band's sound, despite having never received formal vocal training.<ref name="QA">Template:Cite web</ref>
Before Within Temptation became famous, she worked for a fashion company, leaving after the band found success with their hit single "Ice Queen". She utilizes her fashion expertise by designing her stage costumes and the band's merchandise.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> About.com described den Adel as a "versatile and skilled singer who is equally adept at singing powerfully with a full orchestra and choir as she is at singing quietly and emotionally with just a piano."<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> When asked if she prefers to sing in Dutch or English, den Adel said that she favors the latter because "Dutch just doesn't fit to our music style. It is also not the nicest language to sing in. Italian or Spanish would then be better options."<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
The band were invited several times to compete at the Eurovision Song Contest as the Dutch representatives, but they have declined every time since they find it not the best place for a metal band to present themselves. In 2018, den Adel was then selected as a juror for that year's edition.<ref name="eurovisie" /><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
My Indigo
Template:Main On 9 November 2017, den Adel announced on the Dutch TV-show RTL Late Night, that on the following day 10 November 2017, the first single for her solo project My Indigo, also entitled "My Indigo", would be released.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web </ref> According to den Adel, the project was originally not intended to be released to the general public as it was for her a form to deal with personal problems, and also due to a writer's block for composing for Within Temptation. After two years composing for herself and with regained inspiration to write for Within Temptation, den Adel decided to share the project publicly as a separate project named "My Indigo".<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The self titled first album was released on 20 April 2018.
Collaborations with other artists
Template:Multiple image Besides her main work on Within Temptation, den Adel has performed on-stage and in the studio with several notable artists from varied musical genres, including Tarja Turunen, Armin van Buuren, After Forever, De Heideroosjes, Oomph!, Delain, Agua de Annique, Anneke van Giersbergen and Evanescence. Before forming Within Temptation, den Adel worked together with Voyage, formed by some of the future Within Temptation members, on the track "Frozen" (not to be confused with the Within Temptation song of the same title).
The vocalist took part in several rock and metal opera projects, singing the part of Anna Held in two of Tobias Sammet's Avantasia releases, The Metal Opera and The Metal Opera Part II, later also singing the part of the "Muse" in the 2016 album Ghostlights. She also took the part of the "Indian" on Ayreon's rock opera Into the Electric Castle. Den Adel then collaborated on two of Timo Tolkki's projects, being a guest vocalist on Timo Tolkki's Avalon track "Shine", for the work The Land of New Hope, and was featured in his solo project track "Are You the One?".
Within the symphonic metal scene, den Adel collaborated with After Forever on the track "Beyond Me", released on the album Prison of Desire, performing the song live with the band at selected concerts.<ref name="Beyond Me">Template:Cite web</ref> She was part of a duet with Marko Hietala on the track "No Compliance" for Delain's album Lucidity, also joining the band on selected live performances of the song.<ref name="Delain live">Template:Cite web</ref> Den Adel was one of the guest vocalists invited for Tarja Turunen's rendition of Feliz Navidad, which featured an ensemble of names from the heavy metal scene and was released as a benefit single.<ref name="Feliz Navidad">Template:Cite web</ref> Template:Multiple image Also venturing on other musical genres, den Adel co-wrote and recorded the vocals for the track "In and Out of Love" on Armin van Buuren's 2008 trance album Imagine, which earned them awards for "Best Progressive House/Trance Track" and "Best video" on the International Dance Music Awards.<ref name="2009 nominees">Template:Cite web</ref> They performed a special version of the song alongside the Metropole Orchestra at the 2010 edition of the Golden Harp gala ceremony, where van Buuren was awarded for his musical work.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> At the 2009 edition of the Night of the Proms, den Adel made a guest appearance during John Miles' performance of "Stairway to Heaven".<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> At the end of 2012, den Adel made an appearance on a charity campaign made by a Belgian radio station to raise money for children singing the chorus of the song het Meneer Konijn lied among other Belgian celebrities.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The song later topped the Belgian charts.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In 2014, den Adel collaborated with Dutch rapper Ali B on the track "Hier".<ref name="Ali B">Template:Cite web</ref>
In 2020, Sharon was asked by American metal band Evanescence to collaborate with them for their single "Use My Voice". Along with lead singer Amy Lee, other musicians joined in on the song such as rock vocalists Lzzy Hale, Taylor Momsen, Deena Jakoub and many more as well as Lindsey Stirling.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> During the co-headlining Worlds Collide tour, den Adel joined the band on stage to perform the song at selected dates.<ref name="wcamsterdam">Template:Cite web</ref>
Personal life
Den Adel and long-term partner and bandmate Robert Westerholt have three children together. Their first child was born in December 2005.Template:Citation needed In February 2009, Den Adel announced that she was pregnant with her second child,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> who was born in June 2009.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In November 2010, she announced that she was expecting her third child. The birth of her third son was announced in March 2011.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Den Adel and Westerholt eventually married in 2018.Template:Citation needed
Discography
Within Temptation
My Indigo
Guest appearances
| Year | Title | Main or other artist(s) | Album |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1996 | "Frozen" | Voyage | Embrace |
| 1997 | "Hear" | Silicon Head | Bash |
| 1998 | "Isis & Osiris" | Ayreon | Into the Electric Castle |
| "Amazing Flight" | |||
| "The Decision Tree" | |||
| "Tunnel of Light" | |||
| "The Garden of Emotions" | |||
| "Cosmic Fusion" | |||
| "Another Time, Another Space" | |||
| 1999 | "Regular Day in Bosnia" | De Heideroosjes | Schizo |
| 2000 | "Beyond Me" | After Forever | Prison of Desire |
| "Farewell" | Avantasia | The Metal Opera The Metal Opera: Pt 1 & 2 – Gold EditionTemplate:Ref label | |
| "Behold" | Orphanage | Inside | |
| "Fly" | Paralysis | Architecture of the Imagination | |
| "Architecture of the Imagination" | |||
| 2001 | "Last Call to Humanity" | De Heideroosjes | Fast Forward |
| 2002 | "Time" | Aemen | Fooly Dressed |
| "Waltz" | |||
| "Into the Unknown" | Avantasia | The Metal Opera Part II The Metal Opera: Pt 1 & 2 – Gold EditionTemplate:Ref label | |
| "Are You the One?" | Timo Tolkki | Hymn to Life | |
| 2005 | "Candy" | De Heideroosjes | Template:N/ATemplate:Ref label |
| 2006 | "No Compliance" | Delain (also featuring Marko Hietala) | Lucidity |
| 2008 | "In and Out of Love" | Armin van Buuren | Imagine |
| 2009 | "Somewhere"Template:Ref label | Agua de Annique | Pure Air |
| "Stupid" | Chris Jones | Template:N/A | |
| "Stairway to Heaven" | John Miles, Katona Twins | Template:N/ATemplate:Ref label | |
| 2010 | "Land Ahead" | Oomph! | Truth Or Dare |
| 2011 | "Keep Breathing" | Ruud Jolie | For All We Know |
| 2012 | "Nostradamus" | Coeverduh | Wesley Against Society |
| "Between Two Worlds And I" | Leander Rising | Heart Tamer | |
| "Het Meneer Konijn Lied" | Various artists | De Vrienden Van Meneer Konijn | |
| 2013 | "Shine" | Avalon | The Land of New Hope |
| "No Compliance" | Delain | Template:N/ATemplate:Ref label | |
| "Restless" | Template:N/ATemplate:Ref label | ||
| 2014 | "Hier" | Ali B | Ali B en de Muziekkaravaan |
| 2016 | "Isle of Evermore" | Avantasia | Ghostlights |
| "Paradise (What About Us?)" (new mix) | Tarja Turunen | The Brightest Void | |
| 2017 | "Feliz Navidad" | Feliz Navidad | |
| 2019 | "Sirens" | Saint Asonia | Flawed Design |
| 2020 | "Use My Voice" | Evanescence | The Bitter Truth |
| 2022 | "Faded Out" | Asking Alexandria | The Retaliators (Music from the Motion Picture) and See What's on the Inside (Deluxe edition) |
- ATemplate:Note Special edition later released.
- BTemplate:Note Special appearance at the Pinkpop Festival.
- CTemplate:Note Cover of the Within Temptation song, from The Silent Force.
- DTemplate:Note Special rendition of the song for the 2009 Night of the Proms in the Netherlands.
- ETemplate:Note Special appearance at the Metal Female Voices Fest.
Other songs
| Year | Title | Album |
|---|---|---|
| 2018 | "Just What I Need Tonight" | Liefde Voor Muziek (Live) |
| "Virgin State Of Mind" | ||
| "Things That I Should Have Done" |
Videography
Template:Col-begin Template:Col-2
Within Temptation
Guest appearances
- Time with Aemen (2003)
- In and Out of Love with Armin van Buuren (2008)
- We Are the Others with Delain (2012)
- Hier with Ali B (2014)
- Faded Out with Asking Alexandria (2022)
- Light Can Only Shine in the Darkness with Lord of the Lost (2025)
Filmography
- Karo wil goed dood (2023)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Awards
| Awards | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Award | Category | Nominated Work | Result<ref name="2009 nominees" /><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> |
| 2009 | International Dance Music Awards | Best Progressive House/Trance Track | In and Out of Love (Armin van Buuren feat. Sharon den Adel) |
Template:Won |
| Best video | Template:Won | |||
| 2011 | Loudwire Music Awards | Rock Goddess of the Year | Sharon den Adel | Template:Won |
| 2014 | Template:Won | |||
References
External links
- Sharon den Adel on the website of Within Temptation
- Sharon den Adel on Discogs
- Pages with broken file links
- Dutch women rock singers
- 1974 births
- Living people
- Dutch expatriates in Indonesia
- Dutch expatriates in Hong Kong
- Dutch fashion designers
- Dutch women singer-songwriters
- Dutch singer-songwriters
- Dutch heavy metal singers
- Dutch mezzo-sopranos
- English-language singers from the Netherlands
- Women heavy metal singers
- People from Waddinxveen
- Within Temptation members
- 20th-century Dutch women singers
- 21st-century Dutch women singers
- 21st-century Dutch singers
- Dutch women fashion designers