Anneke van Giersbergen

Anna Maria van Giersbergen (Sint-Michielsgestel, 8 March 1973), known artistically as Anneke van Giersbergen, is a Dutch singer, songwriter, guitarist and pianist. She became internationally known as the lead vocalist and principal songwriter of the progressive and atmospheric rock band The Gathering, of which she was a member from 1994 to 2007. During this period she recorded seminal albums such as Mandylion and Nighttime Birds (1997), which defined the band's sound and established her name on the international scene.

After leaving the group, she developed a successful solo career — initially under the project Agua de Annique and, from 2012 onwards, under her own name — and also formed the bands The Gentle Storm (2015) and VUUR (2017). She is recognised for her wide vocal range and stylistic versatility, having moved naturally between atmospheric rock, progressive metal, folk and acoustic pop over more than three decades.

A frequent collaborator of Arjen Anthony Lucassen and Devin Townsend, Anneke has also worked with artists such as Within Temptation, Anathema, Amorphis, Napalm Death, Moonspell, Novembers Doom, Globus, Lawn, Farmer Boys and Giant Squid, among many others. In 2019, she received the Buma ROCKS! Export Award, given annually by the Dutch copyright organisation Buma Cultuur to the Dutch artist with the greatest international presence in heavy music.

In 2025, The Gathering's classic Mandylion line-up reunited for a series of shows commemorating the album's 30th anniversary. The overwhelming response to the sold-out shows in the Netherlands led the band to an extensive world tour in 2026, with dates at festivals and venues across Europe, North America and South America.

Biography

Early life Anneke was born in the small town of Sint-Michielsgestel in the Netherlands. She began singing at age 7, when she took part in a music contest. By 12 she was singing in her school choir, which toured France. She later took singing lessons and joined her first band. After that first experience, Anneke went on to join several bands. In 1992, she co-founded the duo "Bad Breath" with guitarist and singer Deniz Cagdas (Spencer Edgards), a project rooted in blues, jazz, folk and funk.

The Gathering In 1994 she was invited to join The Gathering through a mutual friend. Her musical sensibility fitted perfectly with the changes the band intended to make, and the result was very successful.

Anneke's debut with the band, Mandylion, The Gathering's third album, was released on 22 August 1995. From her first album with the band, Anneke took on responsibility for the great majority of the lyrics, revealing not only her distinctive vocal style but also her skill in writing deep and intimate texts. The evolution at the helm of The Gathering was gradual and fascinating, leading the band to grow both in fan base and live activity. In 1996 she was a guest vocalist for the German band Farmer Boys on the song Never Let Me Down Again (a Depeche Mode cover).

On 6 June 1997, The Gathering released their second album with Anneke, Nighttime Birds. The album sold more than 90,000 copies and led to an extensive European tour. The band gradually made its mark on the scene, driven in large part by its then-unknown but talented vocalist. On How to Measure a Planet?, released on 26 January 1998, further evolution was evident, with Anneke exploring intense and varied vocalisations. That same year she was invited by Dutch multi-instrumentalist Arjen Anthony Lucassen to take part in his Ayreon project, recording vocals for Into the Electric Castle, a concept album about an alien entity kidnapping eight human souls from different eras. Anneke portrayed an Egyptian woman from the age of the pharaohs.

With if_then_else, released on 25 July 2000, Anneke was going through a difficult period in her personal life, during which she again experimented with changes in her singing and songwriting. At the time the end of her engagement was reflected in several lyrics, with the singer working up to 15 hours a day in the studio. The effort resulted in a deeply personal record that is nonetheless considered of the highest quality.

On 12 February 2003 the band released the acclaimed album Souvenirs. That same year, on 22 August 2003, The Gathering made their first live recording, the semi-acoustic Sleepy Buildings, recorded at The LUX Theatre in Nijmegen, Netherlands. Over time, Anneke consolidated her position as one of the finest vocalists in the genre.

On the personal side, Anneke's life was changing for the better. On 11 February 2003 she married drummer, manager and musician Rob Snijders.

In 2004, she was invited by the Dutch indie rock band Lawn to participate in their album Backspace on the song Fix.

In 2006, The Gathering released Home, showcasing a more refined Anneke whose voice at times hovered on a whisper. A maturity gained through years of practice was clearly perceptible. The band toured Europe, North America and South America; after a brief pause for Anneke to treat a bout of laryngitis, they resumed their schedule of shows with European dates and music festivals throughout 2006. In parallel, Anneke contributed vocals to the Drive By Wire project and to John Wetton's album ICON II. Still in 2006, she participated in the album Epicon by the British band Globus, where she sang and co-wrote the lyrics for Mighty Rivers Run, dueted with Christine Navarro on Diem Ex Dei and sang backing vocals on Orchard of Mine. The latter was used in 2007 in one of the trailers for Marvel Studios' film Spider-Man 3, with Anneke's voice featured prominently. She also participated in two songs by the British band Napalm Death.

In 2007, The Gathering toured North America and Canada again, this time alongside the Italian heavy metal band Lacuna Coil. The band was at its peak, internationally known and a reference point for many artists and bands. However, on 5 June 2007, Anneke announced her departure from The Gathering to pursue other projects and spend more time with her family. Her departure took place in August of that year, when she began her new project, Agua de Annique. Despite the announcement, Anneke and The Gathering still released a DVD, A Noise Severe, recorded at Teatro Caupolicán in Santiago, Chile, on 24 March 2007 and released on 31 October of that year.

Solo career

Agua de Annique The first Agua de Annique album was Air, released on 30 October 2007. The band was founded alongside Anneke's husband and drummer Rob Snijders, guitarist Joris Dirks and bassist Jacques de Haard. The album was marked by a more intimate and melancholic atmosphere.

In 2008 she contributed to the album Night Eternal by Portuguese band Moonspell, singing alongside Fernando Ribeiro on Scorpion Flower and appearing in the song's official music video. Also in February 2008, she performed Somewhere alongside Sharon den Adel of Within Temptation at the concert that would become the album and DVD/Blu-ray Black Symphony. The show took place at Ahoy, Netherlands, on 22–24 September 2008.

That same year, Anneke participated in the Ticket for Tibet project, which brought together several of the leading Dutch musicians. The project included a special performance, called Night of Tibet, for the Tibetan Buddhist spiritual leader the Dalai Lama. Also in 2008, Anneke participated again in the Ayreon project, on the album 01011001. The character she portrays is one of the Forever, an alien being of the same race that kidnapped her character from Into the Electric Castle.

On 30 January 2009, Anneke released her second solo album, Pure Air. From this release onwards, Anneke began adding her own name to the band name, presenting herself as "Anneke van Giersbergen with Agua de Annique". Following an acoustic direction, the album featured contributions from Sharon den Adel, Danny Cavanagh, Marike Jager, John Wetton, Niels Geusebroek, Arjen Lucassen and Kyteman. Pure Air contains songs from Air in acoustic form and some covers, including Ironic by Alanis Morissette and The Blower's Daughter by Damien Rice. Anneke also released, on 10 September, a live acoustic album entitled In Parallel, in partnership with Danny Cavanagh, guitarist and vocalist of the British band Anathema. The show, which contains songs from The Gathering, Anneke's solo career, Anathema and some covers, was recorded at the Little Devil venue in Tilburg, Netherlands. She was invited by the American post-metal band Giant Squid to participate in their album The Ichthyologist on the song Sevengill. In June, Anneke founded her own studio in the south of the Netherlands, which was named Aguarium through a competition held on her official website.

Later that year, on 6 October, Anneke released another studio album of original material, In Your Room. This time, Anneke adopted the name "Anneke van Giersbergen & Agua de Annique" and for the first time revealed a more pop rock sensibility that would become a tendency in her future recordings. The album's closing track, Just Fine, was co-written with Canadian vocalist, guitarist, songwriter and producer Devin Townsend, marking the beginning of a long and fruitful partnership. Even before recording In Your Room, Anneke had participated in Devin Townsend's album Addicted!, following a remarkable coincidence.

Also in 2009, on 30 October, Anneke participated in Within Temptation's live acoustic album An Acoustic Night at the Theatre, singing Somewhere as a duet with Sharon den Adel. The show was recorded at the Muziekcentrum Frits Philips in Eindhoven, Netherlands, and released in audio format only.

In 2010, the singer continued to make guest appearances. At the invitation of Dutch-Canadian singer, songwriter, producer and photographer Shane Shu, she recorded an acoustic version of the song Push Me to the Ground. She also participated in the Maiden uniteD project, which presents acoustic versions of songs by British heavy metal band Iron Maiden. Anneke sang on To Tame a Land (a duet with Damian Wilson) and Sun and Steel.

That same year, Anneke released the album Live in Europe, containing recordings of her own songs and songs from The Gathering in several European countries. This was the last release under the Agua de Annique name.

Anneke van Giersbergen In 2012, Anneke released the acclaimed album Everything Is Changing, produced by Portuguese musician Daniel Cardoso (Anathema), with whom she also co-wrote some of the compositions. This is the first work in which the singer chose to use only her own name, Anneke van Giersbergen. The influence of her collaborations with Devin Townsend is perceptible, with the songs becoming more progressive and featuring electronic arrangements. In 2011, Anneke had participated in the children's project De Beer Die Geen Beer Was, in partnership with drummer, actor, singer, producer and presenter Martijn Bosman, which tells the story of a bear in various adventures. Anneke not only sang some of the songs and recited poems on the album, but also participated in some of the performances during the Dutch tour that same year. She also recorded the song Mighty Rivers for the album Raised in Captivity by British vocalist, bassist and guitarist John Wetton. Also in 2011, she participated in the song What Could Have Been from the album Aphotic by American doom metal band Novembers Doom, and on the album Days to Come by Dutch musician Marcel Verbeek, singing Little Man.

That same year, Anneke collaborated once again with Yoav Goren on The Promise, the lead track from the second Globus album, Break From This World. She co-wrote the lyrics and was a featured vocalist in a duet with Lisbeth Scott. Anneke also sang on Everwake on the orchestral re-interpretation album by British progressive rock band Anathema, Falling Deeper, released on 5 September 2011. Before the year ended, Anneke participated in a live recording by Devin Townsend called By a Thread – Live in London, performing several of his albums in full, including the acclaimed Addicted!, which featured Anneke. She also participated in the album You May Never Know What Happiness Is by Dutch pop rock band Lorrainville, with lead and backing vocals on every song.

In 2012, Anneke appeared as a guest vocalist on the debut album of The Human Experimente project, which also features Robert Fripp of King Crimson, John Wetton of Asia and King Crimson, Maynard James Keenan of Tool, A Perfect Circle and Puscifer, Adrian Belew, Sean Kingston and Dann Pursey of Globus and Vantan. Also in 2012, Anneke collaborated once again with Devin Townsend on the album Epicloud. Anneke sang on virtually every track, including all songs on the demo album Epiclouder. She also collaborated with Dutch musician and producer DJ Hidden on the electronic music album Lights Off: Only You Can See, singing Only You Can See. Before the year ended, Anneke dueted with vocalist Kristin Fjellseth of Norwegian alternative rock band Pale Forest on Mandrake Makes a Hypnotic Gesture and Envy from the album Second Hand Balloons. She also participated in the live album Some December Evening by Lorrainville, singing on virtually the entire show.

Anneke van Giersbergen & Devin Townsend, live at The Retinal Circus, 2014.

In January 2013, Anneke received two Edison Award nominations, the most important music prize in the Netherlands, in the categories "Best Female Artist" and "Best Album" for Everything Is Changing. She also co-wrote and provided vocals for the theme song of Dutch film &Me, Please Baby Don't, and filmed a music video featuring scenes from the film. She also sang on I'm So Real by DJ Tronik. Once again, Anneke was invited by Devin Townsend to participate in a DVD project, The Retinal Circus, singing on several songs during the show.

That same year, Anneke released the studio album Drive on 20 September 2013. Unlike its predecessor, Drive has a more organic and direct sound and was recorded with all instruments played simultaneously in the same room. Drive was her first work with InsideOut Music and was produced by Arno Krabman. Turkish singer and multi-instrumentalist Hayko Cepkin appears on Mental Jungle. Before the year closed, Anneke also participated in Funeral from the album Make Your Own by French death metal band For Many Reasons.

In 2014, Anneke participated in the album The Act of Letting Go by the Cellarscape project, on the song The Same Place. She also joined the The Power of Love project, which brought together various Dutch rock and metal musicians in support of victims of sexual abuse in conflict zones. Also in 2014, she participated once again in a Devin Townsend album, Z², singing on all songs of disc 1, Sky Blue, and on some songs of disc 2, Dark Matters. Before year's end, she participated in the second studio album by Dutch band Lorrainville, Desire the Reckless, with lead and backing vocals. In November 2014, Anneke rejoined her former band The Gathering for two special shows bringing together all current and former members to celebrate the band's 25th anniversary. Called TG25: Live at Doornroosje, the shows featured songs from the band's entire history, performed as duets and collaborations among all the musicians who had ever been part of it.

In 2015, Anneke participated in the album Death is Just a Feeling by Turkish artist Amadeus Awad, singing on Opia, Sleep Paralysis and Lonesome Clown. That same year, she participated in the project The Theatre Equation, a musical based on the Ayreon album The Human Equation and staged in the Netherlands, portraying the character "Fear", replacing vocalist Mikael Åkerfeldt of Swedish death metal band Opeth.

In 2016, Anneke collaborated again with Devin Townsend on the album Transcendence.

In September 2017, she performed in the "Ayreon Universe" concert series at the 013 venue in Tilburg, Netherlands.

In 2018, she contributed her voice to the track Amongst Stars from the album Queen of Time by Finnish heavy metal band Amorphis, also appearing in the official music video.

In 2019, she collaborated once again with Devin Townsend on the album Empath. That same year, she joined the North American tour of Amorphis and Delain, presenting a solo set and performing Amongst Stars alongside Amorphis during their set.

On 26 February 2021, Anneke released The Darkest Skies Are The Brightest via InsideOut Music, her 23rd career album. The album was born from a period of personal crisis: in 2018, after self-financing the VUUR debut album and realising that a second venture would entail even greater financial risks, Anneke also found herself facing difficulties in her marriage. As a way of recovery, she retreated alone to a small house near a forest on the outskirts of Eindhoven and began composing with no intention of turning the songs into a full album — just an acoustic guitar and basic recording gear. In 2020, she invited her friend and producer Gijs Coolen to help polish the material, and eleven of the compositions became the album.

Musically, the album follows a more melancholic and intimate path compared to the progressive metal ventures that preceded it: it features mainly acoustic guitars, strings, brass and percussion, with all music and lyrics composed by Anneke herself. The title refers to the idea that, when facing personal challenges, we are forced to find answers to life's biggest questions. Also in 2021, Anneke appeared on the popular Dutch television programme Beste Zangers, where she made a strong impression on a wide and diverse audience.

In 2025, Anneke began an ambitious new solo project conceived as a trilogy. The series La Vie, La Mort, L'Amour — French for "Life, Death, Love" — traces an intimate emotional journey of love, loss and grief, inspired by the death of both her parents within just two months of each other. The first EP, La Vie, released on 28 February 2025, comprises four tracks: "One More Nanosecond", "When I Die", "More Than a Thousand Words" and "Heal Me". According to Anneke, the songs were recorded with her eight-piece live band and were musically inspired by the sounds of the 1980s and 1990s.

The second EP, La Mort, was released on 27 March 2026, with a special vinyl edition for Record Store Day on 18 April. Its four tracks are "Fade In Fade Out", "Handle Me with Care", "Red Sky" and "Sail Towards the Sun". The EP was recorded during an uninterrupted week in the studio with members of the live band, lending the material an organic character close to a live performance. The track "Sail Towards the Sun", according to Anneke, is a farewell to her father: he had built his own seaworthy sailboat with his own hands and the family spent many holidays sailing together. The third EP, as yet untitled, will be released simultaneously with a complete physical edition of the trilogy — as a CD Digipak and Gatefold LP — expected in 2027.

Side projects Between 2014 and 2016, Anneke was involved in several side projects, including The Sirens, The Gentle Storm, Verloren Verleden and De Nieuwe Madonna.

The Sirens On 4 June 2014, Anneke announced a new project in partnership with vocalists Liv Kristine (ex-Theatre of Tragedy, Leaves' Eyes) and Kari Rueslåtten (ex-The 3rd and the Mortal) called The Sirens. The project brought together the three considered pioneers of the female-fronted metal style, going on tour to perform songs from their former bands and current solo careers. Exclusively for the project, they presented three original songs: Embracing the Seasons, composed by Anneke; Sisters of the Earth, composed by Liv; and Fearless, composed by Kari. The Sirens toured various European countries and undertook a South American tour, including two shows in Brazil in February 2015. They also appeared at several European summer festivals, opening a show for Finnish band Nightwish on 29 August 2015. Coincidentally, that band was primarily inspired by the three bands represented by The Sirens' three vocalists, as stated by its creator Tuomas Holopainen :

The Gentle Storm

On 22 April of that year, Arjen Anthony Lucassen (creator of the Ayreon project) revealed that his next project would be a collaboration with Anneke van Giersbergen, their third work together after the Ayreon albums Into the Electric Castle and 01011001. He described it as "an epic double concept album". The album, called The Diary, featured two discs with the same 11 tracks in different arrangements: one heavier, oriented towards progressive and symphonic metal, and one lighter, acoustic and folk.

Arjen and Anneke undertook a small acoustic European tour in early 2015 before the album's release on 23 March 2015. The album was very well received by critics and audiences, leading to an extensive tour that ran from early 2015 into 2016, covering many European countries and several in the Americas, including the United States, Chile, Argentina and Brazil.

Verloren Verleden In 2015, Anneke announced a new album in partnership with the Icelandic folk band Árstíðir. The project, called Verloren Verleden (Lost Past in Dutch), presented contemporary arrangements of classical arias. The album was released on 12 February 2016 and was followed by a Dutch theatre tour in March of that year.

De Nieuwe Madonna After the success of the almost entirely sold-out tour alongside Árstíðir, Anneke announced in April 2016 a new acoustic tour of Dutch theatres, this time themed around the 1980s. The tour, called De Nieuwe Madonna (The New Madonna in Dutch), revived classic songs from that decade while seeking to recreate on stage the teenager's bedroom she grew up in, complete with posters of her favourite artists, her bed, skates and personal items. Once again the tour, which ran from 30 September to 25 November, was almost entirely sold out.

Also in 2016, Anneke was a guest of honour at Veteranendag, an event hosted by the King of the Netherlands in honour of the country's war veterans. In addition to performing the country's national anthems (old and current), Anneke sang other songs in tribute to those present. The event was broadcast live across the country.

As for collaborations with other artists, in 2016 she also participated in another Devin Townsend studio album, Transcendence , released on 9 September. In addition, Anneke recorded vocals for several songs on the album Silk by Dutch musician Peter Slager. She also lent her voice and image to the live shows of Dutch singer Paskal Jakobsen, which were projected onto a replica of an old painting on the concert stage.

To close 2016, Anneke hosted the first Anneke van Giersbergen Fan Weekend, an exclusive weekend programme for a select number of fans, consisting of shared accommodation at a hotel in Amsterdam, canal boat trips, karaoke, dinners and full access — including backstage — to the final show of The Gentle Storm's The Diary tour, which took place on 17 December.

Inchecken To celebrate her 25 years of career, Anneke undertook an extensive tour of 44 shows at Dutch theatres with an acoustic repertoire spanning her entire career. Simultaneously, she released an acoustic album with 11 acoustic re-recordings of career highlights, including songs from The Gathering, Devin Townsend, VUUR, Lorrainville, BLØF and her solo catalogue.

Avicii Tribute and Anneke Goes To Church Tour In 2020, Anneke performed a series of concerts alongside singer Niels Geusebroek, accompanied by the Noord Nederlands Orkest, as a tribute to Swedish DJ Avicii, who had passed away in 2018.

Also in 2020, Anneke announced a series of concerts at Dutch churches and cathedrals. Initially scheduled to begin in March of that year, the tour was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which caused the cancellation and rescheduling of all public events worldwide. The tour was rescheduled for September and October. Before the postponement, more than half the concerts had already sold out.

Other events she was scheduled to take part in — including a short acoustic tour of Norway in May and a Portuguese progressive metal festival — were also postponed.

During the quarantine period, Anneke remained at her home and studio, composing and recording new songs for her future solo album.

VUUR On 1 December 2016, Anneke announced through her social media the creation of her new band, VUUR (fire in Dutch, also interpreted as meaning "passion" or "unity" — chosen as a name representing Anneke's metal side). In a presentation video that revisited many eras and collaborations from Anneke's musical life, it was emphasised that VUUR would not simply be another of the singer's projects, but a permanent new band. The group was composed mostly of Anneke's former partners from The Gentle Storm live band: Anneke Van Giersbergen – lead vocals Ed Warby (ex-Ayreon, The Gentle Storm) – drums Johan van Stratum (ex-Stream of Passion, The Gentle Storm) – bass Ferry Duijsens (Anneke van Giersbergen, The Gentle Storm, The Sirens) – guitar Jord Otto (ex-ReVamp) – guitar

In the same announcement, Anneke confirmed that recording would begin in early 2017, with the first album expected for autumn of that year (spring in the Southern Hemisphere). Anneke described her new band as follows:

On the same day as the band's announcement, their first show was also revealed: 24 July 2017, at the Masters of Rock festival in the Czech Republic. Many festival dates were announced thereafter.

Initially, Marcela Bovio (ex-Stream of Passion, MaYan) was also to be part of the band. However, on 11 June 2017, Marcela announced her departure, amid the recording sessions, citing musical differences. Despite the second vocalist's departure, the album continued in production, with the band's first show taking place before its release, on 9 June 2017, at Neushoorn, Netherlands. On 2 June the band presented their first track, Days Go By - London, making clear that the band would be oriented towards progressive metal.

VUUR performed numerous shows at festivals and on their own tours across Europe, North America, South America, Japan and other countries, also touring alongside bands such as Epica and Delain. On 27 November 2019, Anneke posted on her Facebook that she had decided to release a solo album rather than continue with VUUR, which would go on hiatus.

Mandylion 30th anniversary shows (2025–2026) In December 2024, The Gathering announced the reunion of the classic Mandylion line-up — including Anneke van Giersbergen on vocals, Hugo Prinsen Geerligs on bass, Frank Boeijen on keyboards and backing vocals, Hans Rutten on drums, René Rutten on guitar and Jelmer Wiersma on guitar — for a series of shows commemorating the album's 30th anniversary.

The idea arose spontaneously during informal conversations among the band members, when they realised that Mandylion was approaching its thirtieth anniversary and decided to mark the occasion with something special. The album is considered the milestone of The Gathering's international breakthrough.

The reunion began with a warm-up show on 29 June 2025 at Dynamo in Eindhoven, followed by five sold-out performances at Doornroosje in Nijmegen, Netherlands, between 27 and 31 August 2025. The shows presented the complete Mandylion tracklist, along with other songs from the period when van Giersbergen was part of the band.

The overwhelming response from audiences led to an extensive run of shows at festivals and venues in 2026, with dates across Europe, North America and South America. The 2026 European tour opened on 19 May at the O2 Shepherd's Bush Empire in London and included stops in Paris, Pratteln (Switzerland), Milan, Lyon, Luxembourg, festivals such as Sweden Rock, Hellfest, Graspop and Wacken Open Air, as well as dates in Istanbul, Budapest, Lisbon and Cartagena.

At the shows, Anneke van Giersbergen demonstrated a remarkably well-preserved voice, while the band underscored the timeless quality of the material. The performances featured elaborate visual support with projections of lunar landscapes, cosmic imagery and cinematic colour fields, consistent with the atmospheric character of the music.

The tour concluded with a show at Movistar Arena in Santiago, Chile, on 17 October 2026, followed by a final performance at AFAS Live in Amsterdam on 16 January 2027, which also celebrated the 30th anniversary of Nighttime Birds, the 1997 follow-up album. In total, the series amounted to approximately 29 performances worldwide.

Vocal range

Anneke's vocal range was formerly classified as soprano. However, over the years her register dropped somewhat, leading to her reclassification as a mezzo-soprano.

Her vocal range spans from C3 to A5.

Highest notes Below is a list of some of Anneke's highest recorded notes:

A5: Nighttime Birds G♯5: To Catch a Thief G5: When I'm Laid in Earth (live), Morphias Waltz, In Deference F♯5: Tunnel of Light, Supercrush!, Hyperdrive!, Numbered!, Feel Alive F5: Slow Me Down, To Catch a Thief, Save Our Now, Grace (live Retinal Circus), Strange Machines (live Pinkpop 1997) E5: Stonegarden (live 2003), In Motion #1, In Motion #2, I Wake Up, Hope, Pray, Dance, Play, Waking Dreams...Alone, Scorpion Flower E♭5: You Want to Be Free, Hold On, Somewhere (live), Feel Alive, Supercrush!, Circles, Take Me Home, On Most Surfaces, By Your Command (live Tuska) D5: Leaves, On Most Surfaces, These Good People, Fear the Sea, The Big Sleep, Tunnel of Light, Too Late, My Boy, Sand and Mercury, Strange Machines, Sevengill, Red is a Slow Colour, Saturnine, 1000 Miles Away from You, When I'm Laid in Earth (live), Shortest Day, In Power We Entrust the Love Advocated, Resolve!, Scorpion Flower, Liberation, Everything Is Changing C♯5: Analog Park, Circles, Hyperdrive!, Numbered, Eleanor, Awake!, The Mirror Waters (live 2003), Adore, Ice Water, Grace, Rollercoaster C5: Nighttime Birds, Kevin's Telescope, Saturnine, Third Chance, Morphias Waltz, Rescue Me, Everwake, Valley of the Queens, Hold On, Angel, Tunnel of Light, Travel

Lowest notes Below is a list of some of Anneke's lowest recorded notes:

Reception and place in the scene Anneke has always held a prominent position among female vocalists in rock and heavy metal. She is considered to this day one of the pioneers of women occupying space in this musical scene. For this reason, she is frequently the subject of comparisons with bands of similar styles.

In 2026, Loudwire ranked her as the 6th greatest progressive rock singer of all time.

The artist is constantly cited by other musicians in the genre:

Beyond the admiration of fellow musicians, it is notable that Anneke maintains friendships with some of them:

Anneke also speaks openly about her pioneering role in the scene:

Social causes and politics Anneke organised a show, together with other musicians, to raise funds for the victims of the 2010 earthquake in Chile. The show, called "Concert for Chile", was held on 24 March in Amsterdam. In addition to the musicians who accompany her in Agua de Annique, the event featured Danny Cavanagh of Anathema and Simone Simons of Epica, among other artists. Anneke also announced that the proceeds from sales of her new single, Sunny Side Up, would be donated to the same cause.

Anneke has rarely spoken about her political views.

quote|I think Obama is the hero of the year. In fact, politics is crap, as are the politicians themselves, but it gives some hope and I like that. He's a very relaxed kind of guy, especially for an American. I also loved the time of Bill Clinton, who was very sympathetic and human and thought much more positively, although he was also a leader at the same time. I would like to put Obama in a similar category, because he has a similar purpose. Our world has become very busy, always moving and there are many trends and influences today. I hope that Obama brings back the necessary rest, one way or another. I think the world should be governed with a calm, gentle hand, no matter the country. I am confident he can be the person to take the next step in the right direction.

Documentary Over two and a half years, journalist and filmmaker Peter Blok followed Anneke in her daily routine and produced a documentary titled A Nightingale Fluttering from Metal to Classical and Back. Peter followed Anneke from her project with Icelandic group Árstíðir, with whom she recorded the album Verloren Verleden (2016) and toured Dutch theatres. The documentary also captures some of the smaller, more private shows Anneke performed during that period, the creative process behind and recording of the first VUUR album, the first Anneke van Giersbergen Fan Weekend (2016), VUUR's first solo and festival shows (2017), radio appearances, some days off, the De Nieuwe Madonna tour, her appearance at Veteranendag (an event hosted by the King of the Netherlands in honour of war veterans) and the rehearsals and excerpts from her 25th anniversary concerts with the Residentie Orkest (Resident Orchestra). The documentary, with English subtitles, was released in 21 episodes on the filmmaker's Vimeo channel, with the intention of being commercially released with additional unseen footage in the future.

Discography Agua de Annique / Anneke van Giersbergen Studio albums Year Album Band/Project Involvement 2007 Air Agua de Annique compositions, vocals, piano 2009 Pure Air Anneke van Giersbergen with Agua de Annique compositions, vocals, piano 2009 In Your Room Anneke van Giersbergen & Agua de Annique compositions, vocals, keyboards, piano, acoustic guitar 2012 Everything Is Changing Anneke van Giersbergen compositions, vocals, guitar, keyboards, piano, acoustic guitar 2013 Drive Anneke van Giersbergen compositions, vocals, piano, acoustic guitar 2021 The Darkest Skies Are the Brightest Anneke van Giersbergen compositions, vocals, guitar, bass, percussion 2027 La Vie, La Mort, L'Amour Anneke van Giersbergen compositions, vocals, guitar; planned release as a full physical album collecting the three EPs of the trilogy (2025–2026)

Live albums Year Album Band/Project Involvement 2010 Live in Europe Anneke van Giersbergen & Agua de Annique compositions, vocals, piano 2018 Symphonized Anneke van Giersbergen with Residentie Orkest The Hague compositions, vocals; live orchestral album recorded at two shows in May 2018 in The Hague, Netherlands 2019 Inchecken Anneke van Giersbergen compositions, vocals, acoustic guitar; acoustic collection of 10 tracks recorded for the eponymous theatre tour, accompanied by guitarist Ferry Duijsens; exclusive tour release, limited edition 2020 Let the Light in Anneke van Giersbergen with Kamerata Zuid compositions, vocals; live album with chamber orchestra Kamerata Zuid, recorded at seven concerts in December 2019 in the province of North Brabant, Netherlands; includes own songs with classical arrangements, collaborations and classical arias

Singles Year Single Album Band/Project 2007 Day After Yesterday Air Agua de Annique 2008 Come Wander with Me Air Agua de Annique 2009 The Blower's Daughter Pure Air Anneke van Giersbergen with Agua de Annique 2009 Hey Okay! In Your Room Anneke van Giersbergen & Agua de Annique 2010 Sunny Side Up In Your Room Anneke van Giersbergen & Agua de Annique 2011 Feel Alive Everything Is Changing Anneke van Giersbergen 2011 Circles Everything Is Changing Anneke van Giersbergen 2013 Drive Drive Anneke van Giersbergen 2013 My Mother Said Drive Anneke van Giersbergen 2018 Your Glorious Light Will Shine – Helsinki Symphonized Anneke van Giersbergen 2018 Zo Lief Symphonized Anneke van Giersbergen 2020 My Promise The Darkest Skies Are the Brightest Anneke van Giersbergen 2021 Hurricane The Darkest Skies Are the Brightest Anneke van Giersbergen 2021 Agape The Darkest Skies Are the Brightest Anneke van Giersbergen 2021 Weary The Darkest Skies Are the Brightest (sessions) Anneke van Giersbergen 2025 One More Nanosecond La Vie (EP) Anneke van Giersbergen 2025 La Vie (EP) La Vie, La Mort, L'Amour Anneke van Giersbergen 2026 Red Sky La Mort (EP) Anneke van Giersbergen 2026 La Mort (EP) La Vie, La Mort, L'Amour Anneke van Giersbergen

VUUR

Studio albums Year Album Involvement 2017 In This Moment We Are Free: Cities compositions, rhythm guitar, vocals

EPs Year Album Involvement 2017 The Mermaid And The Horseman compositions, rhythm guitar, vocals

The Gathering

Studio albums Year Album Involvement 1995 Mandylion compositions, vocals 1997 Nighttime Birds compositions, vocals, guitar 1999 How to Measure a Planet? compositions, vocals, guitar 2000 if_then_else compositions, vocals, guitar 2003 Souvenirs compositions, vocals, guitar 2006 Home compositions, vocals, guitar, acoustic guitar

Live albums Year Album Involvement 2000 Superheat vocals, guitar, acoustic guitar 2004 Sleepy Buildings – A Semi Acoustic Evening vocals, guitar, acoustic guitar 2007 A Noise Severe vocals, guitar 2015 TG25: Live at Doornroosje vocals

Compilations Year Album Involvement 2004 Black Light District / Monsters vocals 2005 Accessories: Rarities & B-Sides vocals, guitar, acoustic guitar 2008 Sand And Mercury – The Complete Century Media Years vocals, guitar, acoustic guitar 2008 Two 4 One vocals, guitar 2014 TG25: Diving Into The Unknown vocals, guitar 2015 Original Album Collection vocals, guitar, acoustic guitar 2016 Blueprints vocals

EPs Year Album Involvement 1996 Adrenaline / Leaves vocals 2000 Amity vocals, acoustic guitar 2002 Black Light District vocals 2003 Monsters EP vocals 2003 You Learn About It vocals

Singles Year Single Album 1995 Strange Machines Mandylion 1997 Kevin's Telescope Nighttime Birds 1997 The May Song Nighttime Birds 1998 Liberty Bell How to Measure a Planet? 2000 Rollercoaster if_then_else 2000 Amity if_then_else 2003 Monsters Souvenirs 2006 Alone Home

Videography

Agua de Annique / Anneke van Giersbergen

Music videos Day After Yesterday (2007) Come Wander with Me (2008) Wonder (2009) Hey Okay! (2009) The Blower's Daughter (2009) Sunny Side Up (2010) Feel Alive (2011) Take Me Home (2012) The Best is Yet to Come (lyric video) (2013) My Mother Said (2013) Zo Lief (2018) My Promise (2020) Hurricane (2021) I Saw a Car (2021) When I Die (2025) Red Sky (2026)

The Gentle Storm

Music videos Endless Sea – gentle version (lyric video) (2014) Endless Sea – storm version (lyric video) (2014) Heart of Amsterdam (2014) Shores of India (2014) The Storm (live) (2014)

The Gathering

Music videos Leaves (1995) Strange Machines (1995) (unreleased) Liberty Bell (1998) My Electricity (2000) Monsters (2003) Life's What You Make It (2003) You Learn About It (2003) Alone (2006) Forgotten (2006) Paper Waves (2015)

VHS In Motion (2002)

DVDs In Motion (2002) A Sound Relief (2005) A Noise Severe (2007)

Collaborative releases Year Artists involved Project Album/song Collaboration 2009 Danny Cavanagh Parallel Worlds In Parallel vocals throughout the album 2010 Martijn Bosman — De Beer Die Geen Beer Was vocals throughout the album 2012 Devin Townsend Project — Epicloud lead and backing vocals on virtually every track 2014 Liv Kristine, Kari Rueslåtten The Sirens Sisters of the Earth, Fearless, Embracing the Seasons vocals on Sisters of the Earth and Fearless; vocals and composition on Embracing the Seasons 2015 Arjen Anthony Lucassen The Gentle Storm The Diary vocals and compositions throughout the double album 2016 Árstíðir — Verloren Verleden vocals throughout the album 2016 Devin Townsend Project — Transcendence backing vocals on Truth, Secret Sciences, Stars, Transcendence, Offer Your Light, Gump and Loud 2018 Residentie Orkest The Hague — Symphonized vocals and curation of the repertoire on a live orchestral album spanning her entire career 2019 Devin Townsend — Empath vocals on Hear Me, Singularity and King 2021 Devin Townsend — The Puzzle vocals on Light Year Whale 2022 Devin Townsend — Lightwork vocals on Starchasm Pt. 2 2026 Devin Townsend — The Moth vocals on War Beyond Words, Covered by Causes, A Proxy for God, The Mothers, Orion, Prepare for War, The Big Snit and Stained Hearts

Guest appearances

Anneke has made numerous guest appearances on recordings by artists from a variety of musical genres.

Year Artist Album Collaboration 1992 The Mess King Moron (soundtrack) vocals on A Long Way 1993 Duo Bad Breath Duo Bad Breath vocals on all tracks 1996 Farmer Boys Countrified vocals on Never Let Me Down Again 1998 Ayreon Into the Electric Castle vocals and lyrics for the Egyptian character on Isis and Osiris, The Decision Tree (We're Alive), Tunnel of Light, The Garden of Emotions, Valley of the Queens and Another Time, Another Space 2003 Lawn Backspace vocals on Fix 2006 Drive By Wire Drive By Wire vocals on Happiness is Dangerous, Tullamore Dew and Windswept Wetton/Downes ICON II: Rubicon vocals on To Catch a Thief and Tears of Joy Globus Epicon vocals and composition on Mighty Rivers Run, vocals on Diem Ex Dei and backing vocals on Orchard of Mine Napalm Death Smear Campaign vocals on Weltschmerz and In Deference 2007 Merry Pierce The Warm Aquarium vocals on Audrey's Dance Joris Dirks Because of the Sadness vocals on Old Lies and Unbearable 2008 Ayreon 01011001 vocals and composition of vocal melodies for the Forever "Heart" character on Age of Shadows (We Are Forever), Comatose, Beneath the Waves, The Fifth Extinction, Waking Dreams and The Sixth Extinction Ticket for Tibet Als Je Ooit Nog Eens Terug Kan vocals on Als Je Ooit Nog Eens Terug Kan Moonspell Night Eternal vocals on Scorpion Flower Within Temptation Black Symphony vocals on Somewhere 2009 Giant Squid The Ichthyologist vocals on Sevengill Within Temptation An Acoustic Night at the Theatre vocals on Somewhere Devin Townsend Project Addicted lead and backing vocals on all songs Kan Door Huid Heen (film) soundtrack vocals on Dust and Holes 2010 Shane Shu Push Me to the Ground vocals on Push Me to the Ground (acoustic) Maiden uniteD Mind the Acoustic Pieces vocals on To Tame a Land and Sun and Steel Wie Wie vocals on Waar Gaan We Heen 2011 John Wetton Raised in Captivity vocals on Mighty Rivers Novembers Doom Aphotic vocals on What Could Have Been Globus Break From This World vocals on The Promise Anathema Falling Deeper vocals on Everwake and Alone Lorrainville You May Never Know What Happiness Is lead and backing vocals on all songs Devin Townsend Project By a Thread – Live in London lead and backing vocals on all songs Marcel Verbeek Days to Come vocals on Little Man DWDD Recordings De Wereld Draait Door Recordings vocals on All I Want is You Henry Saiz Balance 019 vocals on Come Wander With Me 2012 Devin Townsend Project Epicloud lead and backing vocals on all songs DJ Hidden & Anneke van Giersbergen Lights Off: Only You Can See vocals on Only You Can See Pale Forest Second Hand Balloons vocals on Mandrake Makes a Hypnotic Gesture and Envy Lorrainville Some December Evening lead and backing vocals The Human Experimente The Human Experimente vocals on 21st Century Schizoid Man Poetracks Poetracks vocals on Nu Nog 2013 Devin Townsend Project The Retinal Circus lead and backing vocals &Me (film) soundtrack vocals and composition of Please Baby Don't Tronik I'm So Real vocals on I'm So Real For Many Reasons Make Your Own vocals on Funeral Niels Geusebroek Lines backing vocals on Falling Down and Helping Hand 2014 Devin Townsend Project Z² lead vocals on disc Sky Blue and backing vocals on disc Dark Matters Cellarscape The Act of Letting Go vocals on The Same Place The Power of Love The Power of Love vocals on The Power of Love Lorrainville Desire the Reckless lead and backing vocals 2015 Amadeus Awad Death is Just a Feeling vocals on Opia, Sleep Paralysis and Lonesome Clown Apenstreken (film) soundtrack vocals on all songs 2016 Ayreon The Theatre Equation vocals on various songs Devin Townsend Project Transcendence backing vocals Peter Slager Silk lead and backing vocals on various songs 2017 Ayreon Ayreon Universe Experience vocals on Waking Dreams, Valley of the Queens, Magnetism and The Eye of Ra BLØF Aan lead and backing vocals on various songs For All We Know Take Me Home vocals on We Are the Light Topartiesten De Liedjeskast vocals on De Woordsoorten Rauno Pella Project Lullaby vocals on Lullaby The Fading A Moment of Insight vocals on A Moment of Insight Grzegorz Olejnik Another Day vocals on Another Day Daniel Cavanagh Monochrome vocals on This Time, Soho and Oceans of Time BLØF Aan Live Op CAS 2017 vocals on Hierheen and Porselein 2018 Lux Terminus The Courage to Be vocals on Epilogue: Fly (IV) Henry Saiz & Band Human vocals on Darvulia (Europe) Amorphis Queen of Time vocals on Amongst Stars Ayreon Ayreon Universe vocals on Waking Dreams, Valley of the Queens, Magnetism and The Eye of Ra 2019 Timo Tolkki's Avalon Return to Eden vocals on Hear Me Call and We Are the Ones Koen Herfst LEO vocals on July 20, 1984, Dream Away, Bereaved and All We Have is Now Devin Townsend Empath vocals on Hear Me, Here Comes the Sun and King Scarlean Soulmates vocals on Wonderful Life Vomitron Vomitron 2 vocals on Cry Little Sister 2020 Blue Flamingo My Kandyan Shirt vocals on My Kandyan Shirt Ayreon Electric Castle Live and Other Tales vocals on Isis and Osiris, Tunnel of Light, The Garden of Emotions, Valley of the Queens, Another Time, Another Space, Shores of India and Songs of the Ocean Devin Townsend Quarantine Project vocals on We Like to Party (Vengaboys cover) Votum Duhkha vocals on Prey The Gathering Gloom The Quarantimes vocals on Masquerade Enlai & Kara Day Constellations vocals on Constellations Celestial Burst The Maze vocals on The Maze 2021 Esa Holopainen Silver Lake vocals on Fading Moon Fizzy Beard Goddesses Among Us vocals on Wolves Remain the Same FB1964 Dreams and Nightmares vocals on Blood-Red Sky Libra It Doesn't Matter Two (single) vocals (Depeche Mode cover) John Holden and Friends Together Apart vocals on Northern Lights Gabriel Lucas Music The Tower vocals on The Tower Tomas Bergsten's Fantasy What the Future Will Bring vocals on What the Future Will Bring 2022 Docker's Guild The Mystic Technocracy – Season 2: The Age of Entropy vocals on Cassilda's Song, Urbs Aeterna and The Head Globus Cinematica vocals on Recover Ritual Enigma vocals on Pandemonium Division:Dark Prophecy vocals on Wrong 2025 Roswell Six Terra Incognita: Uncharted Shores vocals on A Sense of Wonder and The Key to Creation Cabrio Blueprint of God vocals on Drowning in My Own Fears 2026 Devin Townsend The Moth vocals on War Beyond Words, Covered by Causes, A Proxy for God, The Mothers, Orion, Prepare for War, The Big Snit and Stained Hearts

DVDs and Blu-rays Year Artists Title Collaboration 2002 Nightwish End of Innocence (documentary) brief appearance and mention 2008 Within Temptation Black Symphony vocals on Somewhere 2011 Devin Townsend Project By a Thread – Live in London 2011 vocals on various songs 2013 Devin Townsend Project The Retinal Circus vocals on various songs 2016 Ayreon The Theatre Equation vocals in the role of the "Fear" character on various songs from the album The Human Equation 2018 Ayreon Ayreon Universe – Best of Ayreon Live vocals on Waking Dreams, Valley of the Queens, Magnetism and The Eye of Ra; recorded in September 2017 at the 013 venue in Tilburg, Netherlands 2020 Ayreon Electric Castle Live and Other Tales vocals in the role of the "Egyptian" character on Isis and Osiris, Tunnel of Light, The Garden of Emotions, Valley of the Queens, Another Time, Another Space, Shores of India and Songs of the Ocean; recorded in September 2019 at the 013 venue in Tilburg, Netherlands 2024 Ayreon 01011001 – Live Beneath the Waves vocals in the role of the Forever "Heart" character on various songs from the album 01011001; recorded in September 2023 at the 013 venue in Tilburg, Netherlands; released on 17 May 2024

Music videos (guest appearances) Year Artists Song 2006 Lawn Fix 2008 Ticket for Tibet Als Je Ooit Nog Eens Terug Kan 2008 Moonspell Scorpion Flower 2008 Within Temptation Come Wander with Me (Agua de Annique) 2009 Agua de Annique Hey Okay! 2009 Agua de Annique Wonder 2010 Shane Shu Can You Help Me 2011 Anneke van Giersbergen Feel Alive 2012 Anneke van Giersbergen Take Me Home 2013 &Me (film) Please Baby Don't 2013 Anneke van Giersbergen My Mother Said 2014 The Power of Love The Power of Love 2018 Amorphis Amongst Stars 2018 Anneke van Giersbergen Zo Lief (from Symphonized) 2020 Anneke van Giersbergen My Promise 2021 Anneke van Giersbergen Hurricane 2021 Anneke van Giersbergen I Saw a Car 2025 Anneke van Giersbergen When I Die (from EP La Vie) 2026 Anneke van Giersbergen Red Sky (from EP La Mort)