NIGHTWISH keyboardist Tuomas Holopainen has confirmed there will be no reunion of the band with former lead singer Tarja Turunen. The decision, described by Holopainen as a 'divorce' and an 'ugly one,' was made in 2005 following a split that originated with an open letter published on the band's website. The letter cited business and emotional factors, stating that 'business, money, and things that have nothing to do with emotions' had become more important than personal connections.

Holopainen emphasized that the band was operating in 'survival mode' and that the remaining members faced significant media backlash after the split. He stated there is no future for a NIGHTWISH reunion with Turunen, calling the separation a definitive end. Turunen has previously expressed that the split was difficult, noting it affected her family and friends, and she has reiterated that she would not return to the band, even under hypothetical conditions involving apologies and shared performances.

Turunen's latest album, Frisson Noir, released in June via earMUSIC, is described as 'the heaviest record of her career and a powerful statement of identity, strength and belonging.' Current NIGHTWISH vocalist Floor Jansen made her live debut in 2012 and officially joined the band in 2013, with her recording debut on the 2015 album Endless Forms Most Beautiful.

A 2006 authorized biography of NIGHTWISH, Once Upon a Nightwish: The Official Biography 1996-2006, criticized Turunen's husband Marcelo Cabuli, leading to a defamation lawsuit. The Helsinki District Court dismissed the case in 2011, ruling that the book's criticism did not materially harm Cabuli's reputation or work.