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Epiphone, the innovative, high-quality instrument brand built for every stage, has announced the launch of the Lzzy Hale Explorer Custom in a striking Black Diamond Holographic Sparkle finish. A bold new artist model created in collaboration with Grammy Award-winning HALESTORM frontwoman, rhythm guitarist, primary songwriter and Gibson's first female brand ambassador, Lzzy Hale. The new model continues Hale's celebrated run of Epiphone signature guitars, a series that has produced sold-out and highly collectible instruments embraced by fans, players and collectors. The Epiphone Lzzy Hale Explorer Custom, Black Diamond Holographic Sparkle is available worldwide now at authorized Epiphone dealers, the Gibson Garage in Nashville and London, and on www.epiphone.com.

A commanding new addition to Lzzy Hale's celebrated series of Epiphone signature guitars, the Lzzy Hale Explorer Custom is designed to match the force of her performances: powerful, unapologetic, visually striking, and built to deliver night after night. Purpose-built for heavy music and unmistakable style, this new Explorer Custom raises the volume with a dazzling Black Diamond Holographic Sparkle finish, premium appointments, and a high-output voice made for heavy riffs, soaring leads, and arena-sized presence. More than a signature guitar, it is a true statement piece: a hard-hitting, high-impact instrument built for players who want standout style, powerful tone, and performance-ready dependability.

"Lzzy has always brought a rare combination of power, precision, and unmistakable style to the stage," says Aljon Go, product manager, Epiphone. "The Lzzy Hale Explorer Custom captures that same energy in an instrument that looks unforgettable, plays fast, and delivers the clarity and punch players need to own the moment."

Built around a classic mahogany Explorer body, the Lzzy Hale Explorer Custom features elegant 7-ply top binding and a single-ply mirror pickguard for maximum visual impact under stage lighting. The gloss Black Diamond Holographic Sparkle finish gives the guitar a bold, dimensional look that reflects Lzzy's fearless stage presence and makes the model stand out immediately in any collection.

Coinciding with the new guitar's launch, Lzzy Hale is offering fans on HALESTORM's fall 2026 North American tour the rare opportunity to own an Explorer Custom played live on stage and personally autographed by Lzzy. The VIP upgrade also includes an exclusive pre-show meet-and-greet, individual photo opportunity, VIP merchandise, and additional on-site perks. For all package details, availability, and more information, visit Superfan.live/artist/halestorm.

The mahogany neck is shaped to Epiphone's comfortable and fast SlimTaper 60s C profile, paired with an ebony fretboard, 22 medium jumbo frets, and pearloid block inlays. The signature Explorer "hockey stick" headstock features a raised Epiphone 3D nickel logo, a Graph Tech nut, and Grover Mini Rotomatic tuners for dependable tuning stability. Custom artist details include a black two-ply truss rod cover engraved with Lzzy Hale's signature and a sleek black stinger on the rear of the headstock.

For players seeking crushing tone with definition and control, the Lzzy Hale Explorer Custom is powered by a matched set of Epiphone ProBucker Ignite pickups, engineered for power, clarity, and dynamic response. Each pickup is wired to its own volume control, with a shared master tone control topped by a silver Speed knob for precise shaping. A three-way pickup selector provides easy access to either pickup or both together, making the guitar equally suited for massive rhythm tones, articulate leads, and everything in between.

At the opposite end, the guitar is equipped with a LockTone Tune-O-Matic bridge and LockTone Stop Bar tailpiece, delivering accurate intonation, long-lasting sustain, and road-ready reliability. A hardshell case is included to protect the instrument at home, in the studio, and on tour.

Lzzy Hale is the Grammy Award-winning lead vocalist, rhythm guitarist, primary songwriter, and co-founder of HALESTORM, one of modern hard rock's most powerful and enduring bands. Known for her electrifying performances, commanding guitar work, and unmistakable voice, Hale has helped lead HALESTORM to seven No. 1 hits at rock radio, more than three billion streams worldwide, over three million albums sold in the U.S., two Grammy Award nominations, and a 2012 Grammy Award win for "Love Bites (So Do I)" in the "Best Hard Rock/Metal Performance" category. In July 2026, Hale was honored by the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame as part of its "Women In Metal: You Will Know My Name" exhibit, where she spoke and performed with HALESTORM guitarist Joe Hottinger in celebration of the women who have shaped heavy music. Her latest chapter with HALESTORM includes the band's album "Everest" and the fierce anthem "Rain Your Blood On Me", which Hale has called "our ode to women" and "our war cry." As Gibson's first female brand ambassador and a longtime Epiphone signature artist, Hale has helped create a celebrated run of bold, sold-out, and highly collectible signature instruments. With the new Epiphone Lzzy Hale Explorer Custom in Black Diamond Holographic Sparkle, Hale continues to inspire players everywhere to stand out, turn up, and make their presence impossible to ignore.

On July 2, 2026, NIGHTWISH singer Floor Jansen performed as a guest vocalist with the Marine Band Of The Royal Netherlands Navy (Marinierskapel Der Koninklijke Marine) at the opening concert of Sail Harlingen in the Vluchthaven of Harlingen, Netherlands. Among the tracks Floor sang was a symphonic cover version of the METALLICA classic power ballad "Nothing Else Matters". You can now watch her rendition below.

This past June, Floor released the official Hannes van Dahl-created lyric video for her latest solo single, "Run", via Revamp Music in collaboration with Warner Music. The track was the first taste of Floor's new solo music following the arrival of her debut album, "Paragon", which came out in March 2023. That LP showcased the Dutch-born singer's impressive vocal range and powerful voice on a diverse collection of pop-infused tracks and emotional ballads influenced by the sounds of her career.

Following "Paragon", a sold-out tour, and nearly 150 million streams across Floor's entire solo catalog, "Run" marks the beginning of a powerful new chapter in her solo career.

With nearly 600,000 followers on Instagram, more than 56,000 Bandsintown followers, almost one million monthly listeners on Spotify and appearances on the main stages of renowned festivals such as Wacken Open Air, Masters Of Rock, M'era Luna and Sweden Rock Festival last year, Jansen is entering this new phase of her solo career with international momentum.

Musically, the single showcases a harder and darker side of her solo sound. "Run" was produced by Gordon Groothedde, with whom Floor previously collaborated on the final album of her former band AFTER FOREVER — before she joined NIGHTWISH. Lyrically, "Run" explores themes such as liberation, self-empowerment, and the courage to no longer conform to the expectations of others.

In November 2022, Floor revealed that she was "cancer free" after undergoing surgery to have a tumor removed following a breast cancer diagnosis.

In October 2023, Floor and SABATON drummer Hannes Van Dahl welcomed their second child, a daughter named Lucy. Jansen and Van Dahl also have a nine-year-old daughter named Freja, who was born in March 2017.

In April 2023, NIGHTWISH surprised fans by announcing that the band was not going to be playing any live shows for the foreseeable future and would be not be touring in support of the group's latest studio album, "Yesterwynde", which came out in September 2024 via Nuclear Blast.

Born in the Netherlands, Jansen joined her first band, one of the world's first symphonic metal bands, AFTER FOREVER, when she was only 16 years old. The group went on to release five albums from 2000 to 2007, before they broke up in 2009.

Jansen's next band, REVAMP, released two albums in 2010 and 2013, before she joined NIGHTWISH as a full-time member. NIGHTWISH's first album with Jansen as the lead singer was 2015's "Endless Forms Most Beautiful", which landed in Top 10s around the world. This was followed by 2020's "Human. :II: Nature." , which was also an international success.

Jansen has toured extensively with the band and appeared on three of NIGHTWISH's live albums "Showtime, Storytime", "Vehicle Of Spirit" and "Decades: Live In Buenos Aires".

In 2019, Jansen participated in the popular Dutch TV show "Beste Zangers" where she scored a big hit with "Phantom Of The Opera" together with Henk Poort. She was recognized with a Dutch Popprijs award — a prestigious accolade for artists that has made important contributions to Dutch music. In the same year, her first solo tour sold out in less than 24 hours.

Jansen performed live with NIGHTWISH for the first time on October 1, 2012 at Showbox Sodo in Seattle, Washington following the abrupt departure of the band's lead singer of five years, Anette Olzon. Jansen officially joined NIGHTWISH in 2013.