Entrevista a Tarja

Entrevista Revista Zillo - Julio 2010

Tarja Turunen is just about before the finalisation of her second solo album called "What lies beneath". Zillo, as the worldwide only Gothic Magazine got the invitation to an exclusive listening session and a detailled interview with the finnish Diva. After the rather average critiques for her debut "My Winter Storm" (2007), the former Nightwish frontwoman has been captured by ambiguity.

Every conversation with Tarja Turunen is something very special. The finnish woman has an almost magical charisma. On the peak of her first career with Nightwish she was able to cause happy excitement at thousands of fans only by a smile or a wink with her little finger. But even over the phone, her mood is very infectuos. "At this time I feel terrific", Tarja replies in a good moodon the line. "Considering the fact that half of my stuff is stuck in the argentine toll station because I am moving from Finland to my husband in Buenos Aires with everything I own".

Feelings of home
With that news, the singer reveals a first surprise. She never left a doubt about her deep connection with her karelean home country. "An undisturbed private life wasn't possible at all in Finland lately", the dark haired beauty sighs. "I couldn't even go out with my friends. We almost met only at home." Tarja is enjoying the status of a Superstar in her home country. Even the controversity after her unkind sacking from Nightwish by her colleagues (before her already announced leaving) couldn't change that. Because of that the singer became a very popular target of the finnish tabloid press with their unpleasant side effects. This fuss played a part in her immigration. "In Finland, I hear a constant murmering behind me", tarja says. "I get noticed in Buenos Aires as well, but after a quick hello the people leave me in peace very fast." Seeing her friends and family less than before now she compansates with help of the internat. "There are uncountable possibilities nowadays to keep in touch and communicate with each other", the Finn cheers."Now I am enjoying to live in Buenos Aires and to look at a river from my window. If I should get back to my homecountry one day, I will just buy a little house there. But it was time for a change in my life".

Learning process
Not just on the private side, but also in the musical perspective, Tarja shows the courage to change. Firstly, the frontwoman insists on a change of the phone line until she is satisfied after a few attempts. It would have been enough for a first impression, but she wants to be absolutely precise. What's coming out of the speakers over the internet makes you listen up. Where My Winter Storm was a bit slow quite often, there is a fresh breeze in What Lies Beneath. As a second surprise of the day, Tarjas new compositions sound unexpectedly modern."There is a long learning process behind me", the Finn explains. "During the making of my debut I was always in front of new challenges and had to make decisions without being able to forsee their effects. Directly after her brisk and painful split from Nightwish, the singer threw herself into the adventure of a solo career. With that she had to work on own songs, look for companions, form a band and make business with a label for the first time. Although her husband and Manager Marcelo Cabuli took over a lot of tasks, a giant mountain of questions was awaiting Tarjas answers. "I did have clear goals and imaginations in my head but I was lacking of means and the required knowledge to fulfill them", the frontwoman remembers."I am still proud of the songs from My Winter Storm. Unfortunately, a lot of my original visions got lost during the production". With this self-critical point of view, Tarja is on one level with the several voices of the press, who saw some very interesting aspects in her debut, but also a lack of clarity and maturity. Probably the high level of Nightwish played a part in that and Tarja was confronted with impatient expectations. Fort her current steps ahead she is holding responsible several factors.

Ladies' Choice
"I've had to discover how incredibly important the choice of the producer and the studios is for an album", Tarja claims. "Really satisfied on My Winter Storm, I was only with the orchestral elements which I recorded with the team of Hans Zimmer in Los Angeles. Due to this positive experiences she returned to Hollywood's famous sound factury for movie themes, where the crew around James Dooley in Santa Monica could care about the symphonic part. Instead of seperating the instrumental recordings all around the world, this time Tarja gathered all her constant guestmusicians in Finland. There she was working with Mike Terrana, Schiller-keyboardist Christian Kretschmar, former Farmer Boys-guitarist Alex Scholpp, Max Lilja and bass-legend Doug Wimbish. To me it makes a big difference that I can work with musicians I know very well which wasn't the case on the first album", the singer switches subjects. "Now I have all the strings in my hand and I know who of them fits best to which song". She doesn't consider the relationship to her bandmembers as a one-way-street. It's giving me incredibly much strength that my companions show me that much trust during the last 3 common years", Tarja emphasises. "Alex, Mike and the others always encourage me to listen to my own inner voice. Their judgement is very important to me, even if I make all the final decisions."

Producer's Games
The singer had been in the studio during the entire recording process, but she spared her voice. "I don't like to record in vocal cabins", the Finn reveals. "I prefer to sing inmy living room. Nobody is disturbing me there and I can do or not do whatever I want". Her absolute will to take things in her own hands accompanies Tarja since the preperations for My Winter Storm. At that timethe question of a producer was to be answered. "I really tried hard to get a good producer aboard", she tells. "But rather the suitable persons had been busy or there were endless discussions with my record company about every possible candidate. To me it was like a cursed Monopoly game.But at that time I was too shy to get my foot down. Now I am telling what will be done. I am my own producer". Despite the smile, you can't overhear a certain "Eat this" in her voice. For the mixing of the new songs Tarja got her dream candidate. During the so called mix, every single tracks of intruments and voices are put together and set in the desired relation to each other. In this important phase of a production, the sound of an album is decided. "In several parts, My Winter Storm sounded too powerless", thinks the singer. "For that reason, my choice for the dynamic songs was Colin Richardson". The Englishman is known from productions for very tough guys so far. Among his clients are Machine HEad, Slipknot and Cradle of Filth. "Colin was as much as a lucky choice than Tim Palmer", Tarja adds. "I love his works with HIM; I own all their albums. Tim was on top of my list of candidates for the epic songs and I am really happy about his assent." To work with the Englishman living in the USA, who also worked with Robert Plant, The Cure and Pearl Jam, Tarja moved on from London to Texas."Tim has a great studio, about 40 miles away from Austin", tells the singer. "I felt like I was in Finland in his lonely cabin. Even deer was strolling around". Working with him went easy and quick. Tim Palmer understands the needs of an artist very well and notices their imaginations. "First I introduced the material produced by Colin to Tim, so they don't drift apart too much", she says. "The songs produced in England still have another character. But that was exactly intended like this."

Freedom fighter
Whoever hears the singer talking about her music these days, is confronted with a different person like 3 years ago. Especially her increased self confidence can be noticed. “In the beginning of my solo career I was so damn shy”, Tarja admits. “It was an important discovery for me that I can pull through my own ideas alone. It’s a very big difference to write and produce the songs by yourself and look for people to collaborate with.”. In her opinion, the new self consciousness is heard by her record company, which wasn’t very supportive in the beginning, as well. She has a bad memory of the false writing on a Promo CD: “Tarja Tarunen” “They didn’t believe in a great album by me”, the singer grumbles with a smile. “Now they are full of eagerness and tell me their support daily. I have a good feeling that finally something is happening”. On the other hand, the lack of attention from her label got her freedom; often big labels try to push artists into a direction they don’t want. “I have used my musical freedom to choose ways nobody expected of me”, Tarja admits. “In the last years I am very excited about american Metal. This heavy and dirty sound of guitars make a fantastic contrast to my clean voice”. Thanks to this preference it lead to a collaboration with John Spiker of the industrial rockers Filter. “I have met John in Los Angeles and first we just exchanged ideas. Our collaboration was so great so it lead to a cooperation in several songs”. Thanks to good contacts of the Filter guitarist, Tarja got her duet partner for the song “Dark Star”. Nobody would have expected Phillip Labonte, the frontman of Metalcore band All That Remains, on an album of the Finn. “Phil can’t just growl, he has a great singing voice as well”, Tarja praises. “Our common result proves me right and that is way more important than serving some expectations.”

Womens’ Love
According to Tarja a major reason of her new self confidence, besides the confidence in her band, is the development in her solo concerts. She was the center of attention as well in her role as Nightwish’s frontlady, but the band also took a part of entertaining a thousand people every evening. “I had to start from the very beginning”, she says. “First there were old fans and a few curious people but it always got more and meanwhile the concerts are packed. Most of them are there because of me now. This makes me incredibly proud and gives me strength.” The question whether a return to Nightwish, even for just a guest appearance, can be expected, is no option for her. “ Are people really that crazy to believe I would sing for Nightwish again?”, Tarja laughs loudly. “I never look back. First of all there is a space of hurt behind me. Then all the good memories and experiences come up which I appreciate a lot. Because of the time with Nightwish I became that strong woman who is looking at me now in the mirror”. Obviously there still is a lot of anger inside. The Diva on the stage transferred from a distant magician with an aura of mystique into a skilled seducer who even flirts with the audience. “I don’t flirt with my audience”, the Finn laughs with pretended offense and admits: “Ok, I do flirt a bit meanwhile. I got a grip of my old shyness and I can go out of myself. But it’s about pure beauty. I don’t want to be a Sexsymbol which is the tag of many women in the men ruled Metal world. I don’t fit in this”. Obviously the readers of the english magazine Terrorizer disagree, for they vote Mrs Turunen by far as “Most Shaggable Female” for years.”I take that with humour and consider it as a compliment”, Tarja lets us know. “After all I am no little girl anymore and that is a good thing.” Another phenomenon accompanies the singer since her times with Nightwish. Among some of her truest fans who can be found in the first rows at her concerts, is an obvious group of women and girls who are obviously not interested in the men of the band at all. “I do notice that I attract a lot of lesbian women”, Tarja answers slightly ironic. “I can’t explain why since I am happily married and my own preferences should be clear then. But I do love the girls with all my heart. They give me positive energy. Just for the boys in my band it can be tough if they get too less attention by the ladies.”

Until What Lies Beneath will be releases in the late summer, this new, very confident and energetic Tarja can be admired in several Festivals. Some new songs will be played, the Diva promises. “I can’t wait to get out and introduce the new material to the fans, together with my band.”, Tarja ends the conversation. “I have never been looking forward to get back on stage as much as now”. A lot of things have changed in the life and attitude of the finnish singer. But a few things stayed the same. Tarja still is an exceptional singer and a fascinating woman with a big future ahead. Whether her dreams and wishes can be fulfilled with “What Lies Beneath”, time will show. Zillo stays on it, we promise!

Five new Songs of "What lies beneath" commented by Tarja Turunen:

"Little Lies"
After an electronic prequel, raw guitars are being served. At first, Tarja sings easily and rocky until she is going into classical vocals during the chorus. In between there are piano sounds with massive choirs. This composition surprises through a very modern sound. Tarja: "I definitely wanted to write a song together with Alex Scholpp, who is able to connect his special, heavy guitar work with my classical background. The result was this burner with massive choir parts".

"Underneath"
The soft violins and the piano in the beginning might hint to a ballad but the violins are getting darker very quickly. Tarja is singing very clear and bright with a lamenting tone. There is a sad guitar solo. Even though the speed is increasing, the song stays up-tempo. Tarja: "This song is dealing (musically as well as the content) with the very serious subject of child abuse, like prostitution, where horrible perpetrators are acting behind the mask of nice family guys."

"Dark Star"
A great duet with Philip Labonte, the singer of All That Remains". He and the very hypnotizing cello hookline by Max Lilja turn this hard rocking track into a hit you can't get out of your head. Fresh and modern Tarja is drifting far from all stereotypes of Gothic Metal. Tarja: "Filter guitarist John Spiker helped me composing this song. It was a very special honour to me, that Phi agreed to do a duet with me. I'm very proud of the result."

"In for a kill"
Keyboards and violins are starting atmospherical, then guitars are bursting with massive heaviness. To master the difficult vocal melody, Tarja is showing her full vocal range. Orchestral violins and electric guitars form an epic unity. Tarja: " I had the crazy idea to transfer the style of typical James Bond melodies into a metallic version. With that in mind I worked together with the writers of "I walk alone" - which explains the title."

"Falling awake"
The return of guitars. After their heavy stakkato, Tarja's crystal voice takes over, accompanied by piano. After that there is a change of heaviness and tenderness. In the background you can hear cineastic violins which cause a feeling of a movie theme. "Tarja: "In the current state of planing this song is supposed to be a single for free download in August. It's a preview for my album without revealing it's full concept."

What producer Colin Richardson says:

"Even though I am only responsible for the mixing of a few songs, I was still very interested in this task. The most important thing for me is the chance to work with a voice of world class. Many singers from the from the section of extreme music need technical help in the studio, no matter if it's Gothic or Metal. In order for them to be able to hit each note, tools like autotune are being used which correct smaller fluctuations/variations. After that the voice gets pimped/improved? with the help of effects. With Tarja everything is real. When she sings, she hits every note and she has a huge range of possibilities. It also is a pleasure to work with such a charming person. Tarja let me listen to her first album and explained to me that she'd like a lot more power and vitality/dynamic. With my experience in the modern and heavy Metal genre I was exactly the right person for this task."
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muy buena entrevista, quiero que salga ya!