Hi everybody,

I want to thank very much all the “Winter Storm” Fan Clubs around the world for the questions they sent me. I answered in most of the case questions that are not that frequently asked and those that were particularly interesting for me. No preference for any Fan Club in any country

It was fun replying them and they also gave me the chance to tell you some more news!

With love, Tarja

Name: Martín Vila Location: Buenos Aires, Argentina Question: What captivated you from Argentina for travel around the country?

A country like Argentina has a lot to offer for a traveller. It has an immense amount of things to see and explore, with its captivating nature and interesting history. I have only seen a bit of it though. There are still lot to discover even though I’ve done 3 months travelling already. But the thing is that I don’t only love to travel in Argentina, I love travelling in different cultures and exotic places in general.

Finland´s Lapland is also a must, especially in autumn.

There are millions of places I would love to visit one day. One of my biggest dreams is to take one or two years off and just hit the roads of the world with their wonders. I have already a decent list of countries where I’ve been, but at least a same amount of them is still missing. I don’t like to visit too crowded locations, so tourist areas are normally the ones I avoid the most. So you’ll find me in rainforests, deserts, and savannas and near the never-ending sea.

Name: Luíz Páez, Brenda Acevedo Location: Buenos Aires, Argentina Question: What do you usually think when you compose your songs?

Every time I sit down in front of my piano, I like to improvise with the instrument. It depends on my mood of that day what kind of melodies and rhythms I am playing around. Sometimes, even before starting to play I already have a quite clear picture of a song I would like to compose, or at least the sound of it. Sometimes a song can be born in few minutes, if the feeling is right, some other times it can take days. I do always the music before the lyrics. The story or an idea for the lyrics appears during the composing process normally, but some other times I already have a strong idea of the story I would like to sing before any music comes to my mind. So as you can see, it really depends a lot of the circumstances. I just let myself flow free with the melodies and harmonies and then see if I can create something interesting. I am the most critical person in judging what sounds good or bad.

Name: Victoria Orzuza, Martín Torres, Paola Bonillas Location: Entre Ríos (Victoria), Salta (Martín), Jujuy (Paola) Question: Is there any chance that you perform a concert somewhere else of Argentina, like Santa fe or Entre Rios, Salta, for those fans that can not go to Bs As?

I definitely would love to do a tour in other cities in Argentina, as much as I would like to play in other countries, like Japan, Portugal, Australia, France, Uk, Costa Rica, Peru just to name some. But it is not enough that I would love to go to perform and it’s not only up to my own interest to get to perform in those places. As an artist, I depend 100 % on the promoters and my record company. I would love to be able to explain to each fan that asks me to visit his/her country or city, the reasons why sometimes the possibility for that to happen is out of my hands.

I can only ask my fans to be patient. There is no place that I wouldn’t like to go to perform my music.

Name: David Pavic Location: Buenos Aires, Argentina Question: At the Concert on September 6th you told us that the song that inspired you to sing was Phantom of the Opera. How was the situation when it happened?

It didn’t actually inspire me to sing, but to start studying classical singing.

I was already at that time studying music and singing pop/soul songs.

I think I was around 14 or 15 years old when I heard the song for the first time from the c-cassette my friend played in his car. I was blown away. I said right at that moment that one day I would be performing this song. I could not understand that someone could sing so high notes without sounding ridiculous! I wanted to learn how to use my voice in classical music so I found a teacher who could teach me privately. That was my first step I took forwards classical singing.

Name: Timmy Location: Berlare, Belgium Question: Tarja, Do you have any idea how much your music means to certain people? Do you realize what kind off feeling you give to some people when they listen your music?

Sometimes it feels a bit scary how much music moves and touches people. But the same happens to me, otherwise I wouldn’t even think doing my music every day. Music keeps me alive; it makes me sad and happy. It means a world to me. Said this, I think I can understand how much my music can mean to some people. Music makes me humble, there is always something to learn in music. The most important thing for me is that music is the emotion. I am only the channel to deliver its message and feelings for listeners.

Name: Lotte Nickname: MyObsessiveDevotion Location: Rotselaar, Belgium Question: Hello, what part of the touring do you like the most? The gigs, traveling,…? And why do you like it the most?

Travelling in different countries has always been my interest, but when it is tied to touring, there is not such a time to see around. Travelling itself makes you really tired, no matter if you do it by air, road or what ever. When I get tired, obviously this leads into the fact that my voice gets tired and I cannot deliver as well as if I have  rested enough. That is the reason why I don’t like singing many gigs on a road, because I want to keep my singing condition as good as possible and that way also my soul rests. It is more important for me to be able to give 100 % performance for my fans instead of making them see and hear that I am bored or tired.

The concerts are of course the reason I go for tours and they are the highlights of it. I love to be a performer; I love to feel my audience and to share my love for music with them. I also enjoy of the company of my band mates. We are like a big, happy family on the road so friendship with them is truly important for me.

“Friends” and “family” are very used and abused words when it comes to describe a group of people and musicians. But still can be truth sometimes.

Nickname: MadguyLocation: Pireus, Greece Question: What’s gooing on with Enough’s video clip?

There was an unfortunate misfortune during the process of the video Enough. The 3D animation designer had a bad car accident and he couldn’t be easily replaced. He is still today recovering and not working full time.

Nobody is to blame, just fate.

That caused a big delay for the original schedule. Just recently, we gave up. The record company has no chances to use the video for promotion any longer, as it should have been accompanied by a song release.

I do believe in signs, so why not to read this one?

I am very sorry to let you know that there won’t be a new video release of my song Enough.

Name: Michael Nickname: Corpsegroom_x Location: Elverdinge, Belgium Question:Hello Tarja, how are you going to handle the new album, what is going to be the most outstanding difference with MyWinterStorm? Many greetings, Michael

At this moment I can say that the process of composing the new album has been radically different than before. I have been growing as a songwriter, learning to express myself better. I got rid of the fear and shame to present my own ideas for people that have been in business a lot longer than me. Through the fact that I am involved in all the songs as a writer, the whole album becomes more personal to me.

We will need to wait until everything is recorded and mixed to hear and see the biggest differences between my first and second album. I was happy with the songs in My Winter Storm, but the outcome of the sound, mainly of guitars, didn’t end up the way I had in mind.

This time, I will be more radical: if a song feels to have distortion, then I will make it that way. On the other hand, if a song feels that should not include any, then it won’t have it at all. Is not my intention to find compromises in the sound I have in my mind. I know what I want and how I like it. The key is to find the right people to help me achieve it. And as I had said not long ago, it will take the time that is need until I am happy with the songs and with the sound.

Name: Michiel Location: Beveren, Belgium Question: Hello Tarja, What are your thoughts about the whole fanclub thing. Do you like the fact that so many fans are willing to help you with it?

It is amazing to see how every day the “Winter Storm” fan club is growing and how many people are already supporting me this way. Last week I was surfing through the different web pages and I was looking at the fan club member´s photos. Damn! It took me so long… I was truly surprised to see how many people are already there. Now we made official the Russian fan club and many others are on the way, as far as I´ve heard. I want to thank you all for doing this.

Name: Maarten Location: Beveren, Belgium Question: Hello, If you had to pick one of your songs to wake up in the morning, which one would it be and why?

Is not really happening that I am listening my own songs in the mornings! While I am enjoining my morning coffee, I am usually listening relaxing music, like some classical pieces or film music.

Name: Fernando Alcayaga Location: Antofagasta, Chile Question: Dear Tarja, we know you have a wonderful voice, but there’s confusion between your fans about how to describe or to categorize your voice; I’d want to know…¿ are you soprano or mezzo-soprano, and what is the vocal range than you have? I will be very happy if you clarify me this doubt. Thank you so much. I love you with all my heart.

This is a very frequently asked question! So here I go again  

When I started my classical singing lessons at the age of 15, my teacher was teaching me as a soprano. Few years later, in Sibelius Academy my voice found a different register, colours and nuances through different techniques.

I sang a repertoire of a mezzo-soprano for many years and because of that, still today, I have rarely quite low register for a lyrical soprano. Nowadays, I see myself as a light lyrical soprano. Everybody should know that I am not a professional opera singer. I am far away from being that and I have never said I would be alike. I have never specialised myself in Opera. I studied specifically chamber music singing. I have a lot of respect for real Opera singers. Still, my voice is classically trained, but it doesn’t mean that I would be ready to sing a complete opera today. I am still learning every day new things about my instrument and it is very exciting to see the development of it. 

Name: Diego Ramirez Location: Santiago, Chile Question:  Could you tell me if you’re planning on making new classical music projects? We will see you again in Chile with your solo career or with another tour as “Scandinavian Night”?

At the moment I have already some classical concerts of different kind being planned for this year. I’ll let you know more about them through my webpage as soon as they get confirmed. With “Noche” I would like to work in the future, but we don’t have anything concrete planned yet. Discussions for a new tour have already begun though, so let’s hope that we can continue with our plans.

Name: Kesshia Location: Bogotà, Colombia Question: If you have kids, you will continue with your career for a long time, or you will dedicate to your kids all your time?… and if is the first… someday would you like make a song about your kids and your life?

I would love to have a family with kids and to become a mother. It would not be nice to loose that chance. Anyway, my life is far away from being a normal life. Having two homes in different countries, travelling because of that and because of our work. If we would have children, our children will need to adapt to that as a normal thing. But being away from home for long periods of times and being prepared for sudden changes.

I won’t leave my love for singing if I have children one day. My kids will travel with mom and dad and I will need to have somebody to take care of them while I am performing!

I am writing songs about my life already, so why not making a song about my children too. Actually I did already compose an instrumental song and I provisionally named it as a “Kid’s song”

Name: Malonek Location: Brno, Czech Republic Question: What did you think when your heard your voice recorded the first time?

My first real recording session happened when I was around 11 years old. I sang in the studio a song in Finnish language … and yes, it was really strange to hear my singing voice from the tape for the first time! I couldn’t really listen to it so much. I was so embarrassed. It took me several years to get used to listening to my voice. It is purely natural that your voice changes when you grow up, but for me it was unbearable to listen my singing in the early days. I felt I was the worst singer in the world. Well, that criticism I still have today inside of me and I still criticise everything I do as a singer.

Name: Jana Nickname: Tillhelmina Location: Jablonec nad Nisou, Czech Republic Question:  Dear Tarja, I’d like to ask you what is the hardest song from classical music, you can play the piano? (For example: Chopin – Etude in C minor Op. 10, No.12  or Rachmaninov Preludium cis moll, … etc.)

I have played “Rachmaninov Preludium cis- minor” piano masterpiece when I was studying classical piano in Sibelius Academy.

My piano teacher said many times that if I had practised more, I would have become a good pianist. I didn’t really do so, because I was more interested in singing. When I take now my old piano notes from the library and try to play some of the Chopin Etudes I did play many years ago, I just get mad and pissed. Of course all that talent is gone. Now I just play for fun; I compose with piano and I try to enjoy the instrument in different ways.

Name: Enekli/Terka Location: Krnov, Czech Republic Question:  I´m sure you are sometimes in bad mood and you don´t want to see anyone. Do you often have to dissimulate when you´re talking to your fans?

As I was explaining before, touring can get you really tired if you can’t rest properly. Especially when you are touring through continents and fighting against time differences.

The situation gets out of hands when you get sick and there is no time to recover, but you need to keep on making concerts under pressure to avoid cancellations.

It has happened to me that I needed to perform without really having condition to do so. In those moments the feeling has been awful. At those moments, I preferred to see no one.

Beside that particular situation, I understand that meeting people is part of my profession and that never bothers me.

I am a human being with good days and bad ones as everybody else. But what is very clear: if you see me smiling I am not pretending. And if I don’t feel to see anybody, then I will find the way to be alone.

A lot has been said about known people and their fans. If you are in this profession of mine, you need to be flexible and be ready to meet people that knows you at any time. I have understood that long ago. When I am performing, making promotion for my albums or even when I am just walking in the street and somebody approaches me, is part of the profession I chose. And I am happy that is this way.

The line that I decided to draw to keep my privacy, is my home. When I am inside the doors of my house, that is my private life with my family or friends.

Name: Lili Location: Pont a mousson, France Question: A while ago, you said in an interview that the lyrics of the song “The reign” had been partially inspired by Paulo Coelho’s book, “The Alchemist”. Are there some other books that have been inspiring you during the writing process of “What lies beneath”?

Not really. I am still reading Coelho’s books. I guess I’ve already read most of them. For “What Lies Beneath” the inspiration has been people’s behaviour and feelings, my life, film music and things that have been touching me personally for different reasons.

Nickname: The Temptation Within Me Location: Athens, Greece Question:  Have you ever thought about joining another band?

I feel absolutely free and happy now, as I am on my own.

If there is a band that can make me feel as good, then I don’t see any problem in being a part of it.

Name: Giuliana Lista Nickname: EvolLocation: Milan, Italy Question:  Hi Tarja, I’d like to know if you’ve written the lyrics of Enough yourself. Many people have seen in this song a connection with the “Nightwish drama” , could  you say if there are perhaps any references to that? I understand if you don’t want to answer.

I was writing the lyrics for Enough together with Michelle Leonard. Enough is a song that was inspired by my own life experiences. Things that have been bothering me in my personal life and things that I see happening still today and that are not nice. It’s about my own feelings in certain circumstances. The song is not a direct reference to anything or anyone in particular, but as I said, is about what I feel.

Like with every song that I write, my ultimate goal is that the listener could find a meaning for the song. That it can feel him or her represented in the song. So it’s very fine for me if you can find any sort of connection with anything you want, but that is the way you see the song.

Name: ArinaLocation: Sibiu, Romania Question: Can you name one thing that you are sure not many people (or fans) know about you?

I have arachnophobia.

Name: Julieta Córdoba Location: Buenos Aires, Argentina Question: If you have a child. Where would it be born? …. Argentina or Finland?

Well it is very hard to say now because we don’t have plans for a bigger family yet. But if it happens and where ever it happens it will be a blessing for us. I don’t stress too much about these kinds of things. My home is in Argentina and also in Finland, so our child will hopefully feel the same.

Name: Maryline Location: Naucy, France Question: Will you do an album in finnish or in spannish language?

I have been recording few songs in both languages already, but it would be nice one day to make a complete album whether in Spanish or Finnish…or both.

Name: Maaike Essenstam Location: Ede, the Netherlands Question: When you are preforming on stage what do you prefer the most: a small venue where you can have close contact with the audience or a bigger venue where you can’t see the people who are standing at the end of the hall. And why do you prefer that.

I have been lucky to perform in both circumstances in my career. I can also add that I have been lucky enough to be able to perform for very different kind of audiences as well. What is absolutely a wonderful feeling.

Of course it is very nice to watch the people right in front of me, see their reactions and feel their love. It is great to be able to speak with people and communicate with them when the distance is not that big between us. On the other hand, I also love to perform in big venues where the people can be louder than the band! More people give me the chance to feel freer with my performance, because the situation is not that intimate. So as you can see, I love to perform. No matter the place, the situation or the amount of people in the audience.  

Name: Anne Johnson Nickname: Understand_Me Location: Hopkins, Minnesota USA Question: Do you like singing in Major keys or Minor keys better?

This is a very funny question. Did you know that there are many songs in Major keys that sound still very sad and melancholic? It depends how the song is composed. Not all the Major key songs are sounding happy. And not all the minor key songs are sounding sad either. As you might know already, I prefer to sing songs that are dramatically emotional instead of just being happy tunes.

Name: Leen Nickname: Silver_Wings Location: Betekom, Belgium Question: Hi Tarja, how does it make you feel if you see the same faces over and over again during your gigs. Do you think those people are crazy or maybe something else

It is wonderful to be able to see people following my career and supporting me. I know already in person many people that have been there for years. I am deeply grateful for them. I sincerely don’t think they are crazy. I guess they enjoy the feeling of belonging to a certain community, travel and have meetings together all over the world. I love to see familiar faces in the audience. It makes me feel comfortable and more secure.  

Name: Emanuel Fernández Location: Salta, Argentina Name: Daniela, Hinojosa Location: Santiago, Chile Name: Manuel Rojas Location: Santiago, Chile Nickname: Child of Bodom Location: Krakow, Poland Name: Roman Location: Kremenchug, Ukraine Name: Ruslan Nickname: Streamer Location: Donetsk, Ukraine Name: Jennifer Muller Location: Bogotà, Colombia Name: Strejcr Location: Strachy, Czech Republic Name: Arsa Languainen Location: St. Petersburg, Russia

I have received several questions asking me about making duets or collaborations with different artists. I decided to answer them all together.

The musicians mentioned were Floor Jansen, Steve Vai, Simone Simons, Sharon Den Adel, Bruce Dickinson, Liv Kristine, Kipelov, Pavarotti, Sarah Brightman, Anette Olzon, Yngwie Malmsteen, Ozzy Osbourne and Apocalyptica. I respect them all. With some, we’ve already been in touch for different reasons. The future might bring some collaboration out of this list.

It would have been an amazing honour to be able to sing a duet with Pavarotti, but unfortunately that opportunity is not going to happen anymore.

I can imagine some of the proposed collaborations a lot of fun and a pleasure. I am very open for collaborations today. I have done already some nice ones that bring only good memories.The most common problem with collaborations is the timing. To combine schedules is usually not easy.

Name: Guillermo OldaniLocation: Santa Fe, Argentina Question: Is going to be edited a DVD of your tours ? If that yes, would be there the concert in Obras? When It could be Available?

My record company doesn’t have any concrete plans for a DVD yet. Myself, I would love to record and film every performance I make, as each concert is special and unique.

In order to do a nice DVD, it really demands a lot of planning. Hopefully we can start those plans soon.

Name: Bernard Nickname: Labyrinth Location: Maldegem, Belgium Question: What do you understand under the Finnish term ‘Sisu’, and do you think the term is applicable to yourself ?Kind regards, Bernard 

Sisu is something that we Finns feel lives inside of us when the hard moments of life hit us. When there seems to be a wall against us, the sisu is the one that makes us to go through that wall. Is the last, powerful strength of life. I have needed to use sisu many times in my life so far. My life has not always been like dancing in a bed of roses.

The songs of My Winter Storm

After I chose the first songs for the album among the many I received, I found a strange connection in their lyrics. A certain story popped up from the songs. Some key words appeared in more than one song and some of the songs exposed a sort of different characters in their lyrics. 

With few changes, nearly every song seemed to fit this story very nicely.

At the same time, the story is very vague and the songs are still not connected with each other in any way. You can listen any of the songs out of the album and it will make sense on its own. But at the beginning it was easier to focus in the red line going through the album and was very inspiring for the kind of sound that I was looking for in every song. Also it helped me to create new songs for the album since I had a nice story in my head already from the beginning.

Die alive        

This is a song about living every moment of your life fully. Is a fight song without any swords or blood. A fight to do what you want to do in your life, in a way that if you die tomorrow, you die alive.

Not like many people that are already dead while they are still living. Jim Dooley added the feeling of a movie trailer in the middle part of the song.

Lost northern star 

This was composed in Ibiza together with Michelle and Kiko. I wanted to have a heavier song in the album with more operatic vocals. It took some days to come up with this song and in the end the song has 74 tracks of vocals!

I had a lot of fun in creating harmonies and strange sounds with my voice. Mel Wesson added more power to the song with his crazy sounds. The story in the lyrics is beautiful, even though the music itself is really massive.

We definitely like Rammstein and as homage I sang the line “my soul burns” that you would find familiar if you follow the band.

Sing for me                     

I received the song when the band was nearly done with the recordings of the album in Ireland. I heard it and immediately loved it. It fits perfectly to the complete sound and idea of the album with its orchestral and choir arrangements, spooky mood and gorgeous melodies.

This was one of the few songs that I didn’t change at all, which is quite amazing considering that I received it so late.

 Minor Heaven             

I have been asked already what means Minor Heaven. I don’t think this question has an answer. MH is what you want it to be. I fell in love with the melody and I imagined the song as one of the beautiful lieds that I have been performing in my classical concerts. I asked my dear friend Izumi to play piano to reinforce that idea of mine.

The song evolves into a bigger sound with orchestra and guitars and I do like the combination of them very much.

Our great divide

In my career I have performed several great ballads. I love ballads and I was looking for a song where I could feel myself free and flow with the music.

Anders and Mattias played me an amazing melody and I added my touch to some parts of the song. We wrote the lyrics with Hanne during beautiful sunrises in Ibiza. It started as a love song…but I cannot say where it ended.

 Boy and the Ghost          

The song represents the dark spirit of the album. BATG grows little by little in an unexpected way that becomes massive and mind blowing. It has a strange and mysterious story in its lyrics. Music flows like in a musical. Is the best companion to Sing For Me. Like two parts of a same song, both in music and lyrics.

Poison                     

This Alice Cooper classic is still very much played in the rock radios in Finland. The lyrics are very funny if you consider a woman singing them. I cannot reveal myself as a die-hard fan from Alice Cooper, but I always liked this one and it also brings me back to my years as a teenager.

We did quite many backing vocals in the studio with my friend Tea, my brother Toni and Daniel, the producer of the album. The original song has already a huge amount of backing vocals and it definitely took some time to get them done. We produced the song to fit to the complete picture and sound of My Winter Storm.

Mel Wesson did amazing ambience sounds and Alex, Doug, Earl, Torsten and Daniel were working very hard in the studio to make it sound fresh, but faithful to the original at the same time.

My Little Phoenix

When I received this song I liked that is was different than the others. It has a waltz structure what it is unusual for a rock song.

I already visualised from the demo the way the song should turn. It was the hardest one to explain to the Producer and musicians what I wanted to achieve…

It took for everybody until the complete song was close to be ready to finally understand it. Now is among everybody’s favourites.

I am absolutely happy with the result. Mel Wesson and Jim Dooley, once again, did an outstanding job in this one!

Still is a hard song to explain in words. You need to listen to it.

 I walk alone              

This song was among the first ones I received. The song is inspired by a theme from Mozart’s Requiem. I immediately thought this song could match perfectly my identity and personality as a singer, having a background in classical music. It was hard to decide the final direction that the song should take. We started to make some experiments in the studio with a version having more guitars and another one with more orchestra. The original idea was to choose one of them, but in the end I liked both so much that when the record company suggested IWA as the first single, they saved my day! We are releasing those 2 versions as 2 separate singles so that I won’t need to choose.

 Oasis           

Is the only song I composed alone for the album. I felt the song name “Oasis” very strongly as the picture I tried to paint. Even though I wrote Finnish lyrics for the song, I decided to keep the original name.

The feelings and emotions are the most important components of this song.

Oasis tells about inner freedom, happiness and peace. Every one of us should be able to find that peace of mind when needed.

Calling grace

MWS is an album that will drive you through different emotions. Atmosphere is dark and strong so I was looking for a quiet outro for the album. A piece of music that allows you to relax and leaves you with a pleasant mood.

I thought that an acoustic guitar song was the best thing to do.

When we were in Ibiza arranging other songs I told everybody about this idea. Immediately and very spontaneously we started to jam with an acoustic guitar with Kiko and Michelle. A couple of days later the song was ready and it didn’t change much from those days to the final recordings.

I am happy to have Kiko Loureiro (to have 2 Kiko’s involved in the same song is already unusual) playing acoustic guitar. He gives definitely an additional flavour that I was looking for and a marvellous ending for MWS.

Damned and divine

This song was created by Torsten Stenzel, Angela Heldmann, Adrian Zagoritis and me.    

They made a demo of a basic track, which they showed to me. Usually I need some time for a song to grow in me, but this case was different. I felt the song strong. I added the vocal melodies and suggested few changes in the lyrics.

It feels that D&D has been taken from a vampires’ movie. Dark, sad, gentle and beauty. 

When we started to work the song in the studio with Daniel and the band, everybody loved the song and wanted to take part of it. We ended up making two versions of D&D and producing them as different songs.

The Reign

Quiet and beautiful atmospheres that can be heard in certain film music inspired this song.

I met Torsten Stenzel in Ibiza to discuss some ideas for a song he sent me for my new album. I immediately felt a strong connection between us so I asked him to play keyboards on My Winter Storm album. I played some soundtracks I love, for him and explained what kind of mood I was looking for. We ended up composing 2 new songs together; The Reign is one of them.

My first approach for this song was to have it as an instrumental for the album.

When Torsten presented his first ideas, we thought of using my voice as an instrument, without any lyrics. I sang some vocal melodies with that in mind.

After we recorded the first demo of the song, it became apparent to us that The Reign should also tell a story.

Together with Angela Heldmann and Adrian Zagoritis, I ended up writing the dreamy lyrics for it around a story I already had in my mind. It is fair to say that The Reign was partially inspired by Paulo Coelho’s book “The Alchemist”.

The amazing orchestral arrangements, composed by Jim Dooley, truly captured the spirit and lyrics of “The reign.”

The Wonderful Martin Tillman played the beautiful cello parts.

Ciarán´s Well

For my Winter Storm album, we recorded the drums, bass and guitars in Ireland. Having had such a great time, I wanted to capture musically, the essence of my experience. This is the only song we composed in Ireland.

It was amazing to see Doug Wimbish and Alex Scholpp jamming every day between the albums recordings. I loved some of the guitar riffs from those moments, and asked Alex to record them for me. I wanted to have a song to head-bang on stage!

Ciarán’s well was born in a very spontaneous way. The name refers to one of the hundreds of Holy wells from Ireland. One in particular that was near our studio and holds many magical stories.

It was actually very hard for me to include my own personality in this song. I wanted this song not to be too ambitious, a bit funny, and even at times, crazy. Something that can put a smile on your face. So I asked Michelle Leonard to give me a hand. Michelle and I did two other songs together for my winter storm.

It was a lot of fun to write the lyrics and vocal melodies with her in the middle of the night in a hotel room in Hamburg, and I think everything worked out wonderfully!

Greetings from Iguazu!

I am posting now from Finland.

In two days I will be back in the studio working with the guys.
I cannot wait to return.

Anyway, my spirit is there. So I want to show you a photo of the day when Daniel Pieper made the interview.

Of course, after a great barbecue!

Interview part 2

Daniel Pieper: Recently the German label Nuclear Blast released a 20th Anniversary album with guest singers. You are the only artist in the album that is not signed with Nuclear Blast and also the only Lady.
What it meant for you to take part of it?

Tarja: It was very kind of NB to ask me to participate in this album and it was a great honour for me to do it. It gave me an opportunity to thank the label and the people working there for their respect and professionalism of the past years while I was signed with them.
I knew the composer of the song “In the Picture”, Viktor Smolski, since ´98 when I toured with Rage in Europe as their opening act. This project brought me many nice memories from those times.
The song reminds me of the sounds from the ´80s. I recorded my vocal parts in Argentina. It was fun in the studio! It is very different to what I am preparing at the moment.

DP: How are your vocals going to be in “My Winter Storm”?

T: I am facing a huge challenge on this album as a singer and as an artist. Every song is like a painting where I will try to use my voice to deliver different colours and feelings. Like in a movie, where you have the images to tell a story, in my album the story you will hear through the songs. I will be a kind of storyteller. You will have the freedom to create images in your mind as you feel them.
I am going to play with different ways to use my voice, but mainly I am planning to use much more my lyrical voice than in the last 4 years.

DP: Are you planning to present “My Winter Storm” live?

T: We are planning at the moment together with the record company to do a lot of promotion for the album and to visit as many places as possible. Immediately after the promo-trips, we are going to do few shows before the end of the year. Is a bit too early to say where we will go first. Anyway a much longer tour will start in the first quarter of 2008 and I don’t have plans to leave any place out of it.

DP: We can expect that you will play songs from your new album in these concerts, but will you also perform some songs from your past?

T: I don’t see any reason why I shouldn’t. As you correctly said, is part of my past. Even though I have moved on, I can still enjoy of the music that I have done for many years. I already performed songs that I recorded with Nightwish in some of my recent concerts. Songs like Gethsemane, Angels fall first, Phantom of the opera, Walking in the air and Beauty of the beast. I will probably perform also some other songs that I particularly like. We’ll see.

So this was the second part.
There is still one more part to be posted, but I’ll do it later.

Love,
Tarja

Here we are in Ireland’s Grouse Lodge Studios.
We arrived 5 days ago and since that we have been working the songs for the album.
The studio is located in the countryside surrounded by green fields and farms. Is very quiet and far away from the nearest town. Only thing you can hear are the sounds of the nature.
The residence built around 1700 has a huge park with 4 big stone houses including gym and indoor swimming pool. All the musicians, producer, recording engineers and people from the record company are staying here. Even though having a short history of 5 years as a recording studio facility, Grouse Lodge Studio has already been an inspiration for artists like Manic Street Preachers, Michael Jackson and R.E.M.
We wake up early in the morning and work until late at night every day.

Today, Daniel Pieper, Universal Music Germany A&R made an interview with me. Here is the first part of it:

DP: You mentioned in your web page that you would explain the name of the album. What means “My Winter Storm”?

Tarja: There is one song in the album that says:

“My winter storm
holding me awake
it’s never gone”

It always takes some time for me to get into the new songs. To feel the songs as mine and to discover a meaning for them.

This song was not an exception. I went through that part of the lyrics many times until it came crystal clear to me.

A winter storm is something powerful, but at the same time beautiful. Like a big mass of energy.
I saw the people reflected in these lines. The people that has been following and supporting me through my albums and career for many years. They are the reason why I am here and I definitely feel that they have never gone away from my side. They are my winter storm.

It was at the same time a very poetic and strong way to express an image that is linked with the place where I was born: Finland and its long winters full of snow.

Even though the most common way is to decide the album’s name at last, I felt the complete image of “My Winter Storm” so strong that I chose it as the title of my album from the very beginning.

The funny thing is that the way I understood the lyrics of this song was absolutely different than the songwriter´s own vision.
When I spoke with the songwriter about it, he was very impressed by my interpretation.

For this reason I decided not to explain the meaning of any other lyrics in this album.

I want people to have freedom to create their own visions about the songs and the music I am doing. I am sure that everyone, including myself, will have different opinions and ways to image the meanings in each song. I believe that is the way it should be.

So if you are ever holding a copy of the album in your hands, be aware that you are already a big part of it.

DP: Who composed the songs for the album?

T: The record company contacted composers all over the world. At the same time, many musicians spontaneously offered me their songs.
I received hundreds of songs. Some of them where written for me, others not.
I requested to the record company not to tell me the name of the composer so I could listen to the songs without any prejudices.

After selecting the songs I was told that some VERY important musicians had written music especially for me, but unfortunately their songs didn’t reach my soul. Anyway, I want to thank them all deeply for doing that.

I was amazed by the diversity of beautiful melodies and lyrics in the songs I received. I was even more surprised to realise that for some reason, many songs seemed to relate with others even though they came from different composers.

We never told anybody what the songs should be about. We never requested either that the songs should be whether ballads or fast numbers. I have a clear vision of the sound I want for my album. I only needed to select the songs that touched me for different reasons, the songs that could be moulded into the sound I am expecting to have.

I was already in contact with some of the composers exchanging ideas about their music and lyrics they have sent me, when somebody suggested to have a meeting all together for a couple of days.

To cut a long story short, we all ended up in Ibiza. A beautiful Spanish island in the Mediterranean Sea. It’s funny that we were discussing about the songs for “My Winter Storm” in a beach under the sun.

We stayed longer than expected on the island with an international group of crazy and creative people from Finland, Germany, USA, Norway, Ireland and Sweden.

It was a magical time! My expectations about the island totally changed while being there. I imagined people raving and dancing all day long, but instead of that I found beautiful and almost isolated beaches, quiet places and great hospitality from the local people.

It was an inspiring environment. In the beginning, we discussed with the songwriters about the songs we already had and soon after we started to create new music together. It was an intensive, creative week. I add vocal melodies in some of the songs and lyrics in others. After all, I co-wrote 6 new songs in Ibiza!

Myself and the album producer that was also in the island, loved so much the atmosphere there, that we are making plans at the moment to return to Ibiza to record the vocals for the album.

DP: can you tell us something about the musicians that will be in the album?

T: I knew from the very beginning that I will need skilled musicians able to play different styles and at the same time, to sound as a team.
I wanted the musicians to add their own personal touch to the songs. Every one of them is an absolutely professional. Their own preferences for music are different, what makes the combination of all of us very rich and unique.

Torsten Stenzel was the last one to join us. He is the keyboard player and programmer in some of my songs. I got in contact with him after I chose the song he sent for me. He was also the reason for meeting all the composers in Ibiza as he is living there. Torsten suggested that we should come to the island and he was absolutely right!
He has worked in the dance music field for several years doing also remixes and club music. He has worked with top artists as Nelly Furtado, Chris Rea, Moby, Tina Turner and Vanessa Mae.
I was very glad to meet him and get to know him. He is a “stress-free German” living in an island. After few days, I was really impressed by his work and personality. We composed 2 songs together and it was wonderful experience for me. Before leaving the island, I invited him to take part in the album recordings and gladly he accepted.

Earl Harvin was born in New Jersey. I discovered him last January in Argentina. I was having some days off in Pinamar and Seal performed an open-air concert in the city.
The show was just great! Seal is an amazing performer and I enjoyed the evening a lot. But what really got my attention was the incredible groove of Earl behind his small drum set. So big was the impression that I was mostly watching him playing during the show. Many times I needed to check if there was not another hidden drummer somewhere! Only one man playing such great fills. He has an outstanding sound and talent. Even though he was performing pop songs, you could realise his jazz influences, but mostly, the man can rock big time!
I knew at that moment that I wanted him for my album. Luckily I managed to get in touch with him and he is now here with us recording “My Winter Storm”.
Beside a long collaboration with Seal, Earl has also played with the band Air and Pet Shop Boys to name few.

I have a very clear picture that guitars will have an important role in my album. I was looking for a deep and massive sound. The producer Daniel Presley suggested me to check the German band Farmer Boys’ guitarist Alexander Scholpp. He brings the rock/heavy elements to the team. He was the first one to join us even though I got to meet him only at the recording studio. Most likely because of our common background, it was very fast and easy to understand each other.

The album in general will have a dark atmosphere. Is very important for me to have a bass player who can handle the instrument besides the usual rhythm purposes.
And Doug Wimbish is perfect for that! He might be known as a part of Living Colour, but he has also worked with Any Lennox, Joe Satriani, Jeff Beck, Madonna and Rolling Stones.
Doug is bringing his soulful funky and a bag of tricks including more than 13 pedals for the recordings!

All these musicians have music inside of them. Is a magical mixture of personalities and styles adding to my classical side.

A special chemistry that is bringing the songs to a different level that I have never experienced before.
I am very happy to have all of them at Grouse Lodge.

This is all for now. I will return back to you soon in some of the other upcoming posts.

Love,
Tarja