TARJA TURUNEN

For me, it is incredible to hear singers in the metal scene telling me I had been their inspiration.

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.

I like to keep the big dynamic changes between my songs, so that album songs feel radically different from each other.

In the beginning of my career, I didn't have any female singer in metal to ask for advice, nor have I ever had a role model or a metal singer that could inspire me, because the way I sang was operatic.

I mean, being a solo artist is very different than being a member of a band. It's absolutely different. The whole situation is very different - situations where you can't really compare, it's so very different. But I found happiness.

Actually, the whole thing of being a solo artist has been such a learning process for me. Since I departed from my previous band, NIGHTWISH, it was the whole beginning of my career, there was stuff in the air. I had to learn so much.

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.

It is vital for me to make progress as a lyrical singer since it also helps me to sing rock better.

I never thought in my whole life of becoming a heavy metal singer, but it just happened because I took the challenge.

When I need some energy in the morning I can put a metal CD in my player, because it gets me going! Classical music will send me off the road!

I've been requested by hundreds of metal bands to be part of their albums or side projects.

I have to be cautious about how I dress, what I eat/drink and when I sleep so that my voice can shine as its best in each of my shows.

If I'm singing powerfully, I need something powerful behind me so that I don't feel like I am left alone.

As I am a lyrical singer, I really have to work hard. I'm still really training on a daily basis on my vocals. Because of the lyrical training, it never really ends.

Paulo Coelho is a very important writer, and I have discovered a lot about myself through his texts.

I'm a workaholic. My listeners, I think, they know me as a workaholic already. But, you know, work is my love.

Gold, we think, is something polished and perfect, sophisticated, a luxury. But in its natural state, it's a raw element.

I've always enjoyed the respect from my male colleagues or my audiences all over the world. I've never suffered by the fact of being a woman on the road.

Until the governments don't have a clear law against piracy and the digital downloads are not working worldwide properly, the record industry will keep on suffering.

For me, there are no borders in music in general.

I don't write duets - I write songs for my voice.

The Brightest Void' gives more than a first taste of 'The Shadow Self;' it is a full album filled with nine songs!

Since I was a little child, I always wanted to do music. That was my passion.

You need to think and live your life. You only live once. That's how it is.

I'm happy, I'm healthy, I am not looking backwards - I'm only heading towards some kind of dreams of mine and living my dreams.