Tarja dla MeNaiset listopad 2006

czarnycharakter

Brilliant Ideas

In the lobby of a hotel in Helsinki Tarja Turunen is just finishing an interview and make-up artist Heidi Reponen arranges her make-up kit's equipment ready for Tarja's make-up. A long day of interviews and photoshoots lies ahead. As soon as Tarja sits on the chair the cheerful chatting and giggling begins.

TARJA: "Heidi did my make-up for the first time eight years ago for a photoshoot for Me Naiset-magazine. I instantly felt different, because Heidi made my eyes look gorgeous. Since then we have worked together both in Finland and on tour in Europe. Once when Heidi couldn't come to a videoshoot in Germany, I had to touch up my make-up after the make-up artist had left the room. It just didn't have 'that something' that only Heidi can do. That's the only time I have intervened with a professionals work."

HEIDI: "We are a team with Tarja and we plan the make-up styles together. Tarja is intrested in beauty treatment and make-up.We never have two work days that are alike. Especially on tours anything can happen! Once on a Nightwish gig Tarja was in the middle of an outfit change and we needed something to cover the make-up with. The shield cloth was lost, but I contrived to put a plastic bag on Tarja's head. The next song started already, the dress got stuck and Tarja nearly choked! We havent touched plastic bags after that."

And this is a translation for the article in Kalevala:

Tarja Turunen sings the joyful news of christmas

According to singer Tarja Turunen to the christmas time belong the peaceful music, that tells about the celebration's atmosphere and events.

Turunen has shaken off the remains of Nightwish and published a traditional christmas album titled Henkäys Ikuisuudesta.

Turunen many dear memories of christmases spend at her home in Kitee. Every christmas the family sang carols while Tarja accompanied with the piano.

Her first public christmas consert Turunen sang in Kitee's church hall at the age of three. The song was Enkeli taivaan (Angel of Heaven). She doens't remeber anything of the performance but her parents have recapitulated the events.

"At first the audience couldn't see where I was singing, so a congregation employee lifted me on a table. Standing on that table I had sang the whole song, forgot the lyrics many times but kept on with my own words. I had squeezed my dresses hem and my mum had been nervous in the audience that I wouldn't lift it too high", Turunen recalls with a smile.

Snowman gave the idea

The idea for her own christmas album she got on 2003 from the Nightwish's cover song Walking in the Air.

"I was talking to my friend about the song, how beautiful it is and how it had became familiar to many Finns from the cartoon Snowman. I definetly wanted to have a chance to record it and other christmas songs", Turunen says.

At that point Turunen didn't have time for a full lenght album so she settled to make a single Yhden Enkelin Unelma, that came out on christmas 2004.

Walking in the Air, the first inspiration for the full lenght album, will be released as two different versions. On the single there's a classical version, on the album a poprock performance.

A long consideration

The song that are on the album Turunen chose after a long consideration. The idea was to offer something for all ages.

The singers personal favourite is the sensitive and touching single release You Would Have Loved This, that she hopes to find a place in Finns' hearts as well.

There's also a song Turunen co-composed with Esa Nieminen titled Kuin Henkäys Ikuisuutta.

"Esa showed me a song he had wrote. I liked some parts. At that point a melody that had been going on in my head popped up and I asked Esa to attach it to this song. The song got a new face, since the only thing that remained pretty much the same was the chorus", Turunen explains.

"I had never thought about doing my own song for this album, but now that the idea came, I'm glad it worked out. Perhaps in the future I'll be brave enough to open more gates at that direction."

The tour won't come to Oulu

The album Henkäys Ikuisuudesta is followed by a nine consert long tour. Turunen won't be seen any norther than Jyväskylä.

"There would have been a chance for a more covering tour. My wish is that the listeners can enjoy. For me it's the greatest pleasure, when I can give an audience my best, but I won't have to go over consciously my durability", Turunen tells.

She believes that the audience will get more out of the nine shows than from twenty shows.

When it's a rainy and dark autumn in Finland, the spring sun shines in Argentina.

So it's no wonder that Turunen prepared for the consert tour in her home in Buenos Aires. There Turunen has also waited for the recordings of her solo album, that is to be released world wide next year.

"Musically the album is a mix of the styles I have done during my career. You can't call it a classical album nor a metal album. There'll be musical characteristic from both styles. The work is going to be challenging, but I'll gladly do it."