"I dream of motherhood"

Tarja Turunen loves to dream. Her biggest dream is to be able to sing as long as it is physically and intelectually possible, and that one day she will become a mother.

Five years ago, in October, something strange happened: the band Nightwish fired their singer, Tarja Turunen, through an open letter, at the end of their world tour. That's when Tarja's solo career started. The classically trained singer performed at the Savonlinna festival, and some concerts of her own and surprised us, for example, by telling us that she is more interested in lied than in opera.

I feel the passion...
- These days, before any other, in music writing. I have been given the freedom to make beautiful music, and I feel priviledged!
- In moments of tension. This is one of those times, because of my second album, its music is very personal. So far I have composed and written all the songs, with the collaboration of my band, and I also produced the album. It was a major challenge for me, Tarja says.

What Lies Beneath will be published in the beginning of September. In Tarja's view, it is a very "rock-spirited album, on which also "beauty parts" can be found, as well as classical- and soundtrack elements.

Tarja will be 33 on the 17th of August. In her case, her passion is also related to her starsign.
- I am a very ambitious Leo and a perfectionist: I can't go through things just like passing the borderline. I also love challenges. It is an extremely nice feeling when you try something really hard and succeed. It beats the feeling of a thousand failures.

It is Sunday and Tarja has been in Finland for two days. On Thursday she had a concert in Czech republic, and next week in Bulgaria. In the meantime she flew to Iceland to film a video for the single of the album.

- It was a mix between work and pleasure, because I hadn't been in Iceland before. I love traveling, but during the tours you don't have time to visit museums or go to the beach. And in Finland we don't have time to see my friends, I come here so rarely. Fortunately my friends also travel a lot, and foreigners also come to my concerts, Tarja rejoices.
With friends, Tarja gets to practise also her cooking and other gastronomic-related passions: food and wine tasting.
- I am enthusiastic, if I see my friends I love to cook and to have Argentinean red wine!

My state of mind is...
- Tired, but happy. This would sum up everything. The ellaboration of the album took a really long time, but work didn't seem like a work, because it was comfortable and fun to work the ideas together and to brainstorm, Tarja tells.

Tarja Turunen usually spends three weeks traveling and one week at home, in Buenos Aires. There she washes the laundry, cleans, and then goes back to traveling.

- I am crazy about cleaning, and when I was younger I was wondering if I will always be the same. Well I'm not...
Life is irregular and stressful. Or isn't it?
It is continously streeful. It would be nice to stop and think about the things that actually happen. Sometimes I feel that the memories will be lost when you are in such a hurry. And thinking about how long I manage to do this, is stressing me out as well, Tarja wonders.

- On the other hand, even though I travel and work with my husband all the time, and fortunately we have a gift and know how to distinguish these things.

Work is also different from the rest. The singer has to follow many conditions for a healthy lifestyle.
- Even when I sing rock music I have to take care of my voice all the time. , otherwise intruments are pointless. Sleep is very important. If I can't sleep at night, I sleep during the day. I drink liters of water every day, because it keeps the skin hydrated and also keeps exhaustion away.
- I wouldn't say that I make sacrifices because of my voice, but singing is a way of life.

Exercising...
Maradona's calves! You will not see me wearing mini skirt, I have football players calves. And today my eyes seem to be swollen as well., Tarja threw a glance in the mirror.
- Appearance is an important thing in an artist's life, you have to be in a good condition. I keep my condition with the help of a special fitness program. Half an hour working out, even during the tours, so I am tired.
I also go jogging and swimming, but I never go to the gym. Instead I use a big fitness ball, which I also take with me when I go on tour, so that I can use it in hotel rooms.

Tarja's husband is the Argentinean businessman Marcelo Cabuli. It was alleged that Marcelo was the reason why Tarja was fired from Nightwish by Tuomas Holopainen.
Whatever happened, Argentineans are different from Finns.
- My husband tells me every day "Honey, you're beautiful". It is like a small gesture of politeness, which every woman likes to hear, the southern culture is set up by men's style. Wife is allowed to shine, mother always says the last word and man has the honor. It's very different than how we do it in the North, Tarja notes.

Yesterday, there was also a person who said something wonderful: "Tarja, you look the same as 10 years ago". It was a very nice thing to say! I try to tell myself something positive every day, because it creates energy. I think that women have an extraordinary power of creating and sharing positive energy around.

I love...
- Many, many things. Good wine, sun mixed with rain. Smiling, people's smiles - first of all!
- I also love dreaming. Firstly I dream about health. That I will be able to sing as much as I can. And that one day I will become a mother.
*something about keeping your feet on the ground* But dreaming in itself is important! Without dreams, life gets empty and negative.
Tarja says she has met a lot of people who are sad because of not following their dreams.
Often you need to work hard for success, but trying is even more important. Moreover, a dream that is reality is more like a former dream.

- Making music is, fortunately, a chalenge, there is always something you can teach or learn every day. You can never be the best, there is always someone better than you. It's important to understand these things. I've told my friends that if you see even a hint of arrogancy, tell me right away, or kick me.

Traveling is one of Tarja's fantasies - that the Earth would be smaller than it is. The second one is silence, more related to being in the same place.

– Wind waving in a certain way, birds singing, a peace where you can be yourself, and natural ... The silence. Of course, life is too short - because I search for it.

- You can find silence in yourself as well, even in a hotel room. Or on the shore of a lake- that's the best place that I know.

And the box from the middle of the article says:
Hooked on...
Music: Ozzy Osbourne - Scream
Book - Paulo Coelho - The Witch Of Portobello
TV-series: Fringe. Olivia.
Food/Drinks: Steak with Rukola-salad and Italian red wine Portofino.
Color: black.
Vices: Laziness, when it is possible.
Saying: Talent is practised. I keep using the phrase almost every day with glimmer in my eye.

English translation: Arina