TARJA TURUNEN Kicks Off Solo Tour; Video Footage Available

Former NIGHTWISH singer Tarja Turunen kicked of her first solo tour Sunday night (November 25) at the Columbia Club in Berlin, Germany. Fan-filmed video footage of the performance can be viewed below.

Commented Tarja: "The first show in Berlin was just great!! Everybody in the band, including myself, was really nervous. It is normal that in the first show some things are not really working yet. We were ready to have a total catastrophe in the middle of the concert, but luckily it didn't happen! I sensed that the audience was really listening everything carefully and I got the feeling that they enjoyed the show. That makes me very happy and delighted. There was a good spirit. It was funny to see the entire band, including two drum sets, in a small stage! But our crew managed to make us fit there… I am sure that things are getting better from now on. As for the first show, Berlin was amazing beginning for us. Thanks so much for all the nice and wonderful persons in the audience. I felt your support and love. You made a bit difficult for me to continue singing at some points during the concert. Just to bring down the myth that German people is cold. I think you were great and very, very warm."

Tarja Turunen's new single, "I Walk Alone", entered the German chart at position No. 16.

Turunen will perform "I Walk Alone" on November 30 at the farewell fight of the German female boxing champion (and Doro Pesch's close friend) Regina Halmich. The event will take place at the DM Arena in Karlsruhe, Germany.

According to the Finnish newspaper Iltalehti, Tarja Turunen's new solo album, "My Winter Storm", was certified gold in Finland for sales in excess of 15,000 copies on the day of the CD's release (November 14).

"My Winter Storm" will be released in North America on February 26, 2008. The CD was produced by Daniel Presley (FAITH NO MORE, JEWEL, THE BREEDERS), who has been joined in the studio by a truly stellar line-up of musicians: Doug Wimbish on bass (LIVING COLOUR, ANNIE LENNOX, JOE SATRIANI, JEFF BECK, MADONNA, ROLLING STONES), Alex Scholpp on electric guitars (FARMER BOYS) and Earl Harvin on drums (SEAL, PET SHOP BOYS, AIR), a player personally selected by Tarja after she saw him stealing the show at a SEAL concert. Keyboards and programming, meanwhile, are being provided by Torsten Stenzel, whose previous credits include NELLY FURTADO, MOBY, TINA TURNER, VANESSA MAE and more.

"Boy and the Ghost":

"Nemo" (NIGHTWISH cover):

"Calling Grace":