TARJA TURUNEN Begins Writing Material For New Solo Album

Former NIGHTWISH singer Tarja Turunen has issued the following update:

"Hello, my friends, and regards from Antigua, the land of the sea and sun!

"I only heard nice stories about Antigua, so I came to this beautiful Caribbean island 10 days ago searching for some warmness and peace.

"I feel that the island has more to offer to me than only the relaxing feeling of being on holidays. I think I have fallen in love with it.

"Seriously, the locals are very friendly, the landscapes including amazing amount of gorgeous beaches are wonderful, the underwater world is enchanting and the positive energy on the island makes me feel very good. I am gathering around some ideas to be able to spend more time here in the future…

"The other reason to visit the island beside the geography was that my friends from Ibiza, Torsten and Angela, are now living here! This creative couple is making music for many artists, both locals and international.

"We have already written together 'The Reign' and 'Damned And Divine' so I decided to start the process for the follow-up to 'My Winter Storm' album NOW.

"I have some ideas already for it and I am sure I am able to put them together with the help of Torsten and Angela. I am very happy to be able to start working for the next album already, even though there are still many concerts to come during 2008 to present 'My Winter Storm'.

"Next week I will continue doing more promotion for 'My Winter Storm' and now is the time for USA and Japan where the album will be released very soon.

"Thanks to my Finnish fans that made 'My Winter Storm' reach platinum sales [30,000 copies] in my homeland Finland! Is a very successful debut album that I am very proud of.

"The video that we filmed in the show we performed in Kuusankoski last year is ready now and we'll figure out the way to show it to you all soon."

Turunen will release her new solo album, "My Winter Storm", in the U.S. on February 26, 2008. The CD will be made available in two exclusive U.S. versions via Fontana: the standard and deluxe editions (the latter featuring extra tracks not released elsewhere, as well visually stimulating bonus DVD content).

"My Winter Storm" 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.

Tarja Turunen performing in Russia, December 2007: