TARJA TURUNEN: 'Music Really Makes You Keep Your Feet On The Ground'

Excalibur, York University's community newspaper conducted an interview with former NIGHTWISH singer Tarja Turunen before her May 2, 2009 concert at the Opera House in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. A couple of excerpts from the chat follow below.

On being a breakthrough female act in a musical scene dominated by some of the most testosterone-laden men in the world:

"I think it's really important to be humble for the music because there is always someone better than you, there is always something new for you to learn for music and you can't be the best in the world. It makes you work very hard. Music really makes you keep your feet on the ground. People can really see if you're honest. That is the truth, they really can see through you."

On how she is perceived by people in the music industry:

"With my classical training and coming from a metal band, producers didn't know what to expect. I like to shock people, though. It makes it fun."

On her musical direction:

"It is a lot of responsibility [but] the freedom [of going solo] is making me really happy. . . I really hope with the next album I will make my sound very clear and my message very clear to my listeners, to say, 'This is it. This is me,' . . . [I] want to make it even bigger in a way that the heavier songs will sound a bit more heavy but the moodier songs will be in the same vein as the first album."

Fan-filmed video footage of Tarja's Toronto concert can be viewed below.