"It's wonderful when I'm singing to have like 500 flashlights in front of me! I don't see any point for saying no to cameras."

Tarja Turunen is going to do her first ever show in Sofia, Bulgaria on October 28, 2008. Let's find out more about it from the firmer Nightwish singer herself...

Vassil Varbanov: Hey, Tarja, hello!

Tarja Turunen: Hello, how are you?

V. V.: Good! It's great to have you with us again! Where exactly in Argentina are you now?

T. T.: I'm in Buenos Aires, at my home.

V. V.: The occasion to have you with us on the radio is this forthcoming first show of yours in Bulgaria. Tell us more about the atmosphere at a Tarja Turunen concert.

T. T.: I've been doing two European tours so far and one South American. Actually I finished the South American tour last week and it was... Wonderful! Beautiful! I'm so happy to have this beautiful band of great musicians with me, the music works wonderfully live, it's very powerful and emotional. Now I'm really looking forward to come to Bulgaria for the first time ever!

V. V.: I believe you still have the same line-up of your band, right?

T. T.: Yes. For example, Alex Scholpp (Farmer Boys), who played guitar on my record and on the two European tours, couldn't come to South America, so I was having Kiko Loureiro. You know, all these musicians that are playing with me are session musicians, so I have to give them time to do their own business with their own bands... Now in Europe there will be Oliver Holzwarth from Blind Guardian playing the bass instead of Doug Wimbish, who is touring with Living Colour. The rest of the band will be the same - Alex will be again on guitar, Mike Terrana (ex-Rage) on drums, Maria Ilmoniemi on keyboards and Max Lilja (ex-Apocalyptica) on cello.

V. V.: Your debut CD "My Winter Storm" was a big success. Are you already working on its follow-up?

T. T.: Definitely. I'm writing new material every day and it's coming up very nicely together. The new songs are much more... major in a way, much more clear in concert. I'm still a young songwriter, so I'm in the beginning of these first steps and I'm very happy to be able to write songs on my own. The next album is planned to be released in September 2009. And this year there will be a re-release of "My Winter Storm" including some new songs that I'm going to record very soon.

V. V.: Are you going to record your next album with the same musicians?

T. T.: Yes, but you know, when I'm writing songs or selecting material, it's always up to the feeling I have about what kind of musicians I'm going to work on each song. I have very different kinds of songs - there are these film-music-type of songs, and then metal, metal, metal, ha-ha! These are differend kinds of styles, so not every musician can play both types of music. The musician has to be an open-minded person. Doug Wimbish for example is a great man for this job, because he can play various music styles. However, I can't tell you for sure which musicians are going to be part of my next album, because it depends a lot on the songs.

V. V.: We can read on your website that your upcoming shows in Europe will be camera-friendly. You like to be exposed or what?

T. T.: No, ha-ha! I love to have memories from my concerts, because my fans are taking brilliant pictures. I love to see that, because I myself can't capture the moment, so in a way it's lovely to see beautiful pictures afterwards. I also think that's nice for the fans, as I'm arranging some competitions for best pictures later on and... It's a lot of fun having this king of conversation between the artist and the fans. The flashlights are not bothering me, not at all - sometimes it's wonderful when I'm singing to have like 500 flashlights in front of me! I don't see any point for saying no to cameras.

V. V.: So you're not the female David Coverdale, ha-ha!

T. T.: Ha-ha, no! You know, some people are very sensitive - I know some singers that can't handle with the flashlights at all. They even need to wear sunglasses at signing sessions, because they have very sensitive eyes. Luckily for me, I'm different!

V. V.: How long is going to be your set for these shows?

T. T.: I'm going to play about two hours.

V. V.: How many dresses do you chance at one show?

T. T.: Oh... Right now I'm trying to figure out the setlist, every song, every clothe change... There will be around five this time.

Stefan Jordanov: Do you have male stalkers?

T. T.: No.

S. J.: I'm asking, because your fans are presumably male.

T. T.: No! During my last tour for example there was a funny coincidence - in Columbia there were all men in the front row! The whole band was shocked, because usually at my concerts there are only girls in the front rows.

V. V.: We know you live in Argentina because your husband and manager is Argentinean. Is the situation at your home something like "fire meeting ice"?

T. T.: In a way... not. In the culture in general it could be, but not with him. In a way the freedom I found here in Argentina I can't find anywhere else in the world. For me Argentina means a lot. It's my home.

V. V.: And I'm sure vodka "Finlandia" is even cheaper in Argentina than in your homeland!

T. T.: I don't think so, as it's gonna be imported.

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