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“I probably should’ve put them through hell.” Tarja reflects on her public dismissal from Nightwish in 2005
Tarja Turunen, the former operatic vocalist of Finnish symphonic metal band Nightwish, has reflected on her acrimonious departure from the group in 2005, admitting she perhaps should have been tougher on them at the time. She rose to fame with Nightwish's 2004 album Once, but was dismissed the following year via a controversial open letter published by the band, a move that shocked the metal community and became one of the genre's most talked-about splits.
Since leaving Nightwish, Turunen has forged a successful solo career spanning metal and classical music, overcome a stroke, and recently released Frisson Noir, which she describes as the heaviest album of her career. In a new interview, she looks back on three decades in music, describing her journey to the top as both "a turmoil" and "beautiful", and discusses the lessons she has taken from the highs and lows of her career.
In short
- Tarja Turunen revisits her 2005 public sacking from Nightwish
- Says she "probably should've put them through hell"
- Has since built a solo career and released new album Frisson Noir
Explained simply
Tarja Turunen was the lead singer of Nightwish, a Finnish symphonic metal band that blends operatic vocals with heavy guitars. She fronted the group through its rise to prominence, including the 2004 album Once, before being dismissed in 2005 in a manner that drew widespread attention within the metal scene.
The split was unusual because the band announced it through an open letter made public at the time, rather than a private or low-key parting of ways. This turned what might otherwise have been a routine line-up change into one of the most widely discussed breakups in the genre's history, and it has continued to shape how both Turunen and Nightwish are talked about since.
Since then, Turunen has built a solo career across metal and classical music, and has spoken publicly about other challenges in her life, including a stroke. She has now released a new album, Frisson Noir, and in a recent interview looks back on her career and the events of 2005 with the benefit of hindsight.
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