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.