Sonic Cathedral webzine recently conducted an interview with former NIGHTWISH singer Tarja Turunen. An excerpt from the chat follows below.

Sonic Cathedral: This is your first time touring solo [without NIGHTWISH] in the United States. What made you decide to come out here finally?

Tarja: You know, this is my third try, I think, already to come here, so I'm actually really, really happy it finally came true. My wishes were fulfilled. You know, I have lots of followers here in the United States and they have been supporting me a lot in my solo career as well as in my previous career with NIGHTWISH. So it has been really marvelous to get their support and now it's very important for me to give my best for them. Back to them somehow. This gratitude that I have.

Sonic Cathedral: Speaking of NIGHTWISH, you were let go in a very bad public way. It's been a few years since the letter and you seem much happier now. How have things been for you after going through that experience?

Tarja: Well, many things have changed. Actually, the whole career as a solo artist is radically different than being a member of a band. I mean, everything is different. The whole organization around me. I have to be deciding more things on my own. I mean, there is so many things. Also the responsibility that I'm carrying on my own is, of course, very different than before. But the thing is that I have learned so many things. Every day is such a different day and I'm also writing songs on my own today so I'm really happy to be able to do that. To have that sort of freedom to explore what is inside of my soul and my heart. Then let people hear that. What's really there. That has been a really beautiful thing.

Sonic Cathedral: So you're doing a lot more writing. What is it like to be more involved in that process rather than just being the singer?

Tarja: Of course it gets more personal. That's what it all is. I mean, it gets really personal and, you know, it's just very rewarding. I have to be so honest with the music today; that's because I believe in that. I don't know if this is a very naive thought in a way, but I believe if you are honest with the music then people can reach the message easier and the music touches them. I mean, music is the emotion for me and that's all about it. I want to deliver emotions for the audience. For the listeners. That is it. That's the beauty in it. It's so lovely to be a musician. It's a privilege today to be an artist.

Sonic Cathedral: You have a second album you have been working on called "What Lies Beneath".

Tarja: Yes.

Sonic Cathedral: How has that been coming along and when can we expect it?

Tarja: Well, I have quite many songs already. (Laughs) Actually I wrote around 20 songs already which are not all going to be the album, of course. (Laughs) Otherwise I need to make a double album again. (Laughs) But, I mean, that there are lots of good songs. Kind of a same continuance process from "My Winter Storm" to the next one but the radical difference is the variety of songs that will be offered but more or less radical with the heavier guitars and with overall heavier songs. Then also some moody sounds...So I still want to keep on the same line but make a radical difference to the songs even more than "My Winter Storm".

Sonic Cathedral: So you're going to stay in the heavy metal genre for this one?

Tarja: Yeah, of course. Of course. Come on. (Laughs) It's part of me. But you know part of me. (Laughs)

Read the entire interview from Sonic Cathedral.

Tarja Turunen perfoming in Mexico City on May 16, 2009: