Former NIGHTWISH singer TARJA TURUNEN has posted the following in her new online blog:

"Hello Everybody!

Here we are in Ireland’s Grouse Lodge Studios.

We arrived 5 days ago and since that we have been working the songs for the album.

The studio is located in the countryside surrounded by green fields and farms. Is very quiet and far away from the nearest town. Only thing you can hear are the sounds of the nature.

The residence built around 1700 has a huge park with 4 big stone houses including gym and indoor swimming pool. All the musicians, producer, recording engineers and people from the record company are staying here. Even though having a short history of 5 years as a recording studio facility, Grouse Lodge Studio has already been an inspiration for artists like Manic Street Preachers, Michael Jackson and R.E.M.

We wake up early in the morning and work until late at night every day.

Today, Daniel Pieper, Universal Music Germany A&R; made an interview with me. Here is the first part of it:

DP: You mentioned in your web page that you would explain the name of the album. What means “My Winter Storm”?

Tarja: "There is one song in the album that says:

“My winter storm

holding me awake

it’s never gone”

It always takes some time for me to get into the new songs. To feel the songs as mine and to discover a meaning for them.

This song was not an exception. I went through that part of the lyrics many times until it came crystal clear to me.

A winter storm is something powerful, but at the same time beautiful. Like a big mass of energy.

I saw the people reflected in these lines. The people that has been following and supporting me through my albums and career for many years. They are the reason why I am here and I definitely feel that they have never gone away from my side. They are my winter storm.

It was at the same time a very poetic and strong way to express an image that is linked with the place where I was born: Finland and its long winters full of snow.

Even though the most common way is to decide the album’s name at last, I felt the complete image of “My Winter Storm” so strong that I chose it as the title of my album from the very beginning.

The funny thing is that the way I understood the lyrics of this song was absolutely different than the songwriter´s own vision.

When I spoke with the songwriter about it, he was very impressed by my interpretation.

For this reason I decided not to explain the meaning of any other lyrics in this album.

I want people to have freedom to create their own visions about the songs and the music I am doing. I am sure that everyone, including myself, will have different opinions and ways to image the meanings in each song. I believe that is the way it should be.

So if you are ever holding a copy of the album in your hands, be aware that you are already a big part of it."

DP: Who composed the songs for the album?

T: "The record company contacted composers all over the world. At the same time, many musicians spontaneously offered me their songs.

I received hundreds of songs. Some of them where written for me, others not.

I requested to the record company not to tell me the name of the composer so I could listen to the songs without any prejudices.

After selecting the songs I was told that some VERY important musicians had written music especially for me, but unfortunately their songs didn’t reach my soul. Anyway, I want to thank them all deeply for doing that.

I was amazed by the diversity of beautiful melodies and lyrics in the songs I received. I was even more surprised to realise that for some reason, many songs seemed to relate with others even though they came from different composers.

We never told anybody what the songs should be about. We never requested either that the songs should be whether ballads or fast numbers. I have a clear vision of the sound I want for my album. I only needed to select the songs that touched me for different reasons, the songs that could be moulded into the sound I am expecting to have.

I was already in contact with some of the composers exchanging ideas about their music and lyrics they have sent me, when somebody suggested to have a meeting all together for a couple of days.

To cut a long story short, we all ended up in Ibiza. A beautiful Spanish island in the Mediterranean Sea. It’s funny that we were discussing about the songs for “My Winter Storm” in a beach under the sun.

We stayed longer than expected on the island with an international group of crazy and creative people from Finland, Germany, USA, Norway, Ireland and Sweden.

It was a magical time! My expectations about the island totally changed while being there. I imagined people raving and dancing all day long, but instead of that I found beautiful and almost isolated beaches, quiet places and great hospitality from the local people.

It was an inspiring environment. In the beginning, we discussed with the songwriters about the songs we already had and soon after we started to create new music together. It was an intensive, creative week. I add vocal melodies in some of the songs and lyrics in others. After all, I co-wrote 6 new songs in Ibiza!

Myself and the album producer that was also in the island, loved so much the atmosphere there, that we are making plans at the moment to return to Ibiza to record the vocals for the album."

DP: Can you tell us something about the musicians that will be in the album?

T: "I knew from the very beginning that I will need skilled musicians able to play different styles and at the same time, to sound as a team.

I wanted the musicians to add their own personal touch to the songs. Every one of them is an absolutely professional. Their own preferences for music are different, what makes the combination of all of us very rich and unique.

Torsten Stenzel was the last one to join us. He is the keyboard player and programmer in some of my songs. I got in contact with him after I chose the song he sent for me. He was also the reason for meeting all the composers in Ibiza as he is living there. Torsten suggested that we should come to the island and he was absolutely right!

He has worked in the dance music field for several years doing also remixes and club music. He has worked with top artists as Nelly Furtado, Chris Rea, Moby, Tina Turner and Vanessa Mae.

I was very glad to meet him and get to know him. He is a “stress-free German” living in an island. After few days, I was really impressed by his work and personality. We composed 2 songs together and it was wonderful experience for me. Before leaving the island, I invited him to take part in the album recordings and gladly he accepted.

Earl Harvin was born in New Jersey. I discovered him last January in Argentina. I was having some days off in Pinamar and Seal performed an open-air concert in the city.

The show was just great! Seal is an amazing performer and I enjoyed the evening a lot. But what really got my attention was the incredible groove of Earl behind his small drum set. So big was the impression that I was mostly watching him playing during the show. Many times I needed to check if there was not another hidden drummer somewhere! Only one man playing such great fills. He has an outstanding sound and talent. Even though he was performing pop songs, you could realise his jazz influences, but mostly, the man can rock big time!

I knew at that moment that I wanted him for my album. Luckily I managed to get in touch with him and he is now here with us recording My Winter Storm.

Beside a long collaboration with Seal, Earl has also played with the band Air and Pet Shop Boys to name few.

I have a very clear picture that guitars will have an important role in my album. I was looking for a deep and massive sound. The producer Daniel Presley suggested me to check the German band Farmer Boys’ guitarist Alexander Scholpp. He brings the rock/heavy elements to the team. He was the first one to join us even though I got to meet him only at the recording studio. Most likely because of our common background, it was very fast and easy to understand each other.

The album in general will have a dark atmosphere. Is very important for me to have a bass player who can handle the instrument besides the usual rhythm purposes.

And Doug Wimbish is perfect for that! He might be known as a part of Living Colour, but he has also worked with Any Lennox, Joe Satriani, Jeff Beck, Madonna and Rolling Stones.

Doug is bringing his soulful funky and a bag of tricks including more than 13 pedals for the recordings!

All these musicians have music inside of them. Is a magical mixture of personalities and styles adding to my classical side.

A special chemistry that is bringing the songs to a different level that I have never experienced before.

I am very happy to have all of them at Grouse Lodge.

This is all for now. I will return back to you soon in some of the other upcoming Blogs.

Love, Tarja."