Nightwish fires Tarja

[gunnar hendershow]

Dear Tarja,

It`s time to choose whether the story of Nightwish ends here or whether it will still continue an undetermined period of time. We`ve been working with this creation for 9 years and we are not ready to give up yet. Nightwish is a way of life, something to live for, and we`re certain we can`t let it go.

Equally certain is the fact that we cannot go on with you and Marcelo any longer. During the last year something sad happened, which I`ve been going over in my head every single day, morning and night. Your attitude and behavior don`t go with Nightwish anymore. There are characteristics I would never have believed to see in my old dear friend. People who don`t talk with each other for a year do not belong in the same band.

We are involved in an industry where the business-side of things is a necessary evil and something to worry about all the time. We are also a band which has always done music from the heart, because of friendship and the music itself. The mental satisfaction should always be more important than money! Nightwish is a band, it`s an emotion. To you, unfortunately, business, money, and things that have nothing to do with those emotions have become much more important. You feel that you have sacrificed yourself and your musical career for Nightwish, rather than thinking what it has given to you.

This attitude was clearly shown to me in the two things you said to me in an airplane in Toronto: ”I don`t need Nightwish anymore.” and ”Remember, Tuomas, that I could leave this band at any time, giving you only one day`s warning in advance”. I can`t simply write any more songs for you to sing.

You have said yourself that you are merely a ”guest musician” in Nightwish. Now that visit ends and we will continue Nightwish with a new female vocalist. We`re sure this is an equally big relief to you as it is for us. We have all been feeling bad long enough.

You told us that no matter what, the next Nightwish album will be your last one. However, the rest of us want to continue as long as the fire burns. So there`s no sense in doing that next album with you, either. The four of us have been going over this situation countless times and we have realized that this is the thing we want to do in life. It´s all we can do. In December 2004, in Germany, you said that you will never tour again for more than two weeks at a time. You also said that we can forget about U.S. and Australia because the fees and the sizes of venues are too small.

In interviews I`ve mentioned that if Tarja leaves, that would be the end of the band. I understand that people will think this way. Nightwish is, however, a scenery of my soul and I`m not ready to let go because of one person. A person who wants to focus her creativity to somewhere else, a person whose values don`t match mine.

We were never bothered by the fact that you didn`t participate in writing/arranging songs, you never in 9 years came to rehearse the songs with us before going to the studio. Not the fact that while on tour you always wanted to fly, separately from us with your husband. Not the fact that you are an undisputable front image of the band. We accepted and felt ok about everything except greed, underestimating the fans, and breaking promises. It was agreed by the five of us that Nightwish would be the priority in everything that we do during 2004-2005. Still so many things were more important to you. The ultimate example being the already sold-out show in Oslo, which you wanted to cancel because you needed to rehearse for your solo concerts, meet frieds and go to the movies. Those were the words Marcelo used in an e-mail explaining the cancellation. This being just one example of so many. I couldn`t think of a worse way of being selfish and dismissing our fans.

Nightwish is a way of life and a job with many obligations. To each other and to the fans. With you we can`t take care of those duties anymore.

Deep within we don`t know which one of you drove us to this point. Somehow Marcelo has changed you from the lovely girl you were into a diva, who doesn`t think or act the way she used to. You are too sure of your irreplaceableness and status.

It`s obvious that you blame your stress and misery on us four. And you think we don`t respect or listen to you. Belive us; We have always had the uppermost respect towards you as a wonderful vocalist and as a friend. And very often during the past couple of years the plans were made according to your decisions only. You were always the only one who wanted more money from the shows. This ”compensation and more money from everything” –attitude is the fact that we are most disappointed of!

We wish that from now on you will listen to your heart instead of Marcelo. Cultural differences combined with greed, opportunism and love is a dangerous combination. Do not wither yourself.

This decision is not something we are especially proud of but you gave us no choice. The gap between us is too wide. And the decision is made by us four unanimously. We are beyond the point where things could be settled by talking.

All the best for your life and career,

Tuomas

Emppu Jukka Marco

Ps. This is an open letter for everybody.

Well, fortunately for them opera-trained female singers are pretty plentiful. The question is how many others would be willing to play with a metal band. Though, they definitely should get someone who can sing opera because if not the entire essence of the band will be killed.

[Summers]

GO NIGHTWISH! Shame though, she has a lovely voice.

[Ananas]

Well, fortunately for them opera-trained female singers are pretty plentiful.

[DFF]

Hmmm... I think they want everyone to know exactly what happens, rather than lots of whispers and false rumours that would undoubtedly go round if this was kept private and they simply announced she was out.

[Ananas]

Dear Lily, Sylvera and Purity,

I don't have words to express my feelings at the moment. I am devastated. This thing happened in a way that I didn't have a slight chance to give my opinion about it. I got fired out of a band that represents the last 9 years of my life and I am very sad about it. It has been very cruel the way the band handled this in public. This doesn't change the fact that we were doing amazing music together, but I will never forget the fact that they didn't give me the chance to say good bye for the people as a Nightwish singer.

I love you and I really hope to see you soon in my concerts. Thank you very much for your kind words and support. I will never forget you.

Love,

Tarja

[Liam]

Nightwish are over-rated as is anyway. She just tries too hard it seems, unlike, for example, someone like Cristina Scabbia from Lacuna Coil.

[tristy]

I always liked Within Temptation better, anyways.

[stokeriño]

Dear oh dear, my friend just got into Nightwish.

Ah well. I shall no doubt find some sick amusement in relaying the news to her. >_>

[Benji]

I've not really been a fan of Nightwish, but there's no denying a good band, I hope they don't replace her with an exact replica because at times like this bands should really look to make changes, they need to keep the opera vocal style whilst also taking their instrumentals in a direction for the new vocalist IMO.

[gunnar hendershow]

Nightwish are over-rated as is anyway. She just tries too hard it seems, unlike, for example, someone like Cristina Scabbia from Lacuna Coil.

All opera singers force their voices. It's part of opera, ask anyone who is a fan of opera. It's not like you can use a natural voice and be an opera singer, it takes training to learn how to sound "opera".

Well, fortunately for them opera-trained female singers are pretty plentiful.

Perhaps, but opera divas aren't exactly noted for their sunny dispositions. And, as you've said, how many trained sopranos grew up listening to metal? A bit unprofessional to be airing dirty laundy over the web like that, especially if they do wish her "All the best for her life and career".

The fans who were with Nightwish when they started out will come back as long as the new vocalist is good, regardless of how she looks. But, we'll see if they go for an aesthetically-pleasing vocalist who can be the image of the band or go for a talented vocalist who is ass ugly.

[Enter Blue Guy]

Nightwish are over-rated as is anyway. She just tries too hard it seems, unlike, for example, someone like Cristina Scabbia from Lacuna Coil.

[Guest Tsunami]

Yeah, I heard about Tarja's leaving on another forum yesterday.

That's really too bad. She was a great singer. Nightwish definently won't be as great without her.

[arwrestling]

That sucks, I just got into them and Tarja defenitly is what keeps the band good. I hope she continues in music, maybe in a new metal band. I was praying for the day where we would see a song invilvong Christina Scabbia (of Lacuna Coil), Angela Gassow (of Arch Enemy), Amy Lee (of Evanescence) and Tarja. They are near the top of Women in Metal. I can still hope, and I really hope Taja keeps going in some way or form in metal, maybe even bigger.

[lanky316]

She won't be doing metal again she made that quite clear by saying publically Nightwish was merely "an experience" and her solo career was more important to her.

Shame to see her go but to me Nightwish was all about the overall sound anyway and I'm sure they'll find another great singer since every singers agent in Europe will be onto this like a bad rash. Should have been a bit suspicious when they suddenly release a Greatest Hits album out of nowhere...

[Liam]

Nightwish are over-rated as is anyway. She just tries too hard it seems, unlike, for example, someone like Cristina Scabbia from Lacuna Coil.

All opera singers force their voices. It's part of opera, ask anyone who is a fan of opera. It's not like you can use a natural voice and be an opera singer, it takes training to learn how to sound "opera".

Yeah, but Scabbia (although not doing Opera) still does the very classical style of singing, and never sounds like she forces it at all. Tarja did.

[Steeb]

I was actually re-reading an old edition of Kerrang! the other day, with an interview with Tarja in, and I thought to myself, "With this attitude, how much longer can the band stay together?". I could care less, as I don't personally like them, but still, it's to be expected, when the vocalist of a band says they want to leave the band at a certain date, that the band gets in there first, if said vocalist is being bitchy about it. God I hope that made sense.

Oh, and:

That sucks, I just got into them and Tarja defenitly is what keeps the band good. I hope she continues in music, maybe in a new metal band. I was praying for the day where we would see a song invilvong Christina Scabbia (of Lacuna Coil), Angela Gassow (of Arch Enemy), Amy Lee (of Evanescence) and Tarja. They are near the top of Women in Metal. I can still hope, and I really hope Taja keeps going in some way or form in metal, maybe even bigger.

[Skummy]

Hopefully this leads to Nightwish fading into relative obscurity and Within Temptation taking their rightful place as the top operatic metal band in the world.

Although, to be fair, it would require that Within Temptation revert back to being good again, the last two albums were a bit on the naff side. That, and I think the whole female-fronted-opera-metal fad has passed.

[gunnar hendershow]

Hopefully this leads to Nightwish fading into relative obscurity and Within Temptation taking their rightful place as the top operatic metal band in the world.

Although, to be fair, it would require that Within Temptation revert back to being good again, the last two albums were a bit on the naff side. That, and I think the whole female-fronted-opera-metal fad has passed.

As soon as Century Media signed 15,000 random female-fronted-opera-metal bands the fad passed.

Now Century needs to go out and kill Viking/Pagan influenced metal, and then I will officially despise them.