Former NIGHTWISH singer Tarja Turunen says her current relationship with ex-bandmate Marko Hietala is much different these days
In a recent interview with Brazil’s Metal Musikast, Tarja Turunen reflected on the experience of collaborating with her former NIGHTWISH bandmate, Marko “Marco” Hietala, for a special performance of “The Phantom Of The Opera” during their open-air concert in July 2023 at Z7 Summer Nights in Pratteln, Switzerland. At the event, Tarja and Marko each delivered individual sets, with their rendition of the iconic theme from Andrew Lloyd Webber‘s musical taking place during Turunen‘s segment of the show.
“I got a call from a promoter to take part in one festival in Switzerland last year in a European summertime in July,” Tarja said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET). And then I got to know, when I had accepted to be the artist of the evening, then I saw that they had also invited Marko and Marko’s band to perform in the same festival.
“So I thought, ‘Hmm.’ And I was actually sending a message that I wished to reach Marko, because I didn’t have his contact any longer, to ask him to perform with me ‘The Phantom Of The Opera‘ in my show. And he responded ‘yes.’ So, after 18 years [laughs], we were about to sing the song together. And it was super exciting. It was really beautiful. The people got very emotional about this.
“We had met already before — we had been singing on a few occasions in Finland a few years before — so we kind of cleaned the table on that occasion already,” she explained. “So we were in good terms, so to say, but now singing ‘The Phantom Of The Opera‘ together after all these years was amazing. So we did it twice, actually — we did it in Switzerland and then in Finland. And now we are going to do it — that and a lot more [laughs] — there in Brazil [during our upcoming joint tour].”
Tarja also elaborated on her current friendship with Marko, saying: “It’s a new relationship with him, because he’s not the same person anymore than he was in the band. He has changed a lot, and many years have passed by. I’ve changed myself. Life has changed us. So it is a new relationship, let’s say. And it had made me very happy to get to know him better after all these years.”
Tarja spoke to Chaoszine last November and said that she was “nervous” prior to performing “The Phantom Of The Opera” with Marko at Z7 Summer Nights. “I believe that he was nervous as well to meet up with me, but we were both very excited to go back to the stage and to sing the song,” she said. “We sang ‘Phantom Of The Opera’ in Switzerland for the first time. Then we went over to Finland to perform it again, did a show together there — he with his band and me with my own. Wow. It was pure emotion.
“I think it was really beautiful, but it made me kind of… I was, like, ‘I’m in peace,’ sort of. The feeling was great. I think it was even more for Marko, because I saw him standing there after my concert, when I finished my set, and he came like almost in tears, saying that this was important. We reconnected, and it’s great. Now I’m really looking forward to have this tour [with Marko] in South America in March [2024], and I’m sure you will see something else happening also. Yeah, you’ll hear.”
Turunen‘s tenure with NIGHTWISH came to an abrupt end at the conclusion of the band’s 2005 tour when she was presented with an open letter. This letter, announcing her departure, was simultaneously published on the NIGHTWISH website.
Hietala made headlines in January 2021 with his announcement of departure from NIGHTWISH. In a statement, he revealed his struggle with feeling validated in his life for several years. Following his departure, session bassist Jukka Koskinen from WINTERSUN stepped in to fill his role. Koskinen made his live debut with NIGHTWISH in May 2021 during the band’s two interactive experiences.