In a recent interview with Nightwish keyboardist Tuomas Holopainen, we hear about how the search to replace Tarja is going:

“You’ve just launched the search for the new singer, how is that going? Any good? Any terrible?

Tuomas Holopainen: “It’s been overwhelming when it comes to demos. So far I’ve been listening to close to 500 different demos sent to me in the past two months or so and word is that I’ve got another 100 waiting for me at home. Some are good, some average, they are coming for all over the world and we have been checking out every single one of them, I want to emphasise that but absolutely no decision has been made yet and we are in no hurry. There are 20 coming still each day so we are taking our time. Personally I would be happy even if we didn’t find anyone till the end of the year.”

RockMidgets.com: So no deadline then?

Tuomas Holopainen: “Not really. All the studios have been booked for the next album and I have written the songs for the next album and we will enter the studio in September but you know for the past 10 years the singer was never in the rehearsal room so its not going to change like that. Obviously if we find a replacement next week all the better but it can be done this way as well.”

So -if someone out there is thinking, I want to sing for NIGHTWISH, what qualities should they have?

Tuomas Holopainen: “The last thing we are looking for is a cheap replica of Tarja. I mean she did her job perfectly and her voice was perfect for the band so there is no use trying to top that in any way so I think that I will bravely go into new directions with the female voice. The most important thing she must have is versatility, she needs to be able to sing those high notes with a lot of force but also sing the ballads with emotion and some recognisable voice wouldn’t hurt either. I mean there are a lot of good singers with personality out there but the most difficult thing to find will be the charisma, the right character because not only does she need to have the voice, but she needs to have a sense of humour and the best self-esteem in the whole world, because just imagine the hell she is going to go through when we announce her to the public.”

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There is no better place to be on the 12th June 2006 than celebrating metal with Metal Hammer at the annual Golden Gods Awards, this year at Koko in Camden.

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