Tarja Turunen

Born in Kitee, Finland, Tarja Turunen is one of the most recognizable and influential vocalists in heavy metal. Classically trained from childhood at the Sibelius Academy and the Hochschule für Musik Karlsruhe, she rose to international prominence as the original frontwoman of symphonic metal pioneers Nightwish. Her operatic vocal range and dramatic stage presence helped define the sound of milestone records like Oceanborn, Wishmaster, and Once before her departure in 2005. Turunen subsequently launched an expansive solo career under her own name, fusing heavy guitar riffs with rich orchestral arrangements and classical precision on albums such as My Winter Storm, What Lies Beneath, and In the Raw. Beyond heavy metal, she has explored classical lieder, festive winter recordings, and electronic music with her Outlanders project. Renowned for bridging the gap between classical opera and modern metal, Turunen continues to tour globally as a solo headliner and a celebrated collaborator across the rock world.

Highlights

• “Oceanborn” (1998) - lead vocals
• “Wishmaster” (2000) - lead vocals
• “Century Child” (2002) - lead vocals
• “Once” (2004) - lead vocals
• “My Winter Storm” (2007) - lead vocals, songwriting, keyboards
• “What Lies Beneath” (2010) - lead vocals, songwriting, piano, production
• “Colours in the Dark” (2013) - lead vocals, songwriting, production
• “In the Raw” (2019) - lead vocals, songwriting