#adele singer icons

[cathymee]

ik mj would be proud of all these girls rn

[username-1121]

My Vedic Astrology Thoughts💭

These are all my random Vedic Astrology thoughts and things that I have noticed while studying different charts. These are my observations but nothing written down are things that I’m a 100% sure about, so I’m open to discussing any of these thoughts in the comments :)

- Sun conjunct Jupiter can achieve success in their respective career fields. I also notice that it could possibly indicate a need to indulge which may lead to weight gain. (Eg: Trisha Paytas, Adele)

- People with prominent 3rd house placements tend to be extremely sexually attractive to the masses. Eg:

1st lord in 3rd house

3rd lord in 1st house

3rd lord in 3rd house

3rd lord in 10th house

Atmakaraka in 3rd house

Or having lumanries in 3rd house

These are placements that I see a lot in sex icons and heavily sexualised celebrities. (Billie Eilish, Megan Fox, Rihanna). In Vedic astrology 3rd house is known for sexual magnetism due to it being 8 houses away from the 8th house.

- Another indicator for sexual magnetism is definitely Mars aspecting your 1st, 2nd, 7th or 10th house. It’s a very potent planet that can really seep into one’s energy. 1st and 2nd house is more physical appearance and 7th & 10th is more energy wise, but either way it’s very apparent.

- The dignity of your Mahadasha/Antardasha planet is SO important. If the planet isn’t strong in the D1 and D9, or atleast receiving aspects from beneficial planets then you won’t be able to reap the full benefits of the planet and it’s associated yogas.

- People with prominent Venus nakshatras and Rohini nakshatra, look really good in pink. Specifically this pastel pink, it really increases their attractiveness. Dressing in pink/pastel colours with makeup remaining light but still angelic using light blushes and soft eyeshadow, is a style that really suits them.

- Vishakhas truly do have this duality to their personalities that can of of course manifest in their appearance.

One example is Dove Cameron (Vishakha moon), she was initially known for her blond hair and innocent persona on Disney. Then for her music career, she decided to fully embody this dark persona by dying her hair black, using darker makeup shades and even adapting a more sexual way of speaking.

This really highlights the fact that Vishakha embodies both the energies of Libra and Scorpio, and they need to learn how to find balance between these two personas in order to achieve fulfilment. Or else they constantly find themselves see sawing between these two energies, thus never finding 100% fulfilment.

- Having Saturn transiting your 4th house in your D1 or from your Mahadasha sign may mean that you’ll be forced to stay at home more often. No matter how hard you try, travelling and seeking out new adventures will be restricted due to Saturn forcing you to deal with your inner karmas in an isolated space.

- Odd ascendant signs (1,3,5,7,9,11) are more likely to actually pursue the career that they desire. Eg: we all know many people who would love to be in the limelight, whether that’s a singer or actress, but not many people are able to pursue it because it is not their destiny. However this is not the case for odd signs, if they wake up and say “I want to be a singer ” then they will because that is their path in this life. This applies to any career that they are interested in.

(Many celebrities have odd sign ascendants. Lady Gaga who’s known for wanting to become a famous singer and then becoming one successfully, has a Gemini ascendant)

- When it comes to the even (2,4,6,8,10,12) ascendant signs, it does not matter if they would like to become a doctor or singer or whatever they desire. They will not be able to follow that career path if their destiny (9th house) does not align with it. These are the people who often thrown into the “limelight” and are uncomfortable by all the attention, or someone who’s forced to take a normal 9 to 5 despite them wanting to desperately follow their dreams.

(I got this technique from Dr. Dharmesh Mehta Ji, who explained it very well on “Exotic Astrology”’s channel.)

- Movable and cardinal signs are often successful in the entertainment industry because their 10th house are not in a fixed sign.

In order to pursue an artistic or freelance career, you need to have indications of an “unstable” career in your chart. Actors, singers, artists, never know when they’re going to get their next paycheck which is why it is associated with movable signs. Actors are always playing different roles, not certain if they’re even going to get their next job. The same goes for singers and artists who are constantly trying to make a living. Nothing is certain or “fixed” which is why having moveable signs in your 10th or aspecting it, is important if you want to successfully pursue this career field.

-This is one of the reasons why Moon or Mercury in 10th house or connected to 10th house is such a prominent indicator in artistic career charts. Because Moon and Mercury are both fast moving planets which can be associated with “instability ” in whatever house it is placed in.

- As for cardinal signs, they start their career off “unstable” but eventually climb the ladder to a more fixed and stable career. Think of rags to riches. Whereas movable signs constantly have to face changing their careers, depending on the Dasha.

- Dasha sequence: When you go through your 2nd, 4th, 6th Dasha period and it being a positive planet Venus, Moon, Mercury, Jupiter. You are more likely to experience an extremely favourable time in your life. I expand more on this technique in my Rise and Fall of Career Success post.

(All the main techniques above are from Dr Dharmesh Mehta, so I would highly recommend you check out his channel on YouTube if you are interested in a more in-depth understanding)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Thank you for reading ~~~~~~~~~~~~~

[black-arcana]

"It felt like I’d known her forever." Symphonic metal icons Sharon den Adel and Tarja Turunen on hearing each other's bands Within Temptation and Nightwish for the first time

The Within Temptation frontwoman and former Nightwish singer would eventually team up for a blockbuster single

(Image credit: Press)

Symphonic metal icons Sharon den Adel and Tarja Turunen have discussed the first time they became aware of each other's music in an exclusive new interview with Metal Hammer. The Within Temptation frontwoman and former Nightwish singer were trailblazers in 90s and 2000s metal in a time where there were precious few prominent female artists in the scence. Speaking in Hammer's new issue, the duo explain that it was a relief to find kindred spirits in each other.

“We often felt like the strange duck on the festival bill because there was a woman in the band where most bands had male singers,” Sharon says. “Plus, I wasn’t really from the scene when I started out – I was a big grunge girl!”

“I started out in classical music so I was a complete weirdo in metal, too!” Tarja adds. “Though I never let that experience bother me. I felt the embrace of the crowd, but also our colleagues were really nice, so I never needed to grow balls. Although, maybe I got used to it, because I had two brothers at home and was the only girl in my primary class. Six years with nothing but boys! Urgh!”

Though two distinct bands with very different approaches to their craft, the fact that both Within Temptation and Nightwish were part of the European symphonic metal scene drew some inevitable comparisons, and ensured that the two bands would quickly become aware of each other.

“When I first heard Within Temptation, I was like, ‘This woman has such an angelic voice’,” recalls Tarja. “We must’ve still been working on that first Nightwish record, so I’ve been aware of them from the very beginning, really!”

“The first time I became aware of Nightwish, we played a festival together,” says Sharon. “People were  really excited about the band so we went to see them. We were blown away by Tarja’s presence onstage. It was so powerful... so diva!”

“It felt like I’d known her forever,” Tarja later notes. “I kind of felt that connection even before we met; Sharon must have gone through so many similar things to myself. We could recognise each other.”

[enchanted-moura]

I follow Adele Fatima on one of my socials, her energy is really light and intoxicating. Her story is interesting. Her mom is Afro Brazilian and dad is from Germany, she grew up posh & wealthy in Rio de Janeiro and was a dancer from a young age, her mom always took her to carnaval and she joined the samba schools.

She soon worked as a samba dancer but also an actress, model, singer and muse. She played lots of sensous sexy roles and performed memorable dances. I remember reading that she took ballet, modelling and acting classes so she was committed to her craft. She married early and started a family.

She’s an activist now and world traveller and in her like 70s now often championing varying causes in present day Brazil. I think she also joined an Afro Brazilian religion. She’s very loved and her social media is full of her going to parties, restaurants, dinners and hanging out with her community. I’m sure a local could fill me in on her story a little better but she’s an icon🥹😅

[girlmagazineedits]

That was one heck of a show, Beyonce the woman you are...

If you haven’t seen it already, Beyonce’s incredible halftime performance at an NFL game on Christmas Day has outstanding imagery and deep cultural significance towards African American history. 

In no particular order, I will break down this performance of her album Cowboy Carter.

We see Beyonce riding in on a white horse. White horses symbolize American spirit, “a relentless pursuit of freedom and justice” and in greek mythology, finding and riding a white horse grants great power and success. 

With the backlash of her album Cowboy Carter, she is stating that she can find success in any genre as she is already widely successful in hers. It’s also just the cowgirl thing to do.

Beyonce is also from Houston, Texas, a place known for being very southern and having deep country roots as well as her mother being from Louisiana, and it doesn’t get any more country than that!

Many of her dancers and performers in the show were seen wearing white bandanas. White bandanas signify unity, which Beyonce is trying to do with her crossing over genres.

The band playing was TSU’s “Ocean of Soul,” which is an HBCU, or historically black college and university marching band. 

The women singing “Blackbird” beside Beyonce in the opening were Tanner Adell, Tiera Kennedy, Reyna Roberts, and Brittney Spencer, all black women country singers. The song “Blackbird” originally sung by The Beatles is a song inspired as a message of hope to Black women during the Civil Rights movement.

Shaboozey performed his song with Beyonce “Sweet Honey Buckin”, as he is also an up-and-coming black country artist.

She had various young black talent portrayed all throughout her show along with Ja'Dayia Kursh who became Arkansas' first Black rodeo queen in 2017.

In the scenes where carriages and Cadillac cars were in shot, they were decorated with roses. During Juneteenth celebrations in Texas in the early 1900s, their buggies, carts, and wagons were often decorated with roses. Juneteenth, or June 19, 1865, is a day marked and celebrated to be the end of African American slavery in America.

In a scene you can see performers standing on top of the horses, this signifies a popular, powerful photograph from a 2009 article by Gabriela Hasbun for Andscape, where six black men are seen standing on their horses. A tribute to black cowboys in America.

After Beyonce’s iconic release of her album Lemonade, she performed “Daddy Lessons”, a country-leaning song, at the 2016 Country Music Awards alongside Dixie Chicks and the backlash was brutal. Country fans and C.M.A. watchers did not like the fact that Beyonce was there since she was not a country artist, and they also criticized her political views at the time. 

Following the blatant discrimination and backlash, the Country Music Association in Nashville took down every trace of the live performance off of their platforms and photos taken by them. They did not defend Beyonce and people did not take lightly to that. 

After Cowboy Carter's release in early 2024, the C.M.A. disrespected Beyonce again as they did not recognize Beyonce and Cowboy Carter and she did not receive one nominee for this album despite its high praise and topping the country music charts. 

This halftime show performance and Cowboy Carter in general is a beautiful articulation of being black in a predominately white business, (and country). She took something that is supposedly only for white Americans and made it a cultural phenomenon in music and black music history.

“The cowboy is a symbol of strength and aspiration in America. The cowboy was named after slaves who handled the cows. The word ‘cowboy’ comes from those who were called boys, never given the respect they deserved,” - Beyonce

[fromtenthousandfeet]

The fact that people only talk about Euphoria and still with you for JK but for Jimin every army knows the roster of lie, serendipity, filter and promise. I genuinely do not care which member is the "most famous" because for example currently Sabrina Carpenter is more famous than Olivia Rodrigo but OR will surge up again with her next album release and in the end I enjoy listening to them both. This comparison stuff is idiotic. But I genuinely laugh when people say JK is better than Jimin - because by what measure? Jimin has better songs and has more iconic performances. I guess people could say JK has better vocals but I'm gonna be honest that's highly subjective. It's not like we're dealing with a Beyonce or an Adele here. JK's level of vocals can be found in any SM groups vocalist. I'd say Jimin has the edge with vocal colour and JK's vocals are getting more bland with every passing year (why's his voice on still with you better than anything on golden?) while Jimin's getting better and better with vocal control which was the only area JK had a clear edge over him. Man is coasting by because he's the company favourite and has 11 years of company narrative pitching him as the main character but somehow Jimin's still keeping up with half the tools and half the support.

I suppose JK has a bigger army of femcels who want to f*ck him as fans and loser kpopies are also by his side. Poor Jimin missing out on that demographic of fans - very sad. But JK better hide his girlfriend better in the future because his crazy brood of fans may lose it if he ever decides to get into a public relationship. Ask kth on how quickly your fans turn on you for the cardinal sin of not being single or screwing your bandmate.

Old asks! This one is from August 5th.

Hmm. What to say? I don't like Jungkook's voice. I just don't. I didn't like it in Dynamite, and I don't like it now. When listening to BTS songs I find myself waiting for Jungkook's parts to end. I'm not sure what it is about the quality of his voice that bugs me, but it started long before I lost all respect for him during chapter 2. It feels too forced, maybe? He tries to use power to make up for a lack of emotion? A little too nasal? (Pro tip - address your food sensitivities to clear up your allergic rhinitis). My dream is for someone who is good with Garage Band, or another music app, to put JK and Justin Bieber singing the same notes side by side. I think the difference in quality and tone would be interesting.

I've said this a million times already, but the US is NOT lacking in exceptional singers. This country isn't suffering from a Jungkook deficiency, or a K-pop deficiency for that matter. What made BTS stand out in the first place was their original music and the impressive choreography/performances. Jimin's lovely, clear singing voice (plus the growls) and insane dance skills have always been central to BTS' success. There is definitely a precedent and passion for performers like Jimin, though. We love a good song and dance man!

Based on the few photos I've seen from JK's exhibition in Seoul and the upcoming I am Still, it looks like HYBE is leaning hard into the sex symbol concept. Lots on naked chest and abs. Lots of tatted, pierced bad boy stares. And what else is there? There's no artistry to focus on, unless you're super into his dancing style. I hope that works out for Jungkook and HYBE. Like you said, there's a demographic within the fandom that's completely down with lusting after him. To each her own, I guess.

Jimin will shine no matter what. He has integrity, artistry, sex appeal, and sings with emotion. Don't sweat Jungkook. He'll have his fans, of course, but I don't think he'll ever have the loyal, committed following, let alone the media attention, Jimin naturally attracts. Look no further than the difference in their birthday celebrations in Korea. One is a national holiday, the other is definitely not.

P.S. OMG, I can't wait for Jungkook's girlfriend reveal. A good chunk of the fandom will need psychiatric help.

[switchypanic]

Take all the time you need! You come first. So not to related but with all the music, what kind of music do you think they enjoyed when they were alive? I can see Angel Dust enjoying Sinatra being the icon Italian American crooner (unless I’m wrong and Sinatra only became a thing after the time of Angel’s death)

Just to add a little extra flare, I combined what they would have listened to when alive with what they would listen to now! Also, since we don't know if Vaggie was born an angel or not in the show's canon, I left her out of this.

Angel Dust

→ When he was alive, Angel was a TOTAL SIMP for Frank Sinatra and Judy Garland. Now? He'll still listen to them, sure, especially when he wants to feel nostalgic and closer to home, but he's a TOTAL Kesha and Lana Del Rey fan.

Husk

→ When he was alive, Husk probably would have been a fan of Louis Armstrong, Ray Charles and Creedence Clearwater Revival. He isn't the biggest fan of modern music, but every now and then he'll find something that suits his fancy; he's taken a liking to Hozier specifically as of late.

Alastor

→ When he was alive, Alastor was a big fan of Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong (ONE thing he has in common with Husk). While he states he despises modern music, Angel exposed him to Adele, and now you can catch him listening to her on occasion (he also becomes a pretty big fan of Michael Bublé).

Nifty

→ When she was alive, Nifty was ABSOLUTELY an Elvis Presley girl, okay? And when she gets introduced to MODERN music, you can bet she will latch onto any boy band she can get her hands on. I can also see her being a fan of Melanie Martinez.

Sir Pentious

→ When he was alive, there weren't really bands or singers to obsess over, so Pentious likely just listened to classical music. Mozart, Beethoven, stuff like that. At first, he would have been staunchly opposed to listening to any of that "modern noise" as he calls it, but only one Celine Dion song later the man is OBSESSED.

[broadwaydivastournament]

Movie Musical Divas Tournament: Round 2

Dorothy Dandridge (1922-1965) Carmen Jones (1954) as Carmen Jones | Porgy and Bess (1959) as Bess Dubbed by Adele Adison in Porgy and Bess, and Marilyn Horne in Carmen Jones.

"The second Black actress to be nominated for an Oscar. She worked at the Cotton Club, was married to a Nicholas Brother. Ms. Dandridge did not want to take on the stereotypical roles offered to her at the time, which limited her career due to the racism of the film industry. Nonetheless, the roles she did take on remain incredibly iconic." - anonymous

Moira Shearer (1926-2006): The Red Shoes (1948 - Victoria Page) | The Tales of Hoffmann (1951 - Stella/Beauty/Olympia)* Dubbed by Dorothy Bond.

"A dancer and not a singer (Dorothy Bond sang her vocal parts as Olympia in Tales of Hoffmann!), but what a dancer she was! Her films with Powell and Pressburger are all incredible. She's the technicolor ballerina of my dreams and she is not nearly as recognised as she should be. I'm linking my personal favourite of her numbers: Olympia in Tales of Hoffmann! Automata ballets are the coolest." - anonymous

This is Round 2 of the Movie Musical Divas tournament. Additional polls in this round may be found by searching #mmround2, or by clicking the link below. Add your propaganda and support by reblogging this post.

ADDITIONAL PROPAGANDA AND MEDIA UNDER CUT: ALL POLLS HERE

Dorothy Dandridge:

"Dorothy Dandridge is THEEEE iconic musical woman and she DESERVES this." - anonymous

Photos submitted by: @mygreatadventurehasbegun | Video submitted by: anonymous

Moira Shearer:

Photos and video submitted by: anonymous

[a-moth-to-the-light]

Most-Listened of February 2024

[last month]

Out of all the releases I've been interested in these past two months, I feel like I've listened to barely any of them :( But I've really, really loved the ones I've gotten around to checking out, so I've been having a great couple months of music anyway! My music taste is in its seasonal transition--plenty of bleak winter stuff this month, but I've been craving big heartstopping pop anthems, too (G-IDLE's "Revenge" isn't on here, but I've been loving it lately).

1. Ahora y Aquí -- Ramon Mirabet, Bely Basarte

So I keep saying I'm tired of the 80s-inspired synthpop trend that's taken over our post-"Blinding Lights" world, but here I am with this at the top of my list. No but this one's DIFFERENT, SHE'S NOT LIKE OTHER SYNTHPOP. As with most tracks blessed by Bely Basarte, the vocals are what elevates this for me--they're unexpectedly gritty for a sleek pop track like this, and when both singers let it all out in that last chorus, I understand what it means to go feral. It has all the uncontrolled chaos of a real dance party, and I love it!!

2. Lejos -- Andrea Santiago

This is a pretty by-the-numbers Andrea Santiago song, but even the most average of her music is a world of its own to escape into. I'm not sure how to feel about this new album--something feels really off about the production--but "Lejos" is absolutely hypnotizing! Definitely going to be bringing this one out at karaoke sometime, because it's exactly my type of angst (and the chorus jumps are SOOO fun to sing???).

3. Turning Tables -- Adele

I sulked to this song all month, and I don't regret a minute of it.

4. Goodbye, My Danish Sweetheart -- Mitski

Do I win sapphic points for having Mitski in the top 5?

5. Is It Over Now? (Taylor's Version) -- Taylor Swift

LETS FAST FOWARD TWO THREE HUNDRED TAKEOUT COFFEES LATER !!!!!! Yeah I'm completely obsessed with that line. Taylor Swift always releases songs that are just SO fun to sing along to, so I'm running around my apartment like YOU SEARCH IN EVERY MODEL'S BED FOR SOMETHING GREATER, BABY !!!! This song is such an off-balance mix of humor and agony, so like I don't really understand it but I can't take my eyes off it. And that intro is GORGEOUS.

6. Easy -- Le Sserafim

I didn't get the hype for "Perfect Night", so I didn't particularly care either way about this comeback--until I heard it. And oh my god "Easy" got me on first listen. ("Smart" has been working its way up my On Repeat playlist, too.) Le Sserafim stole all my new-release energy this month, but my appreciation for "Easy" still hasn't died out. A silky-smooth song like this is perfect for my mood right now--their delivery is so casually confident, contagious enough that I can't help but feel stronger when I listen to it; but it's not so energetic that my poor gloomy winter-brain is overwhelmed. The production is really crisp, too, complimenting the vocals well and making for some really iconic moments. And yes i'm aware this is gg "Sticker". I still can't listen to "Sticker" (it gives me a headache), but this version isn't too annoying for me, I guess?

7. Unstoppable -- Sia

I actually don't have a real explanation for this one? I remembered this song existed mid-month (after having forgotten about it since 2016), had a crisis with it as a soundtrack, and now it's in the playlists.

8. Roaring 20s -- Panic! At The Disco

Burnout anthem?? Burnout anthem.

9. Outta My Head -- Jeon Somi

My commentary on every Somi song ever is just "Somi sing so pretty SQUEEEEEEEE". So, that's my review for "Outta My Head". I don't know if people still like this one, but my love for it hasn't died since "Birthday" era!

10. Budget (feat. Latto) -- Megan Thee Stallion, Latto

@shyreol got me with her Megan Thee Stallion agenda! I don't think I'd ever cared for a Megan Thee Stallion song before this year, but "Ungrateful" and "Budget" have me HOOKED.

11. Now That We Don't Talk (Taylor's Version) -- Taylor Swift

I don't know, I just really like it when the title drop goes BOOM !!

NOW THAT. WE DON'T. TALK.

12. Tinnitus (Wanna be a rock) -- TXT

WHOOOOO AFROBEATS !!!

13. There Will Be Tears -- Faux Paz

Faux Paz is back for round two on my 2024 monthly lists! They're my favorite holdover from my acappella days--their arrangements always hit hard, and there's something about the really gloomy, and also cathartic, acceptance in the phrase "there will be tears" when its repeated by this giant wall of voices? It really gets me. This isn't my favorite Faux Paz cover, but it's a song I can't look away from.

14. Escape Room -- fromis_9

I'm a gg stan, so this was going to show up on here eventually. Next up, Chung Ha's "Roller Coaster" ?

15. Hold The Girl -- Rina Sawayama

Stole this rec from @nayeonline a while ago (thank you for sharing!!), and it really hit this month :) This song goes all out with the angst, and Rina Sawayama has more than enough vocal power to do it justice!

Five-Star Songs (& Albums) This Month:

Ahora y Aquí -- Ramon Mirabet, Bely Basarte (bely basarte is two-for-two in 2024's five-star songs lists, and wow is it deserved)

DNA -- Yena (i have no idea what about this song makes it so perfect for me, but i love it 100x more than "good morning" for some reason?? it just hits SO hard)

Pirate Radio* -- Jean Dawson (okay i'm actually not a huge fan of dawson's voice, but this instrumental is too wonderful to leave off the list. i watched & enjoyed school spirits on netflix this month, and this is by far my favorite from the soundtrack! string instruments make my heart go BZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ and this song is just a delightful confection of them !!)

Vision -- G-IDLE (a sixth star added for that layering where someone's murmuring underneath the whispery vocals in the chorus??????? like it should NOT sound as good as it does but here we are ?????)

Prenderle Fuego a Todo -- Andrea Santiago (i want to start including albums on here, mostly to get myself to listen to more albums all the way through! i've been obsessed with a few songs from this album for years now, but i finally listened to the whole thing this month--and it's even more wonderful as a complete set. the CLOSING SONG ?? I CAN'T BELIEVE I'VE SPENT YEARS OF MY LIFE IGNORING IT. when i'm listening to andrea santiago's music, i see the world with completely new eyes, and this album captures that wanderlust, an emotion i've actually never felt without help from music, even in its slow moments.)

[hiphopvibe1]

Adele reveals that she’s engaged to Rich Paul while performing at Germany concert [VIDEO]

Adele, the iconic British singer and international superstar, has officially confirmed her engagement to sports agent Rich Paul, marking a significant milestone in their three-year relationship. The news broke during Adele’s concert in Munich on Friday, August 9, when she candidly revealed her engagement to an enthusiastic audience. The moment came as Adele responded to a fan who proposed…

[dutifarandula]

Adele says she will take a 'big break' from music

[x--daughters-of-darkness--x]

WITHIN TEMPTATION's SHARON DEN ADEL: What I Learned While Supporting IRON MAIDEN On Tour

In a new interview with Canada's The Metal Voice, WITHIN TEMPTATION singer Sharon Den Adel was asked to name something she learned when her band supported IRON MAIDEN on the fall 2022 North American leg of the "Legacy Of The Beast" tour. She said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Well, they've been around since we were kids. [We were], of course, inspired by IRON MAIDEN, but also bands like them because IRON MAIDEN was also a band that we love to listen to. And the biggest compliment [was] being asked to go on tour with them in America because we do well in America and in Canada, but they do quite different venues than we do normally, of course… So it was, for us, a compliment to be with them and to go on tour with them. But what I learned mostly is their love for music."

She continued: "I hope to be like [IRON MAIDEN bassist and founder] Steve Harris when I'm his age or older, still loving music so much. He breathes it, he eats it, he speaks it. He's constantly busy with music. And every show that we played on stage during that tour for three weeks, he was every time behind our gear looking at our show, and he apparently does that with all the support acts because I think he picks them. And so [if] he really likes a band, then he asks them on tour. And he loves to see, I think, also the interaction of being a little bit thrown to the wolves, or the lions, whatever you wanna say. [Laughs] It's, like, okay, you have to convince an audience that is only there for IRON MAIDEN, to convince them that you are worthy to be their support act. And it is a nice chance. I love that underdog position myself as well because you have to reinvent yourself, just feeling the atmosphere of the venue, like, 'Okay, what's what's the mood? What's happened just recently here?' and just being prepared before you go on stage. 'Okay, I'm in this city, and this happened just now. What am I gonna say to people? How am I gonna get them on our side as well? How am I gonna win their hearts?' And that's the struggle, which is always very cool to have as you're opening up for such an iconic band as IRON MAIDEN, of course. And I think [Steve] loves us to see that."

[allthedesiredusernamesaretaken]

📷 Annie Leibovitz

Happy birthday to the iconic singer-songwriter

[black-arcana]

"Oh my god, there was so much talk: ‘I bet there’s a real rivalry going on!'" How Within Temptation and Tarja Turunen formed the ultimate symphonic metal tag team for blockbuster single Paradise (What About Us?)

Two symphonic metal icons united for this powerhouse 2013 single. Sharon and Tarja tell us how it all came together

(Image credit: Press)

When Within Temptation and Nightwish released their debut albums in 1997, there wasn’t a name for the kind of music they made. Within Temptation’s Enter, released in April, took obvious influence from gothic metal bands like Paradise Lost, but its grandiose, elegiac compositions and symphonic undertones hinted at the direction the band would eventually take. Conversely, Nightwish’s Angels Fall First, released in November, approached metal from a different direction, drawing more directly and heavily on folk and classical music. Ultimately, both bands would spearhead the symphonic metal movement of the early 2000s. But, anchored as it was around two charismatic women – Sharon den Adel and Tarja Turunen respectively – history tells us surely there must have been some rivalry. Symphonic metal’s answer to Blur vs Oasis perhaps, or Mustaine vs Metallica?

"You look so beautiful, Sharon!” beams Tarja, as her counterpart joins a Zoom call. Erm... maybe not then.

Hammer is speaking to both vocalists more than a decade on from their collaboration on the Within Temptation song Paradise (What About Us?), the lead single from 2014’s Hydra. As soon as Sharon joins, any notion of tension is quashed. Tarja’s expressive face lights up and the pair chat animatedly.

There’s a clear camaraderie between them as they joke and discuss new developments. Which raises the question, was the ‘rivalry’ just a load of bollocks?

“Oh my God! There was so much talk, like, ‘I bet there’s a real rivalry going on between you and Sharon’,” Tarja says, hissing like a cat to illustrate her point. “I was just very happy to see more girls singing in bands. It made me feel really proud of the movement. I still am!”

“We didn’t even really become aware of the idea of ‘symphonic metal’ until later when journalists started giving it a name,” Sharon admits. “I don’t think there was much overlap between Nightwish and Within Temptation. The music was very different but because there were some similarities, people had to give it a name!”

Those similarities were enough to turn Within Temptation and Nightwish into leaders of the burgeoning symphonic metal movement, however. Sharon and Tarja were soon upheld as inspirations for a subsequent wave of symphonically inclined artists that included Epica, Leaves’ Eyes and Delain, dispelling the notion of metal as a boys’ club.

“We often felt like the strange duck on the festival bill because there was a woman in the band where most bands had male singers,” Sharon says. “Plus, I wasn’t really from the scene when I started out – I was a big grunge girl!”

“I started out in classical music so I was a complete weirdo in metal, too!” Tarja chimes in. “Though I never let that experience bother me. I felt the embrace of the crowd, but also our colleagues were really nice, so I never needed to grow balls. Although, maybe I got used to it, because I had two brothers at home and was the only girl in my primary class. Six years with nothing but boys! Urgh!”

Although separated by more than 2,000 kilometres, it wasn’t long before the pair became aware of each other’s work.

“When I first heard Within Temptation, I was like, ‘This woman has such an angelic voice’,” recalls Tarja. “We must’ve still been working on that first Nightwish record, so I’ve been aware of them from the very beginning, really!”

“The first time I became aware of Nightwish, we played a festival together,” says Sharon. “People were really excited about the band so we went to see them. We were blown away by Tarja’s presence onstage. It was so powerful... so diva!”

However, the bands’ chances to cross paths proved surprisingly few and far between. By the end of the 2000s, Within Temptation were undeniably still symphonic metal scene leaders. They’d also grown tired of the tag. Both 2004’s The Silent Force and 2007’s The Heart Of Everything had topped the charts in their native Netherlands – as well as charting internationally – but the group were getting increasingly itchy about where they could go next. 2011’s The Unforgiving was a sprawling, multimedia concept record that saw the band incorporate more pop influence into their music. Now the pressure was on to reinvent themselves again.

“Hydra was our most difficult album,” Sharon acknowledges. “We were very much searching for direction, because we’d already achieved our biggest sound. So it wasn’t like we could go much bigger than that, particularly in terms of symphonics. We were searching for a way to evolve and take inspiration from something new.”

It was an exciting time, but the creative tumult meant some ideas almost got scrapped entirely.

“Paradise (What About Us?) was one of the few more typical Within Temptation songs on that album, but that whole record took a lot of searching,” Sharon remembers. “I actually wrote it with our keyboardist, Martijn [Spierenburg], and when I first looked back on it I was like, ‘Urgh, this is too much!’ It was Robert [Westerholt, guitars and Sharon’s husband] who insisted it was really good, and he wrote the song’s main riff. I had originally written it with just lines on the piano, but he added a whole different flavour to it that really worked. Otherwise Paradise might’ve ended up in the waste bin!”

During the writing process for the record, Within Temptation decided to reach out to a number of guest vocalists, feeling they could add unique flavours to the music. They signed up former Killswitch Engage vocalist Howard Jones, Soul Asylum’s Dave Pirner and even rapper Xzibit, but by far their biggest coup was enlisting Tarja to sing on lead single Paradise (What About Us)?.

“There were two reasons we wanted Tarja for Paradise,” Sharon admits. “Not only for her voice – we felt like she could really add something – but also because in a more literal sense we figured it would be paradise for the fans! Ha ha ha!”

As it turned out, Tarja was delighted by the opportunity. She’d been trying to catch up with Sharon over the years, but their schedules had never aligned. Now they were working together, they could connect properly.

“It felt like I’d known her forever,” Tarja says happily. “I kind of felt that connection even before we met; Sharon must have gone through so many similar things to myself. We could recognise each other.”

Although they were bonding, there was still a distance between Tarja and Sharon – physically, at least. Tarja provided her vocals remotely from a studio in Buenos Aires, where she was living with her husband and infant daughter.

“I was bubbling with the joy of being a new mother and my family travelled with me everywhere, even to the studio when I recorded [2013 album] Colours In The Dark,” Tarja says. “I’d faced a lot of challenges of my own; I wasn’t really trusting in my abilities as a songwriter, for example. Paradise helped me so much, because it was so nice to even be asked about something like that. I think I had been waiting – without knowing – for something big to really happen. I didn’t doubt for a millisecond that this collaboration would be special!”

As it turned out, the distance also helped Tarja interpret the song, and gave her a bit of breathing room to work on ideas.

“I was really nervous!” she admits. “I think if Sharon and the guys had been next to me, that would have been something completely different. Because I was somewhere else, I could get into the song in my own way.”

“That’s also beautiful, because it means Tarja’s meaning for the song became its own thing,” Sharon adds. “For me, the song was about how we never learn from our mistakes as human beings. Because it’s such a big and cinematic song, Tarja’s voice added that enormity to it. She’s the empress!”

Released on September 27 2013, Paradise (What About Us?) finally united two of symphonic metal’s leading ladies. Predictably, the response was ecstatic from critics and fans alike, and to date the song has amassed more than 30 million streams on Spotify, as well as more than 100 million on YouTube. In turn, when its parent album, Hydra, was released on February 4, it quickly became Within Temptation’s most successful release to date, topping the charts at home in the Netherlands while landing a Top 10 position in the UK (No.6) and Top 20 in the US (No.16).

More than a decade on from its release, Paradise (What About Us?) feels like the moment Within Temptation drew a line under everything that had come before, saluting the original leading lights of symphonic metal while also elevating them beyond the genre and into arena-conquering territory.

“Doing a song together, when nobody expected it, was so positive on every level,” Sharon says. “We still have this connection after all these years, and our friendship has only grown from that point.”

“It gave me a new friend in my life,” agrees Tarja. “It’s a song of friendship to me. I’m so happy we could bring people joy and love by working on this together.”

Within Temptation's latest album Bleed Out is out now. The band tour the UK with Tarja Turunen in support this month

[danielg13]

Hi am Daniel G.meskel. I wanna tell you about me. I am from northern Ethiopia, Tigray region. And i am a second year student of Information Science in Mekelle university.

This is my first vlog exprience and my aim in near future is to graduate and work by the field that i'm learning.

I love listening music. And i'm a huge fan of Adele and Mahlet G.giorgis from my country. And from boy singers i love to listen Bob Marley and Abrham G.medhin singing.

I love(my hobby is) playing football, And i'm a huge fun of Barcelona and Manchester United.

Messi is the iconic player that i love watching him playing.(sorry for my grammer)

I don't have words to explain the feeling that i felt when Messi won the #Qatar world cup 2022(maybe the happiest day of my life).

And in Ethiopia(tigray), they are a lot of historical and holistic places that make you feel entertained. And i got the chance to go visit #Gerealta abune yemaita "gedam". It was a beautiful place to watch. I recommend you seeing it.

That is all for today. #CIAO#

[alarrytale]

Talking about H being a potentional new icon, do you think it’s actually possible? We live in a really fast times when nobody really cares about who was No 1. 20-30 years ago. H might has a potentional and he’s Sony’s current golden goose but there’s still huge risk that in 5-10 years there will be a new generation of male singers (and more than possibly not gay) and one of them will overshine H. So you think Sony might as well dump him and move on to someone else?

And also taking about HL, do you think Sony can still put a pressure on H to break up with Louis? Or he’s not a thread anymore because of bbg and so they let H live his private life whatever it is as long as he’s closeted and keeping his real long term relationship secret?

Hi, anon!

I'm not sure about the icon status. It depends. I think it's hard these days to become an icon if you're only good at one thing. Icons of the past has often been either exceptionally talented and unique or multitalented/multidisciplined, so i think that's why H is branching out to movies, fashion, beauty brands etc. He isn't on Bob Dylan level with his lyrics and he isn't on Adele level with his voice. So he needs to be accomplished in several fields. Like Elvis, Bowie or Cher.

I agree with you that the competition is rife and artists are fighting for the gps attention. As long as H keep doing the numbers he is and being a household name, and keeping and growing his fanbase i think he'll be very desireable for labels. I do think he'll struggle with becoming an icon, but that's more to do with him stunting an cheating his way to the top. I don't think history will treat people who've participated in PR relationships kindly. If you're talented enough you'll make it on merit alone. I also think his lack of social media presence, bad associations and lack of relatability will hinder him in becoming an icon. Times are different now. Anyone can be cancelled in the blink of an eye.

I do think Sony will try to milk H as long as possible and they need him straight, available and to be able to control him in order for his career to grow (their words not mine...). So i think they'll continue to beard him up and control L through bg. Sony can't actually stop H and L from being in a relationship, but it's a major inconvenience for them and probably cost them a lot of money.