Symphonic metal icons Sharon den Adel and Tarja Turunen on hearing each other's bands for the first time

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.”

The duo would eventually make many metal fans' dreams come true by collaborating on Within Temptation's 2014 single Paradise (What About Us?) , and have recently been on the road together as Tarja has supported Within Temptation as part of their ongoing European tour.

Read more from Sharon and Tarja as they discuss the making of Paradise (What About Us?) in the new issue of Metal Hammer , out now.