Interview with Leaves’ Eyes
Inspiration, Nature and all things Norse!
March 22, 2024, is the scheduled release for Leaves’ Eyes nineth studio album and this year celebrates 20 years of existence. The German based band are leaders in the symphonic metal genre and have produced another masterpiece once again merging metal, folk and classical music with ‘Myths of Fate’.
On this release, the listener is thrusted back into songs that deal with old Norse myths, sprinkled with some Slavic lore and a touching a touching elegy written in tribute to Alex Krull’s mother.
Topics from Tyrfing, Iðunn, Rán and the Midgard serpent are just a few of the lyrical themes that are explored. Overall ‘Myths of Fate’ delivers what we expect from a Leaves’ Eyes release and recently I interviewed Elina Siirala, lead singer of the band to get more insight into what inspires her and the band with their music and production.
Thank you for taking the time to do this interview for Folk-metal.nl, I always like to find out why musicians do what they do and how they ended up making the music they perform. What made you want to become a musician(s) was it a record you heard, a performance you saw or some other event that made you say, this is what I want to do?
“For me it was more like something that happened as I grew up in a family full of musicians. It was (my) everyday life and I also started singing, playing violin and piano since I was a kid. I started taking some singing lessons when I was 17 and then it just snowballed from there. I really fell in love with rock and metal music when I moved to London, started Angel Nation and then later joined Leaves’ Eyes. It has certainly been a thrilling journey so far!”
Labelling
How would you describe the music that you typically create?
“For me musical inspiration can come from various sources. Sometimes it’s a lyrical spark, sometimes a melody in my head. Walking in nature gives me often great ideas. Very often there’s also big emotions involved and things that happen in my life affect my creativity a lot.”
What are your thoughts on labeling musical genres?
“Sometimes it’s a bit of a necessary evil in my opinion. Of course, it’s useful for people to get an idea of the sound of a band, but often it’s very difficult and not exactly fair to the music either. At the end of the day naming an exact musical genre doesn’t really matter since the music will always speak for itself. I like to experiment with various genres when writing music and that’s exactly what makes it fresh and exciting for me.”
Big Part of Life
What band or type of music are you currently listening to?
“I have to admit, that since I sing and teach all day, I rarely listen to music at home, but I like to check out new releases, videos and bands. Of course I have my steady favorites that I keep listening while working out etc. Usually it’s 80’s rock/metal.”
Do you have any hobbies or interests outside of music? And as a follow up how do spend time when not creating or performing?
“Since music is both my job and hobby, it’s of course a big part of my life. I try to take care of my health by working out, especially weightlifting, [which] is something I enjoy. I also love nature, walking by the river near my home, switching off the brain and relaxing. I also like to sew things and create outfits for stage and videos.”
Describe your creative process when you write new music.
“The process can vary quite a lot depending on where the inspiration comes from. But usually, I have an idea and I sit by my piano and play it through, so I can then add vocals on top and make other changes and add other ideas to it. When I have a rough demo, I usually send it to the rest of the band and then we will work on things further together.”
Are there any musicians who inspire you? What qualities do you admire in them?
“I would say that my biggest inspiration has always been Freddie Mercury. Obviously, his voice is very unique and the way they were able to push boundaries and create so many different kinds of hits with Queen is very inspiring to me. Not trying to fit into a mold, believing in himself and also the way he performs is just captivating.”
Fun
So far there have been three videos released, do you enjoy making the videos? Can you compare the video filming process to the recording process?
“It’s a privilege to be able to make videos and bring these stories to life also in a visual way. The topics on this album are very inspiring and gave a perfect canvas for music videos for sure! When filming, there’s always a tight schedule, limited time and shoots can be very long. With recording we have a bit more flexibility within the schedule thanks to Mastersound Studio and we can take our time to explore and try things out. Both filming and recording can be exhausting, but also a lot of fun and part of the creative process I love.”
Overall, are you pleased with the outcome of your latest release?
“I’m extremely happy with the result! When starting the recording process, I knew I was able to do a lot more with my voice this time and it gave me a different kind of confidence that I would be able to give the songs what they needed. We were going through a lot of options in every song regarding the vocals and really pushed my boundaries to the limit. Overall, this album was a big cooperation which also felt really good to me.”
Live
Going back in time for a bit, in 2015 and 2016 I saw you in Orlando Florida and later in Cleaveland Ohio after you recently joined the band. Can you tell me was the transition a smooth one for you?
“When I joined the band, I kind of entered into my bubble for a bit and concentrated on learning the songs and being able to bring my best on stage since there wasn’t so much time to prepare. I have a different voice and I’m a different performer, so I always knew I would come into the band and on stage as myself. As we did more concerts, the routine kicked in very quickly and I felt more and more relaxed in the band. The fans were always very welcoming, which helped a lot too.”
Was this the first time you ever visited the United States? What did you think about the US tour?
“I was in US once when I was 16 years old, visiting my friend who was staying in California that year. However, this was my first tour ever! So, it was definitely a learning experience as everything was new to me. It was quite a crazy journey, traveling all over the country, seeing so many places and of course getting to perform! I will always remember it for sure!”
How does the band feel about playing festivals?
“Festivals always have a very special atmosphere and it’s a great way to reach a lot of people at once which is great! We’ve played numerous amazing festivals and are always up for playing them!”
Describe your worst performance. What did you learn from this experience?
“It depends a bit on how you look at it. Vocally I felt the worst at the times I was very sick while performing. However, the feeling of overwhelming nerves was at the most casual occasions like weddings, funerals and birthdays. It’s the combination of emotions and the situation that makes it often very unnerving to sing.”
What is your favorite song to perform?
“It’s yet to be seen which one of the new songs will be my favorite. So far both, ‘Forged by Fire’ and ‘Realm of Dark Waves’ were great to sing live! From the previous repertoire I like to perform for example ‘Edge of Steel’ and ‘Serpents and Dragons’.”
All over the world there are different music scenes, what country or where have you had the best music scene experience?
“The fans have been great all over the world and I’m always amazed by the energy the crowd gives back to us! I can remember some extra memorable nights in Canada and Czech.”
And More
What would people be surprised to know about you?
“I have many sides to me and very few people know all of them. As a kid I was definitely a tomboy and still love getting my hands dirty. I go fishing at our summer house (and yes, I clean the fish too if I catch something), love picking mushrooms in the forest etc.”
What is in store for the band in 2024, tour plans, working on more material?
“For the moment we’re definitely enjoying the new album, the result of all the hard work! I can’t wait to be on tour again in March/April and play the new songs live! Since the pandemic ruined the touring for our previous album, I’m sure we’re all looking forward to getting back on stage!”
Thank you for your time, I truly appreciate it. Hope to see you on tour!