M.I. - Hi there, Anna. I hope you are great. How are you today?
Really good! I was quite sick all through Christmas and New Year. So, that’s why I’m happy to be here and feeling better now. How are you?
M.I. - I’m fine, thank you and looking forward to this interview foremost. It’s my first interview of this year!
Wow! That’s exciting! I’m very happy (smiles)!
M.I. - I’m happy to interview these awesome girls for Metal Imperium! Thank you for this opportunity!
Thank you so much!
M.I. - “Femmes Fatales” was released on the 12th of January 2024, via Napalm Records. A Brilliant record I must say. A record that speaks about the power and the symbol of women, that take control of their own lives, narratives and intelligence. It’s also a record that shows pure feminine energy in the world. How did you come up with this idea for this record, after your debut album: “Rhapsodies in Black”, released in the summer of 2017?
Yes! It was quite a long time! It took us a long time to even release this second album. We’ve been working on it (to be honest, since 2020) and then through Covid and everything that happened, it was a big break. It was clear to us that we wanted to keep the idea of cover songs, but we also wanted to have some original songs on this record. So having half/half, half cover songs, half original songs, is a great solution in my opinion! Since it’s a very special thing that we are three women from other bands, timing together in Exit Eden, this is also kind of a statement. To me, for women all over the World to stand up together, to work together, to be strong together and fight for equality in the World!
M.I. - Since Amanda Somerville left the band, you’re now a trio and was it difficult for you to write the songs and departed ways from Amanda?
It was difficult and I remember having lots of phone calls with her and talking to her about staying apart of this. But when we decided to do the second album, we didn’t know how it was going to turn out, you know? We thought we would be on tour, invest lots and lots of time and Amanda? She’s just great! She doesn’t just be part of the project and then said: “You know what? I actually don’t have time!”. If she commits to something, she does 100%! Back then, she felt she couldn’t do it, because having a family, wanting to be there for her kids, wanting to be a good mom and we all understand that. Absolutely!
Now it’s the three of us trying to be there, reinventing this new album with the original songs, being a little bit darker, a little bite more Symphonic Metal, even then the first record. This is kind the evolution it took us!
M.I. - How was the breakup between you and Amanda? Amicable?
Yes!
M.I. - “Run!” features special guest Marko Hietala (ex-Nightwish). How did you choose Marko to feature in the record as a guest? Was an easy choice?
It was actually not our idea from the beginning! So, we actually recorded the song in the studio with the three of us with not even having in mind to feature the song with someone. It was funny, because Marina and I were in the studio at the same time and I recorded a part: that heavy C part: “Rush, get away”, you know? I sing that part! And then our producer Hannes said: “Sing it the way Marko Hietala, from Nightwish would sing it!”. And that was the first time we kind of had this name in our minds and the idea of: “Why don’t we have a feature on this record and on this song?”. Our producer was able to talk to the label, they were able to talk to him and I remember, when we got the email that Marko is going to be part, we were so, so super happy! Surprised, obviously, because we didn’t know if he would be up for it.
M.I. - Let’s talk about the video for the music, shall we? It starts in a desert, with Marko, lying in the sand, with you, Clémentine and Marina in a tree, surrounded by red strips. Could you, please, tell us the concept of it and who came up with the idea?
Hannes kind of came up with the idea for the video. I can’t say it as perfectly as Marina would. There’s this old Greek mythology with the three fates, to break it down the side about life of people. This is kind of what we are doing in the video. We are deciding if the character of Marko will live or not. And that’s why we are always like threatening to cut the three threads and in the end, he’s trying to run away from his fate, but it’s not working, because we as three strong women and fates in this whole universe, cut the thread, which means he didn’t survive (laughs). It’s pretty heavy, but I mean, it’s just theatrical (laughs).
The song and the lyrics about something not really naming what it is, that what you are running the away from and your life, this is kind of, because I wrote the lyrics. This is kind of I was getting at to. Some people have something they’re running from. The best is always to go forward, talk about it and see what’s actually on my mind. This is kind of the topic of the song!
M.I. - This song was so awesome, and your vocals suit all together very well. It’s an international super hit. Will “Femme Fatale” be your next international hit, and do you consider launching a video to it? Tell us more about it, please?
That is the title track of our record, because this record is called “Femmes Fatales” and yes! We’re really happy to have this video about this song and yes! It will be another hit!
M.I. - You also covered contemporary songs and re-arranged them as undoubtably striking Rock/Symphonic Metal songs with some unique elements: “It's A Sin” (Pet Shop Boys), “Separate Ways” (Journey), “Desanchantée” (Mylène Farmer), “Poison” (Alice Cooper), “Alone” (Heart) and “Kayleigh” (Marilion). Why these songs and what do they represent for you for the rest of the girls? How did you rearrange them?
We worked really closed with our producer, he knows us and our other projects for years. So, he kind of knew our voices. We had many ideas for cover songs, but we wanted it to fit into the red thread of “Femmes Fatales”: having dark topics or dark music. So, we kind of chose the songs with that in the back of our mind, to have an album you can listen to through, and it doesn’t have: “Oh! This is weird! This is different!”. It’s just like one big piece of art, where you can listen to the whole album and again and it’s just all works together. That’s one our main thoughts in the arrangements and also in choosing which songs we choose.
M.I. - “Separate Ways” gained a video. Where was the video shot? Tell us more details about it, please.This was actually one of the funniest video shoots, because first of all, the weather was good. So, we weren’t like freezing the way we usually are in video shoots. Doing this together with friends, with Marina and Clémmy, it’s just kind of having fun in the performance without: “You have to do this, you have to do that!”. It was more like: “What do we feel in this situation?” and also working with our favourite or my favourite music video producer Mirko Witzki and his makeup artist, who is often working with him: Kami Zero. He’s just always gets the look! He knows how to features us! We look the best and it was just the best feeling to that video!
M.I. - The remaining five original songs were brought to life by you and Hannes Braun (Kissin’ Dynamite), also responsible for recording, production and mixing. Jacob Hansen, who has worked with artists, such as Amaranthe, mastered the record. How was for you and the girls to work with such an incredible team?
Super nice! Absolutely! I work a lot with Hannes Braun, from Kissin’ Dynamite. He produced our songs from my band League Of Distortion and we do a lot of songwriting together also for other bands. So, this is kind of working with family! He’s just super professional and you know if he does something, it’s going to be good! In the studio, the girls and I we’re also able just to try out things, just give our best and try it out. If it doesn’t work, it doesn’t matter, but maybe it will be something special. So, this was pretty cool to feel relived, feel comfortable to just try things out vocally and to see how they turned out on the record!
M.I. - Let’s talk about the album cover. Very feminine and seductive. Who came up with the idea for it and where the photoshoot took place?
We had lots of Zoom sessions and talked about how we would like to have the look. Clémentine and Marina are really great in figuring things out and doing like boards and Pinterests boards, putting together our ideas. So, this is kind of how it turned out. There’s a stylist, who has worked in the very the first Exit Eden production. It was nice to get with her again, who helped us to get the dresses. We have really chique dresses, that kind of put us on a classy level, you know? The photographer came from the label. Also, a really great guy, who shared our vision, and he was able to put us in the right spots. We actually shot in Vienna, in a very fancy hotel.
M.I. - You have different projects. How will you try to conciliate all your time and concerts from this project to the other ones you have?
It’s not that easy. I mean, it needs a lot of writing down, finding dates that work for all of us, but since we’re very good connected and we are very closed, we make it possible. We find dates, possibilities and times slots. It definitely works out from our side!
M.I. - Thanks to your first album, you entered the German charts at #15 and conquered the legendary Wacken Open Air. How for you that experience? What bands did you see? Tell us more about that day, please.
It was such a wonderful experience to be on this big stage and to have all this Metal fans, Metalheads, rocking to our cover music back then! I remember being lots of fun. I think we also had some interviews in Hamburg, spending some time with the girls and having this amazing performance! It was wonderful! Absolutely!
I can’t’ 100% remember, but I do remember that I saw Ghost, in the night at some time they played I think, at one or two in the morning. So, I remember that being kind of tired, but still wanting to see the show. I think we even saw Nightwish all together, if I’m not totally mistaken. We even had these adds for the “Rhapsodies In Black” record, showing on the Wacken mainstage as commercial and we were like looking at each other: “Look! This is us! This is us!”. I can’t 100% remember what bands we all watched, but yeah! Definitely Ghost!
M.I. - After the release of the album, will you go on tour? Maybe a date for Portugal? Spoil us, please?
I’ve never played in Portugal, not with League Of Distortion. I think I played there with Kissin’ Dynamite once. I had a feature with Kissin’ Dynamite and I’m pretty sure we played in Portugal as well. Yes, but with Exit Eden there’s actually nothing I can share with you yet, because we’re still really, really curious to see how everything is working out. It’s also from the business side to see how people will react to this project, after not being there for seven or eight years, but yeah! If there’s a tour, we would love to go to Portugal! Have an European tour, obviously, but I can’t share news on that with you yet!
M.I. - Anna, thanks you for this interview and congrats on this release. Could you please, leave a message for the Portuguese fans of the band, please?
Yes! Thank you so much! It was great talking to you! To all our Portuguese Exit Eden fans, we’re so happy that you’re still there! We hope you enjoy our new record! We’ve put so much energy into it and hope it will strength and empower you and yes! We hope to see you on tour and if not with Exit Eden, then with League Of Distortion, Phantom Elite or Visions Of Atlantis!
Listen to Amaranthe, on Spotify
For Portuguese version, click here
Questions by Raquel Miranda
