Am 20.11.20 hat die Melodic Metal Gruppe „Within Temptation“ aus den Niederlanden ihre neue Single „The Purge“ vorgestellt. Angesichts dieser Veröffentlichung hatte unsere Redakteurin Jacky die Chance Sängerin Sharon im persönlichen Skype-Interview zu befragen, was es mit dem Lied auf sich hat, wie sich Sharon die Zeit während des Lockdowns vertrieben hat und was die Band und ihre Fans für das besondere Jahr 2021 erwarten. Denn dann heißt es: 25 Jahre Within Temptation! Zuletzt hatte die Band übrigens 2019 ihr Album „Resist“ herausgebracht, welchem im Mai dieses Jahres die Single „Entertain You“ folgte.

Frontstage Magazine: Did you have a nice day so far?

Sharon: So far, I had a great day. I went for some bike riding through the forest to get my new phone (laughs). It was almost like 40 minutes through the forest and it was nice to use side roads. We could have gone straight to the shop in like 20 minutes, but now it was 40 minutes. Also, because it was a gloomy day and it felt good to be outdoors to just get some fresh air apart from working indoors.

Frontstage Magazine: Oh, perfect and maybe some kind of sun in the dark winter days. The reason we can talk to each other is that you released your new single “The Purge” lately. When you have a closer look to the lyrics it is about self-reflection, especially in the times of corona. Therefore, I am interested in how you could experience it by yourself or how did you come up with the idea for the song?

Sharon: I think as a musician you are always constantly looking for inspiration and that comes from different layers of society. But also, your own personal life and the little things inspire you. So, you are constantly looking at what choices you make. But in a time like this, this is like the time has stopped for everyone in the whole world at the same time. It is kind of bizarre that everybody is in a certain kind of lockdown worldwide more or less. This inspiration was more about the turmoil, you know, when you are in bad weather personally and mentally and when you are trying to get away from a feeling of guilt, of choices you made. It was something we wanted to write a song about, because it was something that happened to us in our personal life and it is something that a lot of people can relate to, especially if you are this time. Because a lot of people had time to reflect on their life like now. It is a two-way kind of reflection towards the future and also back on your past, and that is also what the song is about.

Frontstage Magazine: True, and at the moment, it feels like we have to find something new. Not even meant for the future and or past, but or the present. So, a lot of my friends got new hobbies and similar things. I was looking through your Instagram account and I saw your baking in the first lockdown period as well.

Sharon: I was making apple turnovers. But also, a lot of workouts and stuff. Moreover, I put out together a workout playlist. Like your friends I am also discovering all the things that I like to do. Like making nice food for us and baking and growing plants in my garden. I am making playlists, because that is something I used to do and now I actually have time for it, more time than ever. I have this workout playlist I made on Spotify, Deezer and Apple Music that you can listen to high intensity songs I like very much, and people can work out to that while there are in quarantine or maybe in lockdown.

Frontstage Magazine: Wonderful, what is the name of the playlist?

Sharon: The very original name is The Corona Sweat It Out Workout.
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Frontstage Magazine: Cool, I believe that these are maybe other kinds of being creative, so it is not the studio and touring thing you had before but it is another kind of doing playlists for workouts.

Sharon: I think for me, it gave me a lot of positive vibes to listen to music and to explore a little bit to bands that I never have time for. And because listening to new music inspires me to write again. So, it is all linked to each other. I want to do workouts which I am doing really a lot lately at two times a week together with Robert. It is nice to stay active to be ready when you can be able to play again. Then you need to be in shape, and you want to give a lot of energy to everyone who has been in a lockdown for a long time and everybody wants to get together again. But this is still far away. But you have to aim high and have good hopes!

Frontstage Magazine: Very inspiring that you keep on and not give up. Plus, you explored new bands. Did you find a new favorite band?

Sharon: The best band, which is also the number one on my list, is called Nothing More with “Go To War”. I love his intense voice, but there are many bands that I loved to explore. I really really love them now and was like “Oh my god why have not I heard of this band before?” The songs that I have put on there are the best songs that I like from that bands. For example, YONAKA with “Punch back”, and there is one song they also have it is called “Rockstar”, which I find really cool as well. Another band, which is not that small, but one of my huge favorites, is You Me At Six. It is not metal or anything. It is heavy music, but it is especially good songs and I thought that is also something that I trigger on a lot. You should look up to the playlist and you will see a lot of things.

Frontstage Magazine: You said you explored a lot of other bands personally, but looking to your band, can we expect new more music from you than just the single? I heard about more singles and maybe a new record?

Sharon: Well the thing is that we have just released “Entertain You” which is the first single of something that will appear in the future, but we do not know when. What we are doing now is actually the opposite of what we have ever done before. It is like we do not have a finished album yet; we are just writing and that was already the idea before corona happened. Normally a song you are very enthusiastic about has to wait two years that it comes on an album and now you have a single version of it and live at the moment. Especially even more because we cannot promote an album anyway. In the meantime, everybody has something to look forward to. Also, ourselves, because we are trying to stay sane in this crazy time as well and for us it really helps doing what we love most and hopefully there will be people on the other side who are hoping to get some new music. In this case it is a win-win situation as some famous football trainer from the Netherlands once said.

Frontstage Magazine: Our side is definitely enjoying your music and we are happy when you are releasing new pieces as well as seeing you live again. Your world tour was scheduled for two this year, but Corona has put it down. So, are you looking forward to the next year?

Sharon: Yes, absolutely and hopefully then we might be able to go on tour, because there are so many vaccines being worked on. A lot of countries are already starting in December this year and what we have heard in the Netherlands it is going to be January, maybe February on the latest. I hope this will be the way, because then it looks okay for us to have the tour next year September. So, fingers crossed for everyone that we can go back to the old lives that we had.

Frontstage Magazine: I think so too although the idea is a bit strange that you can only go to concerts or traveling when you got the vaccine. To which city you look most forward, is there a special city for you?

Sharon: I must say that I am not looking to a specific stadium or country, because it is just the tour in a whole. I think it is gonna be such a nice special tour to do, also with Evanescence and I think it is gonna be a package for the fans. I am looking forward to sharing the stage with Evanescence and the support acts are gonna join us. Just happy to be on the road again and doing what we love. We have a band that will match very well with us and were an advisor for ourselves. We are looking forward to a lot of good vibes and having fun, too. I think we have come to an age where fun is so much more important than anything else. I am just enjoying because it is so special with the fans and I realize even more so now with this Corona vibe.

Frontstage Magazine: Especially next year because you are celebrating 25 years of Within Temptation. It is your anniversary! Is there a special plan for it or do you have a special occasion or event in mind?

Sharon: No, not at this moment. It is just delivering our promise to do the tour and hoping that we can do it. That is the highest priority now and to do hopefully some festivals. Generally, just hoping that things will go to normal and being able to be back on the road with everyone again and do a show we promised to do. Extra shows are not in the planning at this moment because we have so many things that have been rescheduled. At this moment there is nothing extra for 25 years, unfortunately, but you know, we will go through 30 years.

Frontstage Magazine: I am very happy that you feel this way and be optimistic about the future. You made a perfect final point. I do have a last question which is always not so much connected to your music but with being human. The question is: What was your most beautiful mistake?

Sharon: My most beautiful mistake, wow. It is a difficult question as a last one. (After long thinking) I mixed up an airport once. I thought we were gonna fly from Schiphol, Amsterdam and then it turned out that I had to be in Germany just across the border Everybody was there and I was all by myself like “What gate are you guys because I can’t find anybody; in which gate? because I got the wrong gate there and…” The. answer was “No, no, Sharon, where are you?” “Schiphol, of course!”. And they said “Haha, no, you have to be in Germany; oh my god, you’re gonna be late, you’re gonna miss the plane.” And we had to go to Milan, Italy. I started to book a new a new ticket to Milan and in the the end I got there earlier than they did. So, I was actually enjoying it because they had a horrible trip from Germany to Milan. In fact, they had a crappy nightliner that picked him up and I really got a nice card. My airplane landed later, but I was earlier. Somehow, I was very lucky and totally relaxed while they had one hour to prepare themselves in total stress. I was like having the time of my life because I had a great trip.

Frontstage Magazine: Perfect answer. Thank you so much! I wish you all the best. I hope for more music from you good luck, stay healthy.

Sharon: No problem, you are welcome. Thank you, too.

Fotocredit: Set Vexy