Peek-A-Boo was able to interview the iconic Liv Kiristine during her Winter Tour.
The tour started in Russia. That was also the place where your musical career with Theatre Of Tragedy ended.
Yes, it was a coincidence. Back then I didn’t know that I was going to be kicked out of the band after the Moscow show.
Is that the reason why you started this tour in Russia?
I didn’t really have plans to start this tour in Russia. When it was announced that I was going to work with Raymond again and have him as a special guest on a tour, Russian concert organizers said they had four shows for us.
Do you like to go on tour or do you prefer the studio work?
I like them both, it makes the process more complete. I like recording, but when that is finished, it is also nice to see how the songs evolve on stage.
Your latest album Vervain is very strong and very different from the previous album Libertine. It sounds more goth metal. Is this the path you want to follow or will your next album be something else?Oh yes, the next album definitely will be goth metal. I guess, it will be a surprise for the fans. Raymond Rohonyi will be on the album, just like Tommy Olsson, the composer of Aégis.
Wow, that really sounds good.
When I told Tommy, who was kicked out of the band just like me, that I wanted to work with Raymond, I asked him If he was interested to join us. He answered spontaneously positive as he has a lot of unreleased songs. Maybe we can do something with them. The next album will be in the style of Vervain. But still, every solo album by me is something different.
I am sure you will please a lot of fans with that. On Vervain there are some very nice guest vocals by artists like Michelle Darkness (End Of Green) and Doro Pesch. How was it to work with them?
It was amazing, Michelle is a good friend of mine. He is a brilliant singer with a big charisma. He doesn’t live far away from the German place we played at yesterday. I asked him if he could join us at the show, but unfortunately he had another date. Doro is, how shall I say this, a kind of Idol. She is the most warm hearted person I ever met and she’s the most talented female metal singer. She surely deserves the huge fan base she has, she is wonderful.
I saw the video The making of Vervain in which you can see how the track with Doro is recorded. Doro was smiling while recording, she really enjoyed it.
Yes, she was amazing. She was doing this with heart and soul. After all those years she’s still going strong. She teached me how to serve the fans with your music, not just for yourself, but to please them and give them a good time.
Where did you learn to sing like that? Did you had any education?
No, I never had any form of education for singing. I did it all by myself. I’m very lucky to have such a voice. My voice doesn’t fail easily, it can take very strong vocal chords and I hardly get sick. I haven’t been sick for years. Sometimes it’s not so comfortable, but I still enjoy touring. I am very happy to be in a very good physical shape.
Was it a childhood dream to sing or to become a performing artist?
I think so, because my mama has told me that when I was very little that I liked to sing. So my way of communication with the rest of the world was thrpoughwith music, I absorbed music. Every time there were blue notes, (notes that aren’t common in Western music) I told my mom : “Oh, it hurts in my stomach.” So I was born with this perfect hearing. Wonderful, and I spent a lot of time in front of the mirror with a hairbrush in my hand.
You were ten years in Theatre Of Tragedy (1993/2003), then in Leaves Eyes and now you have a successful solo career. Was that necessary to come to the musical point you now are at?
I think so, yes. I do believe that things happen in the right way like they should, you just have to be open minded about it and embrace it. Everything is there, everything you ever wished for, you just have to open up your antennas and embrace it. Even being kicked out of the band that I founded myself with Raymond, that hurts a lot, but then again there was Leaves Eyes. Sometimes bad things lead to good things.
Touring with Raymond, was that your idea?
He is really up to it, he told me yesterday he really enjoys it, so there will be more shows and I am very glad to tell you this.
And I am very pleased to hear that.
It was my idea to tour again. I just called him and he was like: you know what? If there is somebody who deserves this, then it’s you and not the rest. And I have a brilliant band, the guys are really good and they’re wonderful musicians.
This live band is not the band you work with in the studio.
No, but in the future, they might be. We have to leave now, so one last question
Leaves Eyes and Liv Kristine both play goth metal. What is the difference between those two bands?
Leaves Eyes is based on history, the Nordic mythology, Vikings… I use different languages. It is a very different approach, both the concept and the music. My solo work is more connected with what is going on in my mind. Those two are strictly divided. If I do a production for Leaves Eyes, I first finish that and then I can start a production for Liv Kristine.
Thanks for your time and the interview, I wish you all the best for the future.
Thank you very much for interviewing me.