Metal-Ways: We talk to you before your first concert in France and here we are: tonight will be your 5th concert here. So what can you tell us about the French audience, and about your stage experiences here?

Charlotte: Well, the first concert was in Lille, and that is still the best concert we ever had! When we looked at the audience responding, we were wondering: "Is it happening for us? Or is there Within Temptation standing over there?" And the rest of the gigs we had in France were also very good.

At this point we played in a few countries, in Germany for

example, and you really can see a difference. French Audience is in a way better than Dutch audience, because Dutch people are standing laid back, and if they don't walk away, you've done a good job. And German audience, they clap very loud at the end of the songs, but in the middle they're less active. Maybe they are more listeners, and French people are like... "crazier" :) So we're really looking forward to tonight.

M-W: About the MTV Awards... First of all congratulations! [Editor's Note: Delain was selected among other bands to represent Holland at the European MTV awards in the category "New sounds of Europe"] How do you feel about the nomination, and about the winning?

We were really honored to be nominated. Actually one of my favorite Dutch band was nominated too in the same category. It's called C-Mon & Kypski but it is a very different kind of music.
I didn't expect to win at all. If you look at the other bands, they are somehow less young than we are; they played in almost every festival in Holland. So I was pretty happy that we won. And I think it is really thanks to the fans, because I heard that a lot of people were voting on the website all day!
But now, James Morrison is nominated too [Editor's Note: and now he retired himself from the competition] and in Holland he's huge! But he's not "new", he is already famous...

M-W: How were you selected? Does it depend on the record sales?

I don't know actually! I think it is more like a festival thing. They look at who is playing a lot.

M-W: Do you think you can win again?

I think it is going to be tricky, because James Morrison is very popular. And I actually don't know the rest of the bands, so it is hard to say. But we still have a lot of people voting, so I hope we will at least be one of the last 3, because then we get to go there, in München, and the Foo Fighters will be there too. [Editor's Note: and unfortunately, Delain was eliminated on the 20th of October]

M-W: You are also nominated at the TMF awards in the category Best rock, in the same category as Within Temptation, so how do you feel about that?

I feel very good about it, because normally, I would think "Hum, we are nominated in the same category as Within Temptation, so that's a big concurrence...", but they are nominated in 3 other categories, so it doesn't feel like that.

M-W: You are going to do a special gig in Zwolle, NL, on the 2nd of November. Where did this idea come from?

I think that Martijn once came with the idea because someone talked to him about the opportunity of renting the church [Editor's note: the special gig will take place in the Broerekerk church in Zwolle]. And for me, it's really special because I saw Within Temptation doing a gig there when I was little, just after Martijn left the band. I guess I remember that when I saw Sharon up there, I was thinking: "God! I wish that could be me!" So, for me it is very special. And Zwolle is my hometown, it is a really beautiful town, I am really looking forward to making a party for the audience, and also for ourselves.

M-W: There will be some guests... can you tell me us which ones will be there for sure?

You know, that is a really special surprise...

M-W: But we kind of heard about George, and also Sharon...

I think the chance is very big! (in a reassuring tone)

M-W: There will also be new songs, so when were they composed?

Right now, at this moment actually! (laughing) No! We've both (Martijn and I) been writing, Ronald too, and Rob too. So, it's like everyone brings a piece, and we look at them, and sometimes they form a song, and sometimes they don't. We've got 2 songs more or less ready to be played now. But there are still a few details we want to change. The final version will probably be ready the day before the gig, but that's very exciting for us too! You can see if the song works directly!
So I think there will be 2 new songs in Zwolle.

M-W: And how do the songs sound like? Are they heavy songs, or calmer songs?

One is heavy and the other one is mid-tempo.

M-W: Are the lyrics written?

They are not completely ready. The lyrics of the first song are almost ready though.

M-W: So for now, those 2 songs are the only material you have for the new album?

No, we have a lot of other parts. Some verses, or some chorus, and we have to get the structure right, and choose which lyrics should go where. But I think we have like 10 potential songs, but you never know which one gets thrown out just before the album is recorded.

M-W: Do you have an idea about when those songs will be recorded?

It would be nice (laughs) but no, I'm not sure when it will be. If the album is recorded during the summer, it would be very nice, because then I'll have my holidays. But we just have to wait and see.
We want to release it in 2008. I don't know when but it's really planned for this year, we don't want to let everyone wait a year for it.

M-W: Will the special concert in Zwolle be recorded as a DVD material?

Yes it will, but we don't know yet how many cameras there will be.

M-W: Do you already have some DVD material?

We got a lot of goofy backstage material, and we got the thing that we've recorded from the MTV Awards. The sound kind of sucked, but the images were really nice. So, we're thinking that if we put something together, we could really use the MTV Awards.

M-W: Will there be a new single release for this album?

Yes, I think so. It's not 100% sure, but maybe in January. But we have decided which one it would be: The Gathering. [Editor's note: they filmed the song during the concert in Paris]

M-W: About the Metal Female Voices Festival, a couple of months ago, Martijn told us that he was going to try to get something done with Liv Kristine, maybe a guest appearance?

They have a very special show that evening, they're shooting their DVD. Liv Kristine is very cool about that, so if we can, of course, but I don't know how busy she will be. I guess something could be possible that day. [Editor's note: unfortunately, Liv was too busy after all, but she will be there in the Zwolle special show!]

M-W: In Paris, at the Bataclan, Sharon came on stage to sing on No Compliance... But she came during the song, she didn't sing it from the beginning, so I was wondering if it was a planned thing of if you decided to do it just before the show.

We decided to do it just before the show, when we knew there would be a show with Within Temptation, it was like: "Are you singing No Compliance with us?" and she was like "Well, if it is possible. You know".

We also did it once in Germany, in Leipzig. But we were doubting: should we say: "Sharon is going to sing with us" or should we just let her came out... That's probably why it seemed messy.

M-W: Are you planning some more concerts dates?

Well we're going to Germany again in January, and we're going to do a few shows with Epica.

M-W: You already did a lot of concerts during this tour, so you can give us some sort of assessment?

It was really great, we had a lot of chances and opportunities to do things that we had never done before.

M-W: Did you see a change in the use of your voice? Is it easier for you to sing now? Have you noticed some improvements in the technical part?

I think so. It's actually funny because I have rather a soft voice you know, but our sound engineer came to me yesterday or the day before, and he said: "I had to turn you down, you were singing too loud, what's happening?" So I guess I'm getting more powerful.

Delain official website: http://www.delain.nl
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