BATTLE BEAST Singer NOORA LOUHIMO Opens Up About Weight Struggles And Depression

BATTLE BEAST singer Noora Louhimo has opened up about struggling with generalized anxiety disorder and weight.

Louhimo, who last year released her debut solo album, "Eternal Wheel Of Time And Space", under the NOORA LOUHIMO EXPERIENCE banner, joined BATTLE BEAST in 2012 with no previous experience as a metal vocalist but quickly acclimated herself as the replacement for Nitte Valo (a.k.a. Nitte Vänskä).

Earlier today (Monday, December 12),the 34-year-old Finnish-born vocalist took to her Instagram to write: "Have you ever thought of losing weight? Are you depressed or anxious? I have, ALL MY LIFE.

"I have been struggling with eating disorders and my weight since I was a little child and still trying to find a balance. I have been depressed and anxious sometimes 'without a reason'. Just resently it appeared, most of this was caused by the imbalance in my body that was caused by life without routines and bad decisions. I wanted to start a journey to myself and what I COULD DO to make myself feel better in my skin and in my head.

"SO HERE, this method is worth trying:

"1. Go to sleep and wake up everyday the same time (for example: I wake up at 7 am and go to sleep 11 pm) AND sleep everyday at least 8 hours. There can be exceptions like when I have late shows. But 90% of the time my goal is to keep the same sleeping rhythm.

2. Eat at least 3 times a day, 3-4 hours between the meals. (For example I eat breakfast, lunch, dinner and evening snack) Your blood sugar stays steady throughout the day and there are less cravings.

3. Move your ass - Find your sport and do it at least 3 times a week. (For example I love dancing, gymnastics and running (with Bobby my dog.) The most important thing is that you have fun.

4. Talk nicely to yourself and avoid judging - if you keep talking to yourself as you would talk to your best friend (supporting, loving, kind way) this will make your thinking into doing eventually and you have more believe in yourself and what you are doing. It is important to be the kind parent to yourself - Sometimes it is okay to have a sweet snack or lay on couch and watch a movie. But sometimes it is time to say to yourself: Enough is enough, now go and seize the day, enjoy life. After all, we all are here trying to do our thing, trying to succeed in life, enjoy life, make life, be inventive, be something, BE HUMAN.

"Today is a good day for thinking - What kind of life I WANT and HOW DO I GET IT. OR I am part of life on this Earth, what kind of part do I want to play in it?

"Have a nice thinkful Monday".

In an interview with Metal Divas, Noora explained how she ended up fronting BATTLE BEAST: "[In] September [2012], I got a call from [then-BATTLE BEAST guitarist] Anton [Kabanen] that they want me to join BATTLE BEAST. I had heard their music and loved the sound and the vocals, so the next day I called Anton and said I'm in.

"Anton found me by accident on YouTube when he was searching for the new vocalist," she continued. "He had been looking for a vocalist — male or female; [it did not] matter. The only thing that mattered was can that [he or she could] sing his songs without compromises.

"I've been singing since I was four years old," Noora added. "While being a huge fan of heavy metal of '80s and a teenager, I had some classical singing lessons when I was 16 years old. Then at the age of 19, I started studying music in pop/jazz line. At the same time, I started doing some jam sessions at bars. There I found my first band (ADMIRAL OCTOPUS) in the blues bar. We used to play rock and blues music from '60s-'70s and Janis Joplin was the reason I got the rasp in my voice. After ADMIRAL OCTOPUS, in 2011, I took part in a singing competition ('Wanna Be A Rock 'N' Roll Star') at Henry's Pub of Tampere and won it with Janis Joplin's 'Piece Of My Heart'. That's how my single 'Relax' was born."

Photo credit: Terhi Ylimainen