WITHIN TEMPTATION's SHARON DEN ADEL: 'It's Important To Keep On Talking About The Subjects Which Matter'

In a new interview with TotalRock's "Louder With Ore B" radio show, WITHIN TEMPTATION frontwoman Sharon Den Adel spoke about why she and her bandmates have chosen to voice their political views in some of their recently released songs, including "Wireless" and the title track of their new album "Bleed Out", which have highlighted such current topics as the war in Ukraine and the suspicious death of Mahsa Amini, an Iranian woman "detained" for not wearing a hijab. Asked if she feels like music and art in general can break down walls and end wars, she said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Well, I don't think we can end wars, but what I do think is it's important to keep on talking about the subjects which matter. And the thing is, I think it's good to have that conversation with everyone. Everybody should have this conversation. What kind of world do we wanna live in? And I think sometimes when you're a politician, it's more difficult to get the message across even, as they are seen as politicians and they always have a certain agenda, which is logical in a way. But I think as musicians, we don't have an agenda — we are just one of those people feeling a bit powerless, maybe. And just talking about it and finding common ground with people who think differently, but also common ground with people who think the same way, it gives a feeling of, like, you can exchange ideas. And hopefully, as long as we keep on talking to each other, that might bring some change in the future, hopefully. I think that's the only way, because I think although we're so separated from each other, so polarized as the moment as we all are, we have to find those common grounds, and that's the only way to get forward because we have to find where we do agree with each other and where we can work both on changing things for the better. Yeah, it sounds almost like a hippie talking, but that's not what I am. But it's more like I do think that's the only way to get forward."

Asked if she, as a musician, as a fan and as a citizen of the world, expects more artists to be more outspoken about social, political and economic themes, Sharon said: "Well, you can't ask people to do that, but when they do, I'm really happy to see that, when people are more expressive, even if they have a different voice, like Roger Waters, for instance, he is completely pro Putin and those kinds of things, which I was very surprised about. But on the other hand, he has a different voice. I don't agree with him, but it's good for both sides that people speak out and that we have a discussion about why are we thinking like that? Because he's not alone in his way of thinking. And as long as we try to understand why they're thinking [that way], where their anger or where their motivation comes from, why they support certain people in politics, then we might get closer to each other again. And yeah, like I said, that's the only way forward."

Asked if she is ever scared to voice her opinion so publicly, whether on stage with a song or in interviews, for fear of threats, Sharon said: "I didn't it in the past. I am a little bit more aware of it nowadays because the tension is so high and people, even in our own fanbase, our people are divided about it because we have fans over the whole world, of course, with a different background, different situation. And when they tell their story, I understand sometimes their frustration. But voting for certain people because of that frustration doesn't make the problem go away, [in] my opinion. But again, I think, to have that debate on forums and those kind of things and just as we keep on listening because we forgot how to listen to each other. And that's a sad thing, but I think there is progress and I think there is so much to gain from it. And I think, yeah, to answer your question, I hope there will be more musicians who will speak up and speak out because it is important."

Last December, Den Adel told Mexico's Summa Inferno about WITHIN TEMPTATION's decision to voice their political views in some of their recently released songs: "We are musicians. And what do musicians do? They're storytellers, in my opinion. At least that's how I see myself, as a storyteller.

"Back in the day when there were castles, hundreds of years ago, when the musicians were traveling from country to country, what they did is bring the news from one country to another country," she explained. "If there was a war far down South, then half year later, people would know up North because then the musicians came and they make music, telling the stories of what's happening in the world. And I think that essence of being a musician, I think that's important. I think the essence of keeping certain subjects alive in a different way than in the past, of course, but now more like the news goes so fast in our time, because we have Internet and everything, we know what's happening in every country, more or less. And the thing is it becomes old news very fast. But certain things you need to keep addressing and talking about, like what's happening in Iran, for instance, but also the war in the Ukraine, and of course now that what's happening in Gaza and in Israel. Those topics are important to talk about.

"For us, we've written songs about certain of these topics, like Ukraine and Iran," Sharon added. "We did write something about that. We were inspired by that. So that's why we're talking about it in our interviews. And because it becomes old news very quickly here in Europe. I don't know how it's in your country, but nobody talks that much anymore about the Ukraine or what's happening in Iran. Not at all, because it's not in the news anymore. Ukraine is, because we are, of course, supporting them, but in different ways from a European point of view. But Iran, it's already very much old news since Mahsa Amini died because she resisted the morality police and died in a horrible way after being beaten to death, just because she wore her clothes in an incorrect way, to them. And it's very important to talk about these topics because otherwise it becomes old news and their fight is still going on. And that's in many subjects. We could have written about so many things in the world, even about South America where certain things are happening. But these were the things that inspired us when we were in the studio. At that moment, the war broke out in Ukraine. At that moment, Mahsa Amini had just died and we watched the news, and before we knew it, it was integrated in our music. But it could have been also other topics that are just as much needed to be talked about, of course. But these were the things that were happening in the moment when we were writing music."

Asked if she is afraid of the backlash and criticism she and the rest of WITHIN TEMPTATION might receive for publicly voicing their political views, Sharon said: "Well, I believe in democracy. And I think also we have a voice, and I believe in debating. What I hope to do with this — we're not lashing out or criticizing anything. It's more like we try to keep the subject alive because just by talking about it, we can bring other people to new ideas or get a little bit deeper into the subject or start being interested in the subject and thinking about what is the right thing to do. What kind of world do we wanna live in? I think that's a good question. So I'm not afraid of feeling attacked because of the fact that we take a certain point of view because I think… Well, I think it's, that's the thing of democracy. We can all be a voice and we can all contribute to the debate on what kind of world do you wanna live in and what do you accept from each other and what don't we accept from each other. There should be a certain pressure from other countries trying to help certain people in need. And I think it's most important that we support those who are in oppression, who are oppressed, and to let them know there's people thinking about them and supporting them."

WITHIN TEMPTATION's latest album, "Bleed Out", came out in October 2023.