Yngwie Malmsteen Calls Out Former Singers Over Use of His Name and Legacy
Guitar virtuoso YNGWIE MALMSTEEN has issued a fiery new statement on social media calling out former singers for leveraging his name, album titles, and legacy to help promote their own tours and solo appearances. According to him, several vocalists he previously hired for studio work have been capitalizing on the association by presenting themselves as the “voices” behind his classic releases — a move the guitarist strongly condemns.
“So it has come to my attention that these hired and paid singers that I hired for my solo records are all trying to capitalize from my brand,” he wrote, making it clear that performing on his albums does not grant ownership, authorship, or creative legacy. He further emphasized that contributing a vocal line “here and there” does not make someone a songwriter and that these musicians were compensated as work-for-hire performers, just like every other session contributor.
The statement appears timed with the announcement of two separate tours built around each singer’s past work with YNGWIE MALMSTEEN. Vocalists MARK BOALS and MICHAEL VESCERA have revealed a European run for September 2026 dubbed the SEVENTH TRILOGY TOUR, promoted as “The Voices of Yngwie Malmsteen.” Meanwhile, MATS LEVEN has booked two Tokyo shows centered around material from the album “Facing the Animal”, which he originally appeared on.
These moves sparked renewed discussion among fans about songwriting credits, legacy ownership, and the role of hired vocalists within a long-running solo project. Though longtime names like JEFF SCOTT SOTO, JOE LYNN TURNER, and TIM “RIPPER” OWENS were quickly speculated upon, this latest situation appears focused on tours explicitly marketed around their past MALMSTEEN catalog work rather than broader solo careers.
Even as the debate spreads through the metal community, YNGWIE MALMSTEEN himself shows no signs of slowing down. While a full 2026 tour announcement is still pending, he is already confirmed for appearances at MONSTERS OF ROCK on April 4 and WACKEN OPEN AIR this summer. Fans can follow updates and tour details through his official channels — and, for collectors, this renewed wave of attention is the perfect excuse to revisit his discography on vinyl, CD, or tape.
YNGWIE MALMSTEEN – Items Available at Pulse Records
| Item | Format | Price | Condition | Order |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yngwie J. Malmsteen – Trilogy (1987 CD, Album, Repress) | CD | 7.90€ | NM | Order |
| Yngwie Malmsteen – Fire & Ice (2017 CD, Album, Repress) | CD | 25.00€ | NM | Order |
| Yngwie J. Malmsteen – Rising Force (2017 180g Black Vinyl, LP, Album, Reissue) | LP | 27.50€ | VG+ | Order |
| Yngwie J. Malmsteen – Trilogy (1986 Black Vinyl, LP, Album, Printed Inner Sleeve) | LP | 22.00€ | VG+ | Order |
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