Paul Di’Anno (Paul Andrews), Iron Maiden’s first vocalist before Bruce Dickinson, passed away in October 2024. Di’Anno was expelled from the band after the release of their second album due to drug and alcohol problems. During this period, he signed a contract excluding him from song royalties after Iron Maiden had risen to fame.

Di’Anno – Iron Maiden’s Lost Singer follows Paul Di’Anno’s final years. Illness has made him immobile, confining him to his home. The necessary surgery is too expensive for a musician living on welfare, but he receives treatment in Croatia after fundraising by his resourceful fans. The treatments are intensive, and Di’Anno’s emotions fluctuate. Once he has undergone the much-needed operation, Di’Anno embarks on his final tour of South America.

Directed by the talented Wes Orshoski, who is known for making films about legendary rock artists (e.g. Lemmy, The Damned: Don’t You Wish That We Were Dead), Di’Anno – Iron Maiden’s Lost Singer is an unflinching rock documentary. It tells a story about the uncertainty and unpredictability of success, as well as friendship, fans and the power of music.

Even while affected by illness, Paul Di’Anno retained the temperament of a rock diva; yet beneath it was a deeply lonely man, dependent on the help of others. His final tour before his inevitable death reminded the world that Di’Anno was a true living legend. As the curtain fell, there was no competition or bitterness.

Salla Nazareko (translated by Siiri Kostamovaara)