(b. 1984 - Lillehammer, Norway) Naomi's interest in Viking culture goes all the way back to her childhood years. At the age of 10, she began studying Old Norse, along with other languages, and became fluent in all of them. She became an expert in Norse Mythology when her father, Tørbjorn, bought her antique copies of the prose and poetic Eddas from a market in Oslo. Her obsession with the culture of her ancestors was only overshadowed by her love of singing. She studied traditional Viking songs, adding her own voice to them to make them operatic and more powerful. It was only when she met a third cousin on 23andMe that she had the opportunity to share her voice with the world. Together, Naomi and Shawn, the band's lead guitarist and songwriter, put together a few songs in the Viking Metal genre, attracting other musicians to join them. Nornsöng is the result. Now working as a librarian and Viking historian in Bergen, Norway, Naomi has put aside her career in botany to live her dream of bringing the ancient Norse back to life in the modern world.
(b. 1971 - Fairfield, California, USA) From the age of fourteen, Shawn began his passion for music with a cheap guitar from Sears. Over the years, his skills progressed and became an eclectic concretion of various styles. Inspired by his childhood favorite, Nazareth, Shawn progressed into heavier and heavier music. Beginning with old school metal like Metallica, Slayer, and Dio, his tastes quickly became darker and more aggressive. His first exposure to death metal was an MTV music video by the then-new genre pioneers, Napalm Death, Shawn began following and emulating guitarists such as Chuck Schuldiner, Pat O'Brien, and Trey Azagthoth. Eventually, his love of Viking myths led him to Viking Metal, starting with warrior metal such as Manowar. Amon Amarth, Bathory, Wintersun, and Ensiferum would eventually make their way into his music collection as well, leading to his desire to write Viking Metal of his own. In 2022, after submitting DNA to 23andMe, Shawn found out about Naomi, a 3rd cousin from Norway. From there, the story of Nornsöng began.
(b. 1971 - Decatur, Illinois, USA) Jake started dreaming about being a musician at an early age when his aunt gave him the Love Gun album by Kiss at the age of 9. Jake was soon taken by the Heavy Metal bug, soon found Black Sabbath, and the rest is history. The defining moment for bass was watching Night Flight Heavy Metal Half Hour at 1 am at the age of 11, when I Wanna Be Somebody by WASP came on. The song became Jake's anthem and dream. Other major influences were Steve Harris of Iron Maiden, the theatrics of Savatage, and countless others. Jake's first bass was an Aria Pro Cat Bass at the age of 14 his mother purchased for him. Jake also met Shawn that same year, but they would not play together until this project. Jake is excited to see where the Nornsong journey will take all of them in the future
(b. 1973 - Warrensburg, Illinois, USA) A talented singer in her own right, Stephanie joined Nornsöng as its keyboardist to provide the symphonic sound the songs needed. In addition, she plays many of the stringed instruments, such as cello, viola, and lyre, that are featured in the more traditional-sounding tracks. She also does backing vocals with a deeper register that gives Naomi's voice increased depth when needed. Stephanie also does lead vocals on a few songs. Stephanie joined the band after hearing the demo of Eldhringr, indicating she could help give the song the epic symphonic sound it needed, according to the subject matter. She was accepted immediately upon hearing her demo.
(b. 1994 - Orland Park, Illinois, USA) The youngest member of the group, Sean has played guitar since he was 12. Starting out mimicking his dad's style of old school metal, Sean eventually branched out and began getting into heavier and faster music, also adding traditional Scandinavian melodies to his list of progressions and scales. Together with Shawn, Nornsöng has developed a metal sound using non-metal progressions, a unique approach that makes the sound more appealing and Viking-like. Sean's personal style was adapted from Swedish, Finnish, and Norwegian black/Viking metal guitarists from bands such as Wintersun, Vintersorg, and Amon Amarth, while also being a fan of Wardruna. Since joining around the end of the recording of Sogur Endalok, Sean has contributed to the band's increasingly heavier sound. He has written two songs thus far, Ulfheðnar and Náetaðir (Eaters of the Dead).
(b. 1979 - Bedford, Indiana, USA) Known as "The Beast" to his musician friends, Nate's incredible skill was inspired by metal drummers such as Gene Hoagland (Death, Dethklok), Nicholas Barker (Cradle of Filth, Dimmu Borgir), and Kai Hahto (Wintersun, Nightwish). Nate began beating on the drums at age 10, when his uncle Nate bought him a small drumset for his birthday (much to his parents' chagrin). From there, Nate began learning to play songs by AC/DC, Nazareth, and other hard rock bands from the 70s and 80s. At 15, he progressed into faster and heavier music, hearing the band Death for the first time at a friend's house in West Baden, Indiana. He was impressed with Gene Hoagland's speed and began training his feet to emulate Hoagland's lightning-fast double kicks. Nate was recommended by Stephanie, who heard him play in a band called Black Tears (named after the song by Edge of Sanity) and approached him after the show. Nate, being a fan of Viking culture, jumped at the chance to add his thunderous beats to their sound.
(b. 1987 - Stavanger, Norway) Silje Vangstad was born in 1987 in Stavanger, Norway, where the sea, wind, and old folk melodies shaped her earliest sense of music. Gifted with a naturally pure soprano, she grew up singing in choirs, her voice often described as “angelic” and “light-filled.” Despite her talent, Silje battled intense stage fright from childhood—loving music deeply but avoiding the spotlight at all costs. She met Naomi Larssen in high school, and the two bonded instantly over music. Naomi, bold and fearless, recognized Silje’s rare voice and protected the quiet confidence behind it. Over the years, they collaborated informally, creating harmonies that blended power and delicacy in a way neither had heard before. Silje’s voice adds a haunting, shimmering layer to Nornsöng—an atmospheric counterpoint to Naomi’s commanding lead vocals. Preferring to remain in the background, she is the band’s quiet heart: rarely seen, always heard, and absolutely essential.
