Silje Wergeland
Silje Wergeland | |
|---|---|
Silje Wergeland in Budapest, 2010 | |
| Background information | |
| Born | Silje Wergeland 9 November 1974 |
| Occupations | Vocalist, singer-songwriter, lyricist |
| Instruments | Vocals, piano, keyboards |
| Years active | 2000–present |
Silje Wergeland (born 9 November 1974) is a Norwegian singer, songwriter and pianist. She is best known as the former lead vocalist of the Dutch progressive/alternative rock band The Gathering (2009 - 2025).[1][2] She was also the frontwoman of Norwegian doom/gothic metal band Octavia Sperati.
Musical career
Silje Wergeland was a founding member of the female group of gothic / doom metal Octavia Sperati in 2000, where she remained as vocalist and one of the main songwriters along with Gyri Losnegaard and Bodil Myklebust, until 2008.[3] In an interview with Paul Stenning, Wergeland described the band as “Extravagant, dramatic doom with a rock n’ roll heart.” She also said her influences were “Black Sabbath, Slayer, Clutch, Pantera, Type O Negative, Pink Floyd among others, and also some Norwegian folk music influences due to our musical inheritance.”[4]
On 10 March 2009, it was announced that singer Wergeland joined the Dutch rock band The Gathering, replacing singer Anneke van Giersbergen, who left to form her band Agua de Annique.[5]
Her first studio album with The Gathering, The West Pole was released in May 2009.[6]
Personal life
Wergeland was born in Bergen, where she still regularly lives. Her partner is Mads Lilletvedt, drummer of the death / thrash metal local band Hellish Outcast and Sahg. They are the parents of two girls: Marie, born in August 2012 and Louise, born in February 2016.
Discography
With Octavia Sperati
- Guilty (demo, (2002)
- Winter Enclosure (2005)
- ...and Then the World Froze (single, 2007)
- Grace Submerged (2007)
With The Gathering
- The West Pole (2009)
- City from Above (EP, 2009)
- Heroes for Ghosts (Single, 2011)
- Meltdown (Single, 2012)
- Disclosure (2012)
- Afterlights (EP, 2012)
- Echoes Keep Growing (Single, 2013)
- Afterwords (2013)
- Beautiful Distortion (2022)
References
- ^ "The Gathering in writing mode". Blabbermouth. 7 June 2010. Archived from the original on 10 June 2010. Retrieved 12 June 2010.
- ^ Blabbermouth (28 December 2025). "Singer SILJE WERGELAND Announces Departure From THE GATHERING After 16 Years". BLABBERMOUTH.NET. Retrieved 29 December 2025.
- ^ Octavia Sperati 'Taking A Break'
- ^ Big Cheese magazine, July 2007
- ^ Silje Wergeland (The Gathering) interviewed
- ^ Hellbound.ca