Amanda Somerville
Acting
Amanda Somerville (born March 7, 1979) is an American singer-songwriter and vocal coach who resides in Wolfsburg, Germany. She is known primarily for her work with many European symphonic metal bands. Biography Raised in Flushing, Michigan, Somerville graduated early from Flushing Senior High School in 1996, earning a scholarship to the University of MichiganâFlint, where she majored in psychology. She moved to Wolfsburg, Germany, in 1999 and began her career working with metal and rock musicians across Europe, especially in Germany and the Netherlands. On August 19, 2013, she announced her engagement to After Forever guitarist Sander Gommans. They married on July 26, 2014, and have three daughters: Lana Elise (born 2015) and twins Anya and Juliet (born 2018). Music Career Somerville has collaborated with numerous acts, including After Forever, Edguy, Kamelot, Epica, Avantasia, and Docker's Guild, and has released two solo albums blending pop rock, hard rock, and soul influences. She co-wrote and performed nearly all her solo material, working closely with producers Sascha Paeth and Michael Rodenberg. These collaborations led to her involvement in the rock opera Aina and the HDK project with Gommans, for which she provided vocals and lyrical concepts. In 2008, she toured North America with Epica while Simone Simons recovered from illness. In 2010, she joined former Helloween vocalist Michael Kiske for the melodic metal project Kiske/Somerville. Produced by Mat Sinner with songwriting by Magnus Karlsson, the debut featured the singles âSilenceâ and âIf I Had One Wish.â Somerville co-wrote three tracks, showcasing her versatility beyond session work. A follow-up, City of Heroes (2015), continued the collaboration, accompanied by music videos for âCity of Heroesâ and âWalk on Water.â Avantasia & Trillium Somerville was a recurring live vocalist for Tobias Sammetâs metal opera Avantasia, performing in the 2008, 2010, 2013, and 2016 world tours. Onstage she sang backing and lead vocals for songs including âFarewell,â âThe Wicked Symphony,â and âSign of the Cross.â She stepped away from the project in 2019 for personal reasons. In 2011, she launched her own heavy metal project, Trillium, releasing the album Alloy through Frontiers Records with contributions from Paeth, Rodenberg, Gommans, and a duet with JĂžrn Lande. In 2018, Amanda Somervilleâs Trillium released Tectonic, featuring the singles âTime to Shine,â âShards,â and âFull Speed Ahead.â Other Collaborations Somerville appeared on Douglas R. Dockerâs space metal opera Dockerâs Guild, duetting with Göran Edman on âBlack Swanâ (2012) and later performing on the Flash Gordon Suite (2016). She also voiced the Queen of the Nile in Lebanese guitarist Amadeus Awadâs The Book of Gates (2014). Exit Eden and Beyond In 2017, Somerville co-founded Exit Eden with ClĂ©mentine Delauney, Marina La Torraca, and Anna Brunner. Their debut, Rhapsodies in Black, reimagined pop hits like Madonnaâs âFrozen,â Adeleâs âSkyfall,â and Lady Gagaâs âPaparazziâ as symphonic metal anthems. The album, released by Napalm Records, featured guest appearances from Simone Simons of Epica and received international acclaim for its vocal power and creative arrangements.
