Vibeke Stene

Stene was born in Sokndal, Rogaland, Norway to Steinar Stene and Sissel Bø Stene, and has two sisters named Ingvild and Maiken.[2] She first performed for people outside her family at the age of three.[3] She began taking singing lessons at the age of thirteen,[4] and became more interested in classical singing.[3] She took lessons until the age of twenty-three because she wanted to become her own teacher.[3][4]

Stene grew up in a home filled with music. In an interview, she stated that her influences were the people with whom she had performed personally.[5] Before Tristania, Stene mostly performed classical vocals at various music schools.[6] She also sang in choirs and performed in jazz, folk, and classical concerts as a solo artist with varying musicians, and admitted that "all the traveling with the band makes it impossible to let a serious choir depend on you".[7] Stene has cited Tori Amos, Björk, David Bowie, Tom Waits and Diamanda Galás as "only a few of many singers that I think are very good".[5]

Tristania's keyboardist, Einar Moen, stated in an interview that Stene "has a classical education actually – sort of an opera school or university degree. And she has also taken singing lessons since she was a little girl, so she's always sung."[8] He also mentioned that when he met Vibeke, she wasn't into gothic metal, but more into rock and heavy metal.[8]

Around the age of 17, Stene was studying music in high school when she was beginning "to know my inner melancholy".[9] She was taken by the concept when Stene heard about Theater of Tragedy. She saw them live for the first time in Stavanger and thought to herself that she could do it much better. After seeing them live, she was inspired and hoped to do it professionally.[9]

Stene worked on a play called "Skammens Gissel" translated "Hostage of Shame" with friend and screenwriter Kai Erland. She played the title role of Silja. Her theater debut was on 13 October 2015.[1][17]

Silja made the choice to move away from her husband and her children to a collective of German soldiers. By the war's end, she traveled with one of the soldiers back to his homeland. After a few years her son decided to track down his mother. He found her in Germany and brought her home to Norway in secret. In the south of Norway Silja becomes hostage, caught in her own home by shame. Her son have to bear the secret alone. The drama plays out in the home between mother and son and those out on the street, the free – or unfree.[1]

Stene has two children. She gave birth to a boy in 2007, and a few years later gave birth to a girl.[10][18]

• Official website of Tristania