Amanda Somerville shares an update on her health

Amanda Somerville, an esteemed American singer-songwriter and vocal coach raised in Michigan, relocated to Germany to advance her musical career, as per Blabbermouth. She has disclosed that she has been diagnosed with diffuse midline glioma (DMG), a rare form of malignant brain tumor. The initial announcement of Amanda’s diagnosis, describing it as a “malignant and aggressive brain tumor,” was publicly made on September 19 by her husband, Sander Gommans, who is the co-founder, primary songwriter, and guitarist of After Forever. Today, Sunday, October 11, Amanda shared an update on her social media platforms regarding her condition.

My dear Somervillains,

I owe you a personal word. Many of you have heard by now – the news has been traveling faster than I have – and I’m sorry it’s taken me this long to speak to you directly. These past weeks have been a blur of hospitals, scans, biopsies and difficult conversations, and I needed time to understand what we’re facing before I could find the words. And with 3 little girls, it’s imperative that I can function.

On September 8th, I was diagnosed with diffuse midline glioma (DMG) – an aggressive, cancerous brain tumor that is unfortunately not operable and is only treated to gain time. I am currently undergoing radiation and chemotherapy here in Germany, and Sander Gommans is by my side through all of it.

I won’t pretend this isn’t serious. It is. But I am being cared for by excellent doctors, and we are pursuing every option available to us, including new treatments that give us real reason for hope.

Your messages, your prayers, your love – I have felt all of it, even in the silence. Thank you for carrying me. For now, just knowing you’re with us means everything.

A powerhouse figure in the rock and metal community, Amanda Somerville has built an indelible legacy as both a solo artist and a sought-after collaborator. Though rooted in American pop and rock, she found her true musical home within the metal scene, touring alongside legends like Alice Cooper and Ian Gillan while fronting projects such as Trillium and Kiske/Somerville (with Helloween‘s Michael Kiske). Since relocating to Europe in 1999—working primarily out of Germany and the Netherlands—she has partnered with iconic producers Sascha Paeth and Miro, co-written the famed metal opera “Aina”, and performed with powerhouses like Avantasia, Epica, and Kamelot. Her versatility and commanding presence were notably on display in 2008 when she stepped in for Epica‘s Simone Simons on their North American tour with Symphony X, further cementing her status as an indispensable force in heavy music.