US singer says God supported her while making new album after losing father

Well-known US musician Natalie Bergman has opened up about the influence of God in her most recent album which was written after a spiritual retreat to a Catholic monastery in New Mexico.

While Ms Bergman is best known for her role in folk pop duo Wild Belle, alongside her brother Elliot, Mercy is the first album she released on her own. The album is imbued with a sense of praise and despair, influenced by the pain she felt after her father and stepmother were killed by a drunk driver in 2019.

Speaking about her time in the monastery, Ms Bergman said: “I asked a lot of questions. I talked to God. I listened. There were some beautiful and comforting answers that were revealed to me.

“It brought me closer to God. I’ve had a strong faith my entire life. It’s been my compass. I’ve always had God at the centre of my core. Of course, I’ve abandoned God and paid attention to things that were harmful to me. But it was very easy for me to go directly to God because it was my only option.”

Ms Bergman said that she lost “the greatest love I’ve ever had” after the car crash, “but through this horrible event, I have found a purpose unlike I’ve ever had. I feel like I’m myself for the first time. And I’m thankful for that”.

She added: “I felt supported by God while I was making this record.”