We Are The Northern Lights

“They say lightning never strikes the same place twice…” unless, of course, you are We Are The Northern Lights, the self-proclaimed “accidental passion project” of indie pop-folk duo Hadar Orshalimy and Sheldon Low. With a sound defined by tight harmonies, melodic hooks and personal lyrics WATNL draws comparisons to The Lumineers and The Civil Wars. But having already garnered their second placement in film and television less than a year after the project's creation, and preparing to release their debut album in the spring of 2017, it’s hard to imagine anything about WATNL being “accidental.”

Growing up 6,000 miles apart, that they even met is a minor miracle. Hadar was serving in the Israeli Defense Forces training soldiers how to clean up in case of a nuclear, biological or chemical attack, and Sheldon was on his way to becoming a Jewish rock musician after a short career in engineering. The couple decided to move to NYC to each pursue independent solo music careers.

“We lived and wrote together, but most weekends I’d be in one city performing Jewish rock, and she’d be in another city, singing secular pop,” recalls Sheldon. It wasn’t until their song “Take Me Home” (produced by Robopop) was placed in the feature film “Beneath” (directed by Ben Ketai), that the two ever considered a joint project.

“For the first time, we tried writing music for us and about us and a full album just came pouring out,” explains Sheldon. Within a few days, the unnamed duo debuted some of the songs at one of Sheldon’s gigs in Anchorage, AK and the band settled on their name.

Upon returning to New York, WATNL began performing in local NYC venues such as The Bitter End, Arlene’s Grocery, and Sidewalk Café. In August of 2016, the duo retreated to a cabin in the forest near Ithaca, NY, where they recorded “I’m Still Here” for a feature in the Crackle series “Startup” starring Adam Brody and Martin Freeman.

“Sometimes it’s hardest to see what’s right under your nose,” shrugs Hadar. “But the best part of this whole accident is that what we found there, is just us.”