Noah Sebastian

Sebastian grew up in Richmond, Virginia, raised by his mother and his grandparents. His grandparents were devout churchgoers who enforced structure at home, and his grandfather served as the primary father figure in his youth. Following his grandfather's death, Sebastian stopped attending school and left home at age 15, moving in with older friends.

He later relocated to Los Angeles, California, sharing a home and home-studio space with bandmate Joakim Karlsson. Outside music, he trains in Brazilian jiu-jitsu and Muay Thai. In December 2023, he deleted his personal social media accounts after growing uncomfortable with fan intrusions and online fabrication.

Sebastian began playing music early. At 12, he lied about his age to join a local Enter Shikari cover band. By 16, inspired by musicians such as Caleb Shomo of Beartooth and Landon Tewers of The Plot in You, he began teaching himself audio engineering and production through online tutorials.

While playing guitar for the Washington, D.C. group Immoralist in 2013, he started writing his own material under working titles such as Man vs. Self and CHLDRN. He recorded a five-song demo in his bedroom. That tape caught the attention of Sumerian Records, which offered him a recording deal before he had assembled a full lineup or performed a live show.

To build the group, Sebastian recruited guitarist Nicholas Ruffilo, bassist Vincent Riquier, and drummer Nick Folio. Riquier introduced Swedish guitarist Joakim Karlsson, who had previous touring experience. The band took the name Bad Omens from one of their unreleased tracks and released their self-titled debut album in 2016, produced with Will Putney.

After working with outside producers on their debut, Sebastian and Karlsson shifted to self-producing. They recorded their 2019 sophomore album, Finding God Before God Finds Me, and their 2022 album, The Death of Peace of Mind, almost entirely in their home studio, tracking only drums in commercial facilities. This approach gave Sebastian control over the band's sound, blending heavy riffs with dark pop, R&B, and electronic arrangements.

Sebastian wrote "Just Pretend" as a satirical experiment in crafting a formulaic radio track. The song went viral on TikTok and earned a platinum certification from the RIAA. Sebastian also directed the song's official music video. Bad Omens followed with headlining tours across North America and Europe, as well as a 2024 collaboration with industrial pop artist Poppy on the single "V.A.N".