Naomi ‘Nomz’ Bistline: Finding Healing Through Music After the FLDS

When Naomi “Nomz” Bistline first auditioned for her prison band, she initially aimed for the guitar. However, a brief, impromptu vocal performance changed everything. After singing an a cappella rendition of Miley Cyrus’ “Flowers,” the band members were clear: they had found their lead vocalist. For Bistline, now 27, that moment was a pivotal step in a journey toward healing that began in the most unlikely of places.

Bistline’s path to the stage was paved with profound trauma. She was one of 23 “spiritual wives” of Samuel Bateman, a self-proclaimed prophet and leader of a small offshoot sect of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (FLDS). Bateman, who claimed to be the heir to Warren Jeffs, subjected his followers—many of whom were minors—to systemic abuse. Bistline’s own incarceration stemmed from her involvement in a 2022 incident where she was directed by Bateman to remove minors from state custody.

The reality of her situation only began to crystallize once she was separated from the cult’s influence. “I started talking to the other inmates, and they’d tell me about their lives,” Bistline recalls. “When I hinted about things that happened in my life, they’d be like, ‘Your life was not normal.’”

Her story, along with the efforts of cult psychology expert Christine Marie, is now the subject of the Netflix docuseries Trust Me: The False Prophet. The series highlights the harrowing reality of life under Bateman and the difficult process of deprogramming for those who managed to escape.

Music has become the cornerstone of Bistline’s recovery. While her early exposure to music was limited to religious hymns and choir singing within the cult, she is now exploring a diverse range of artists, from Billie Eilish to Lady Gaga. “I do love that old music a lot because of the rawness of it,” she says. “There’s no AI stuff and it’s not autotuned or anything. It’s so refreshing.”

Currently, Bistline is working on her debut album, which she describes as a blend of pop and country. The project serves as both a creative outlet and a processing tool for her past. “I wrote songs about my past and forgiving that younger girl,” she explains. “But then I got into these rage anthems when the anger hit.”

Beyond her music, Bistline is pursuing a degree in psychology at Mohave Community College, with the ultimate goal of becoming an advocate for others trapped in coercive relationships. As she continues to build her life outside of the FLDS, she remains focused on the future. “I’m still in this space where it’s overwhelming, but a relief,” she says. “I didn’t expect this much support.”