New York, NY (Top40 Charts) New Zealand-based, Anaheim-born artist VANA merges brutal metal riffs with haunting electro-pop elements, offering a glimpse into a world where horror, femininity, and raw intensity collide on her sophomore EP TRIAL AND TERROR. Stream/download the album out now via Rebellion Records-digitally now. The singer, songwriter, and self-taught musician captured global attention earlier this summer with her breakout single "Beg" which independently amassed over 7 million streams and 1.7 million video views. VANA's boundary-pushing sound serves as an open invitation to those who might feel out of place in traditional metal spaces, making her an approachable bridge into heavier music for women and queer audiences and has earned her acclaim from international media including Rolling Stone Australia, Vice New Zealand, NZ Musician, Rova, and more.
"'Trial and Terror' is my experiment in pushing every boundary possible while rooting it in a metal foundation," exclaims VANA. "I aimed to make the EP as extreme as I could, bringing horror, sexuality, and raw psychotic lyrics to a point where it feels almost unhinged. There's a lot of commentary there; it's like I'm mocking the narrow and contradictory expectations people place on women in entertainment. 'Be sexy but not too sexy; edgy but not too dark.' I turned up every dial to the maximum and leaned into the absurd. The EP feels chaotic…each track is different from the last, as if every song is a new trial in itself. I like to think of my performance as a kind of 'drag' act, drawing inspiration from queens who embody intensity and unapologetic self-expression. Some people find this EP polarizing which to me means I did it right. I want to be abrasive, to be felt."
VANA has shared a provocative music video for the EP single "Serpentine." Watch it streaming below or via YouTube below:
"With this music video I wanted to dive deep into horror and reinterpret a familiar story with raw, seductive energy," says VANA. "The song plays on the story of Eve from a twisted perspective, where Lilith seduces her into a snake servant. It's disturbing and it's also unapologetically hot. Working with a cast of women and a queer female director was essential to capturing the essence of what it feels like to be a queer woman, bringing an authenticity that embraces the passionate, almost primal side of sapphic love—not just the 'innocent' depictions people are used to where two women fall in love and get a cottage on a farm and bake each other pies. Viewers who look closely at the plot will see Lilith isn't the serpent herself; she's corrupting Eve, turning her into one of her many serpent minions. It's a thrill to bring this level of intensity to the screen, playing with horror and seduction and the unsettling beauty of transformation."
TRIAL AND TERROR Track listing:
RAGDOLL
BEG!
HARLQUINN!
PLAYBOi (FEAT. SOPHIEPOWERS)
NOXIOUS
Clandestine
SERPENTINE
Despite having no formal music training and being raised in a small rural town in New Zealand, VANA is self-taught—a feat that reflects her fierce dedication to her craft. She draws inspiration from artists like Pierce the Veil, Sleeping with Sirens and Bring Me The Horizon who shaped her early musical tastes, as well as current trailblazing women in metal like Courtney LaPlante, Maria Brink, and Poppy.
VANA released her debut EP Die For Me! in 2023 which MMF applauded stating "Vana's ability to seamlessly blend genres, her evocative storytelling, and her dedication to addressing LGBTQ+ themes in her work make 'Die for Me!' a standout in the world of dark pop music."
She has built a strong online fanbase via her Twitch stream where she engages daily with fans over shared interests of music, horror movies, fantasy/role-play gaming (i.e. (Dungeons & Dragons, Baldur's Gate) and more. She's also amassed over 34.7 million views on TikTok and over 910k followers.
VANA is passionate about creating an inclusive, empowering space within the metal genre allowing for representation and visibility for all walks of life without fear of judgment or exclusion. Through her unfiltered lyrics, chaotic soundscapes, and magnetic presence, VANA aims to redefine what it means to be a metal artist in today's society.
