Vana Shares Her Highly-Anticipated Debut EP, ‘DIE FOR ME!’
New Zealand’s dark pop artist Vana hauntingly details the horrors of love on her new six-track debut EP, ‘DIE FOR ME!’ “Vulnerable” is what Vana feels as she unleashes her intimate debut project for the world to hear.
New Zealand’s dark pop artist Vana hauntingly details the horrors of love on her new six-track debut EP, ‘DIE FOR ME!’
“Vulnerable” is what Vana feels as she unleashes her intimate debut project for the world to hear. Influenced by the darker spectrum of pop, ‘DIE FOR ME!’ is red, raw, and roaring. Laying out veritable angst, love, desire and identity across six songs, Vana takes listeners on an emotional, frightful journey.
The EP coaxes you in with the mellow, inviting timbre of Vana’s voice on the titular lead single, ‘DIE FOR ME!’ Chronicling the dark romance of two sapphic vampires, the opening track paints the disparity with soft vocals amidst bellowing guitars and deep rumblings. It follows on to the lust-filled, gritty pre-release single ‘PRETTYBOY!’ and the newly shared ‘DISGUSTING!’
“I had so much fun writing this one,” said Vana, speaking about creating ‘DISGUSTING!’ and the imminent music video. “I wanted to make a song that was more unconventional – blending trap and punk rock into one. Lyrically, this song is from the point of view of a crazy woman who was essentially stalking a man in a hospital (she probably is also the reason he is there). I had a great time shooting the music video for it as well. We shot it at Spookers (an old psychiatric asylum- turned haunted attraction), which was perfect to portray the scary ambience that that song definitely creates.”
‘DIE FOR ME!’ shadows the juxtaposition of seamlessly fusing Vana’s gentle cantor nestled in between soaring rock textures and rattling bass stabs on ‘NOSEBLEED!’ and ‘SPIT!’ Vana thoughtfully remarked on her process of creating the EP, saying, “Experimenting with digital grunge sounds and blending them with darker distorted baselines was imperative for understanding my sound and definitely assisted in its evolution.
“Producing this EP was always the goal for this year. Most of the songs on this EP were written last year, and therefore touch on a lot of subjects and feelings that I went through at that time. As I’ve written the EP, I’ve definitely learnt a lot about my writing style, and where my weaknesses and strengths lie, as well as where my passions are,” she added.
“I love the juxtaposition of it,” Vana admits, as we quizzed the dichotomous concoction of the EP. The sound is miles away from what someone would expect from a former emo fan, but the contrast has become an embodiment of Vana’s music. Within the guitars and heavy riffs that flood the sea of the emo genre, Vana particularly loved those artists who sang with beautiful soft melodies, accompanied by heavy and full instrumentals. Further adding her bit about exploring and experimenting with her erstwhile taste versus her creations now, she notes, “Hopefully, as I grow as an artist myself, I can learn more from my inspirations regarding their ability to blend opposing sounds into something that sounds meant to be.”
While the EP wades through multiple facets of the singer-songwriter’s life, ‘DIE FOR ME!’ represents Vana’s first trust fall into the music industry as an independent musician. Gone were her initial plans to establish herself as an EDM musician, as she finally found her true passion for darker, grungier sounds. “This EP is my first stepping stone into a huge ocean of dark alternative music. This EP also represents all of the incredible opportunities I’ve had and people I’ve met that have changed my life in this short year.”
In “DIE FOR ME!” as well as in her releases preceding the EP, Vana has often written about her experiences of being a part of the LGBTQ+ community. Her music forms a niche narrative and sound, one that’s unlike what’s reflected in popular LGBTQ+ songs that lean more towards synth-pop or disco-adjacent music. Upon asking how the community reacted to her darker music, Vana disclosed, “The queer community, especially on TikTok, have thoroughly enjoyed and embraced my music.”
“There is a shortage of female musicians in the alternative music scene, especially those who are queer. I think one of the most important things for the queer community is representation in all genres. Understanding and realising that you may be queer can cause a hurricane of emotions, especially ones of anguish and confusion (particularly when in a non supportive environment).” Vana’s music fills the void in queer, alternative music as an ode to her younger self, who relied on this genre to expel negative emotions growing up.
Now that the EP is out, Vana centers her attention on live performances – particularly her forthcoming show in LA with her bandmates, surrounded by family, friends and fans, with many more shows to come. “There will absolutely be more live performances,” Vana stated. “My dream is to be a touring musician. Live music was one of the reasons why I fell in love with playing in the first place, and having the ability to perform my art to those who appreciate it sounds like the best case scenario in my head.”
With live shows in a queue and an exceptional debut project marking her indelible presence, Vana aims to go back to her roots, writing heavier riffs and post-alternative metal-inspired styles. “In the past month, I’ve been inseparable from my guitar and I’m itching to create music that represents my love for heavy music. I can’t wait to start finessing my live show, especially as we plan for tours throughout Australia and New Zealand. Watch this space, or don’t. You’ll hear about it either way (It’s gonna be loud!)”
This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.
‘DIE FOR ME!’ by Vana is out to stream worldwide.
Find Vana on: Instagram | Spotify | YouTube
Check out more new releases from New Zealand artists –
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