Vana

Vana, the professional name of Yvonne Winckel, has carved out a distinct space in heavy metal with a sound that fuses soft, haunting vocals over electronic grunge textures. Born in Anaheim, California, on 27 December 2000, she spent early childhood facing near-homelessness before moving to Auckland, New Zealand at age 10 to live with her father, a jazz musician. Raised in a Catholic household, she turned that religious upbringing into the darker themes that now define her songwriting.

Entirely self-taught on guitar, bass, and music production, she began recording her own music at 15, taking her stage name from her father’s nickname for her, “Yvonna.” After early collaborations, including 2022’s “Black Sheep” with SXMPRA and “You’re Not the Only One” with Glitchedout, she released her debut single “Foggy Windows” in early 2023, followed by her debut EP Die for Me! that same year, featuring tracks like “Pretty Boy” and “Spit.”

Her breakout moment arrived in 2024 with the single “Beg!”. Beyond the studio, Vana has built a devoted fan base by live streaming games such as Baldur’s Gate 3 on Twitch, blending her metal persona with a relatable online presence.

From childhood concerts of Linkin Park, Green Day, and Paramore to stages across the United States and New Zealand, she continues to push metal into fresh, genre-crossing territory.