Date Signed: November 2025
Label: Sumerian Records
Type of Music: Metal
Booking: Jason Parent, Sound Talent
Publicity: Charley Johns, Cosa Nostra PR
A&R: Sal Torres, Sumerian Records
Web: vanamusicofficial.com
Aukland-based industrial-metal artist Vana has been writing since she was a young girl and, once hooked, performing any chance she could get.
“In New Zealand, the easiest foot in the door into the music industry was through the demo scene, so I started writing towlines and vocals for my friends who were DJ’s,” Van says. “It taught me the skills I needed to know about tracking and comping my own vocals and building my own home studio that I work out of. When I realized I could do it all myself, I started writing and releasing for my own project. I was able to go full time just over a year and a bit ago with the help of twitch streaming—before that, I was a receptionist at a dental clinic.”
Vana (pronounced VAH-NAH) described her sound as a bit of a genre-fuck. “I like to pull elements from genres that I used to absolutely rinse growing up, along with taking inspiration from some of my favorite non-rock artists now like Brakence, Chase Atlantic and $uicideBoys and blend those elements in with heavy riffs and breakdowns,” she says. “Hyperpop elements mixed with post-hardcore and djent. My music has evolved to be more authentic to myself rather than trying to appeal to a more commercial pop centric audience.”
The artist recently signed with Sumerian Records, making her label mates with the likes of Hollywood Undead, Kittie, Poppy and Starbenders. It makes senses that Vana has found a home there, surrounded by likeminded souls.
“My manager, Clay Busch, has been very friendly with their camp for a while and has done a lot of work with Shawn Keith specifically when he was starting Sharp Tone Records,” she says. “I’ve have always maintained an independent mindset with the Vana brand and in my camp, but when Shawn joined Sumerian and reached out to us about working together it was very interesting for us to explore. Especially with how much they value the visual element of music along with a cinematic side to their business. Felt like the perfect partnership for where I wanted to take my brand. I’ve always been a massive fan of Sumerian and it was always my goal to sign with them specifically, so I’m so thankful to them and proud of my team for making it happen.”
Vana’s latest release at the time of writing is the “Pray” single, written with Vince Ernst of Magnolia Park. “The demo for the chorus was written a year previously and had gone through at least four different versions before we finally found the right structure for it,” she says. “We wanted to make sure the verses and breakdown did the chorus justice, given how catchy the topline is. We finally crunched down on the version we have now over a bunch of discord sessions.”
With a tour, and hopefully a full-length debut album, in the cards for 2026, good times lay ahead for Vana.
