Women in rock are not given enough appreciation, mainly because they are not as well-known. My goal is to introduce you to a couple of artists and bands with female vocalists: VIOLENT VIRA, Vana, The Orielles and Crawlers.
VIOLENT VIRA is a first-generation Mexican-American rising up in the rock and metal scenes. Characterized by her gothic vibe and stunning voice, her songs blend soft vocals with classic metal screams.
Some of my favorite songs by her include “God Complex”, “I Don’t Care” “Tarantula Girl” and “Collar of Truth”.
According to VIRA herself, “God Complex” is about religious trauma written from the perspective of God and a submissive follower. God is represented as a toxic partner, tying together themes of religious trauma and toxic relationships.
Being one of her earlier songs, I still find myself coming back to it over and over again. It feels obsessive and dark, combined with vocals full of sorrow. The reverb-heavy guitar gives the song a looming, almost predatory atmosphere.
“I Don’t Care” has this detached, numb delivery that really fuels the feeling of giving up on someone. I love this track– it was the first one I ever heard back when it was released. No longer giving in to what others want is hard but backed by powerful vocals, it’s increasingly clear throughout the track she doesn’t mind if that makes her a bad person.
One thing I love about her music is how she goes from this quiet, sometimes gritty, other times seductive tone to screams and heavy instruments. She honestly, in some ways, reminds me of Pierce the Veil because of the contrasting vocals and instrumentals.
She released her debut album “Lover Of A Ghost” back in November, which, as an OG fan, was long-awaited.
Vana is relatively new to me. I had heard of her a few months ago when my friends and I were booking tickets to a Set It Off concert, and as per usual for me, I never research openers beforehand unless I already know them.
Seeing her stage presence for a first impression had me sold instantly. My friend Rhiannon and I were literally in awe.
Not to mention her insane vocals. That woman can scream– like classic metal fry scream you would hear from Linkin Park and Bring Me The Horizon.
“BITE BACK”, “PLEASER” and “Clandestine” have some of these really impressive screams. What makes this even more impressive is that her voice still sounds so healthy.
She blends aggressiveness and electro pop into music that I can only describe similarly to Poppy and Ashnikko, but with more feminine rage (and less cringey if you ask me). With a post-hardcore vibe from the screams mixed with haunting, ethereal vocals, her vocals draw you in like a gothic fantasy.
If I were a cyberpunk villain, I’m certain Vana would be my top artist.
On the other hand, if I were the main character in an ‘80s roller rink coming-of-age film, you would catch me listening to The Orielles (if they were around then).
With a completely different vibe than Vana and VIRA, The Orielles mix indie rock with retro vibes. I imagine them as an artist I would hear at Woodstock.
When I first heard “Sugar Tastes Like Salt”, I genuinely thought it was a song from before my time. And while it isn’t the classic rock you would hear, indie rock is an amazing genre that I wish got more hype.
I’ll admit, I actually do not listen to The Orielles all that much. I don’t know much of their music, but they do have an album coming out on March 13 that I am very excited for.
The England-based trio has released four previous albums, all of which have different vibes under the alternative indie rock umbrella.
Vocalist and bassist Esmé Dee Hand-Halford’s hypnotic vocals blend so well with the band’s almost dance-punk vibes. Listening to The Orielles feels like listening to retro grooves given a modern indie revamp.
Jumping gears but staying in the same country, Crawlers are an English rock band formed in 2018 with lead vocalist Holly Minto bringing vulnerability and confrontation into a perfect balance. Not to mention, they opened for My Chemical Romance in the U.K. in 2022, which is SICK.
Now, I’m kind of stupid and have been introduced to this band twice by my childhood best friend (hey, Oona), but didn’t really start to listen to them until the second time around, when she was playing them nonstop for a weekend.
Their song “Placebo” features heavy guitar and emotional numbness, creating a sense of emotional exhaustion with the heavy weight of the guitar. “I Can’t Drive” feels tense and anxious, backed by vocals that sound like they are on the verge of breaking down. Leaning into the confessional style, these tracks turned personal struggles into something raw and loud that is impossible to ignore.
“Every time I hear this song, I think of you,” Oona said to me when showing me “I Can’t Drive” and damn was she spot on, honestly.
“Kills Me to Be Kind” pulls you into a quieter, restrained sadness, where Minto’s gentler vocals let the soft instrumentals carry the pain of self-sacrifice. On the other end of the spectrum, “Fuck Me (I Didn’t Know How to Say)” explodes with blunt honesty and distorted guitar, sounding like that moment when everything you bottled up finally breaks free. Together, these songs show Minto’s (and the bands’) ability to move between subtle heartbreak and full emotional outbreak without losing their intensity.
Characterized by strong female vocals, each of these artists and bands bring their own unique vibes to the rock and metal genre, each deserving so much more love than they currently have.
