REVIEW: Vana‘s The Lady in Red Tour in Roseville
REVIEW
REVIEW
☆ BY ELIJAH CLOWER ☆
Deadlands
THERE ARE ARTISTS YOU WATCH AND ARTISTS YOU WITNESS - Vana (pronounced VAH-NAH) falls firmly into the latter category, and her first-ever headline run through Roseville made that abundantly clear.
For the unfamiliar Vana is a rising force in the alternative metal world, a New Zealand-based artist whose industrial alt-metal sound merges brutal riffs with haunting electro-pop elements, trap-influenced production, and visceral breakdowns. While her first publicly released song hit in 2022, she’s been honing her craft since her mid-teens, and the maturity of her artistry on stage reflects every bit of that time. Entirely self-taught, she built her sound and fanbase independently before signing to Sumerian Records in 2025, a label that houses some of metal’s heaviest hitters including Bad Omens and Poppy.
The Poppy comparison will inevitably come up, so let’s talk about it. Both artists sonically and genre wise sound similar, but the similarities stop there. Where Poppy leans into a more reserved, character-driven persona, Vana feels 100% authentically herself — raw, present, and completely in tune with a younger generation that connects not just with her music, but with who she actually is.
The night opened with three supporting acts: Redhook, Deadlands, and Eyes Set to Kill. All three brought solid performances, though the running order left something to be desired. Deadlands, fronted by the magnetic Kasey, felt like the more natural bridge into Vana’s world — their energy and vibe set exactly the kind of tone her set deserved to follow. Eyes Set to Kill, while quality in their own right, might have landed better before Deadlands in the evening. Kasey’s stage presence in particular was something else entirely — the kind of performer you can’t stop watching through a lens, and their set was easily the standout of the three openers.
Then came Vana! Her breakout single “Beg!” has amassed over 18.8 million Spotify streams, and the crowd treated it accordingly. But what stood out beyond the music itself was the sheer joy radiating from the stage. Most metal shows carry a certain weight; artists channeling darkness with a deliberate intensity that keeps emotion tightly coiled. Vana is like the complete opposite. Her music is as dark and heavy as advertised, but throughout the entire performance she was all smiles, visibly overwhelmed with gratitude and excitement in the best possible way. The contrast between the tone of her songs and the warmth she brought to the room was genuinely striking and ultimately, that’s what made the night so memorable.
The Lady in Red Tour has already sold over 15,000 tickets and notched sold-out shows across Atlanta, Orlando, Philadelphia, New York, Chicago, Denver, Portland, and beyond; and watching her command that Roseville room, it’s easy to see why.
Her debut album is set to arrive in Fall 2026 via Sumerian Records, promising a full dystopian world built around everything that makes her singular. If this headline run is any preview of what’s coming, the ceiling for Vana is nowhere in sight. Keep your eyes on her. The lady in red is just getting started.
