Beyond the Boys’ Club is a monthly column from journalist and radio host Anne Erickson, focusing on women in the heavy music genres, as they offer their perspectives on the music industry and discuss their personal experiences. Erickson is also a music artist herself and has a new EP out, “Last Love,” with Upon Wings. Her new single is “Deal Breaker.” The latest edition of Beyond the Boys’ Club features an interview with Diana Leah of Delain.
It takes a lot for a band to keep its identity and fanbase with a new member. That’s even more difficult when the new band member is the lead vocalist.
After making a name for themselves with longtime singer Charlotte Wessels, veteran Dutch symphonic metal band Delain officially welcomed new vocalist Diana Leah into the band in 2022. It wasn’t too long before they released their latest album, Dark Waters, in February of this year.
Prior to Delain, Leah had not established herself in another band or as a known solo singer. She reached out via social media to the band, who had already checked out her YouTube channel. Eventually they offered her the coveted job.
Delain will embark on a North American tour in support of Dark Waters in September, with tickets available here.
For Heavy Consequence‘s latest edition of “Beyond the Boys’ Club,” Leah speaks with us about her influences, how she joined the band, the experience of being a woman in metal music, and more.
Tell me about your early days in music and how you were first drawn to singing.
I’ve always wanted to be in a band since I was 16. I started listening to bands like Evanescence and Linkin Park, because those bands were big at the time, and then artists like Avril Lavigne. I had that phase in my life when I was into disco rock music, and I started singing at that time, as well. I was just exploring whatever my voice could do. That’s when I started taking singing lessons and the thought of doing this just crossed my mind. I thought, wow, if I can sing, maybe I can do this one day. And, if I learned how to do it properly, I could learn how to not hurt my voice and keep longevity in my voice. That’s how music stated for me.