From Poetry to Powerhouse: How Vahnna Turned Chaos Into a Calling

Some artists make music because it is fun. Others make it because it is the only thing keeping them from drowning. Her journey did not start in a studio or on a stage but in the middle of family chaos, bullying, grief, and the kind of self doubt that could have shut her down for good. Instead, she wrote through it.

Performed through it. Survived through it. From poetry scribbled in middle school to Mario personally responding to her track Love Lost, her story reminds us that showing up for yourself, even slowly and shakily, still matters. Her voice hits with purpose because it was earned, not given.

Your journey began as poetry written amid chaos. Looking back now, do you feel like music saved you, or did you save yourself through music?

I’ve always loved music. I would sing loud and proudly to my favorite songs and musicals. My poetry that turned into songs came along the way, and that saved me. So looking back now, it was both.

You’ve dealt with fear, comparison, bullying, loss, and still pushed forward. What was the exact moment you realized your voice wasn’t something to hide anymore?

The moment I realized that my voice wasn’t something to hide anymore was last year. I made a declaration to myself that I would not stop singing and that I welcome every opportunity that’s good and fruitful. After the turmoil and chaos, I said What do I have to lose? What am I afraid of?

“Romans 5:8” wasn’t just a debut single; it was a turning point born from grief and mentorship. How did losing someone who believed in you so deeply shape the artist you’ve become?

Losing someone who believed in me so deeply shaped the artist that I’ve become by forcing me to grow up in my art. I couldn’t lean on their encouragement anymore. I had to build that foundation within myself and speak life into myself over and over.

You had shows stacking every weekend, meeting legends, building momentum, and then the pandemic hit. What did learning to record alone in your own space teach you that the stage never could?

Recording alone in my own space stripped away the pressure. I could experiment, fail, and try again with no judgment. I found parts of my voice I didn’t even know were there.

Mario hearing your track “Love Lost” and responding is a huge full-circle moment. How did that validation shift the way you see your art, and what does “not giving up” look like for you now?

Mario hearing my track “Love Lost” validated the way I see my art in a major way by giving me the extra push and motivation to keep creating during the chaos when I was really burnt out.

Not giving up honestly looks like giving myself grace and resting when I need to, so I can show up for myself and my art. That’s important for me moving forward.