Ecca Vandal is a
South Africa
South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the southernmost country in Africa. It is bounded to the south by of coastline that stretch along the South Atlantic and Indian Oceans; to the north by the neighbouring countri ...
n-born,
Tamil
Tamil may refer to:
* Tamils, an ethnic group native to India and some other parts of Asia
**Sri Lankan Tamils, Tamil people native to Sri Lanka also called ilankai tamils
**Tamil Malaysians, Tamil people native to Malaysia
* Tamil language, nativ ...
,
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka (, ; si, ශ්රී ලංකා, Śrī Laṅkā, translit-std=ISO (); ta, இலங்கை, Ilaṅkai, translit-std=ISO ()), formerly known as Ceylon and officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, is an ...
n artist. She is a singer-songwriter and rapper currently living in Melbourne, Australia. To date Ecca Vandal has released one
self-titled
An eponym is a person, a place, or a thing after whom or which someone or something is, or is believed to be, named. The adjectives which are derived from the word eponym include ''eponymous'' and ''eponymic''.
Usage of the word
The term ''epon ...
studio album and one EP: ''End of Time''.
Early life
Ecca was born in
Louis Trichardt Louis may refer to:
* Louis (coin)
* Louis (given name), origin and several individuals with this name
* Louis (surname)
* Louis (singer), Serbian singer
* HMS ''Louis'', two ships of the Royal Navy
See also
Derived or associated terms
* Lewis ( ...
, South Africa to
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka (, ; si, ශ්රී ලංකා, Śrī Laṅkā, translit-std=ISO (); ta, இலங்கை, Ilaṅkai, translit-std=ISO ()), formerly known as Ceylon and officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, is an ...
n
Tamil
Tamil may refer to:
* Tamils, an ethnic group native to India and some other parts of Asia
**Sri Lankan Tamils, Tamil people native to Sri Lanka also called ilankai tamils
**Tamil Malaysians, Tamil people native to Malaysia
* Tamil language, nativ ...
refugees. When she was a child her parents chose to leave the country with Ecca and her older sisters in the late 1980s due to the
Apartheid
Apartheid (, especially South African English: , ; , "aparthood") was a system of institutionalised racial segregation that existed in South Africa and South West Africa (now Namibia) from 1948 to the early 1990s. Apartheid was ...
segregation. They moved to Australia and decided to settle in Melbourne. Vandal grew up listening to gospel music, and as Vandal recalled she "got into
ersister's record collection, soul and hip hop and '90s RnB. And then
heactually became obsessed with jazz music".
She attended
Victorian College of the Arts
The Victorian College of the Arts (VCA) is the arts school at the University of Melbourne in Australia. It is part of the university's Faculty of Fine Arts and Music. It is located near the Melbourne city centre on the Southbank campus of the ...
, studying for a Bachelor of Creative Arts in Jazz.
Music career
2013–2016: Early years
On 7 August 2014, Ecca Vandal released her debut single "White Flag" to positive reviews. A music video was released on 18 August. She later made her debut live performance at the Deathproof PR Christmas party in December.
On 19 February 2015, Ecca Vandal released her single "Battle Royal" alongside an accompanying music video. In July, Ecca Vandal signed onto
Dew Process
Dew Process is an Australian independent record label, based in Brisbane, Queensland, founded and owned by Australian music industry figure Paul Piticco.
Operational
The label operates in two primary areas: traditional development of Australi ...
for Australia and New Zealand and Island Records for UK, later that week she played at
Splendour in the Grass
Splendour in the Grass (commonly referred to as Splendour) is an annual Australian music festival held at the North Byron Parklands in Yelgun, New South Wales. Since its inauguration, the festival has also been held in various locations near B ...
. On 17 August, Vandal released her single "Father Hu$$la", on 9 September the music video was released. Her singles "White Flag" and "Battle Royal" were later re-released on 1 September by Dew Process. On 2 November, Vandal released the single "End of Time", a music video later followed on 24 November.
On 29 January 2016, Ecca's debut EP ''End of Time'' was released by Dew Process, containing her two previous singles. On 30 March, a music video for the track "Truth to Trade" was released.
2017–2018: Self-titled debut album
On 17 May 2017, Ecca Vandal collaborated with Dan Cribb on the cover track "
Happy Birthday, Lisa" from Cribb's album ''Worst Tribute Ever'', containing covers of songs from ''
The Simpsons
''The Simpsons'' is an American animated sitcom created by Matt Groening for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series is a satirical depiction of American life, epitomized by the Simpson family, which consists of Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa, ...
''. On 28 July, Ecca Vandal released her first single from her then-upcoming debut album, "Broke Days, Party Nights" alongside an accompanying music video. On 22 September "Future Heroine" was released alongside its music video. On 12 October she dropped the third single "Price of Living" featuring Dennis Lyxzén of
Refused
Refused (also known as the Refused) is a Swedish hardcore punk band originating from Umeå and formed in 1991. Refused is composed of vocalist Dennis Lyxzén, guitarist Kristofer Steen, drummer David Sandström, and bassist Magnus Flagge. Guit ...
, Jason Aalon Butler of
Letlive
Letlive, stylized letlive., was an American rock band from Los Angeles, California. The band's final lineup consisted of lead vocalist Jason Aalon Butler (son of Aalon Butler, vocalist and guitarist of the soul group Aalon), guitarist Jeff Sahyo ...
. On 20 October, Ecca Vandal released her debut
self-titled album under the
Dew Process
Dew Process is an Australian independent record label, based in Brisbane, Queensland, founded and owned by Australian music industry figure Paul Piticco.
Operational
The label operates in two primary areas: traditional development of Australi ...
label. Thomas Smith of ''
NME
''New Musical Express'' (''NME'') is a British music, film, gaming, and culture website and brand. Founded as a newspaper in 1952, with the publication being referred to as a 'rock inkie', the NME would become a magazine that ended up as a f ...
'' gave the album a rating of 4-out-of-5 stars.
From 3–25 November, Vandal performed a national tour for the album. Across Australia she performed her album in
Fremantle
Fremantle () () is a port city in Western Australia, located at the mouth of the Swan River in the metropolitan area of Perth, the state capital. Fremantle Harbour serves as the port of Perth. The Western Australian vernacular diminutive for ...
,
Adelaide
Adelaide ( ) is the capital city of South Australia, the state's largest city and the fifth-most populous city in Australia. "Adelaide" may refer to either Greater Adelaide (including the Adelaide Hills) or the Adelaide city centre. The dem ...
,
Newcastle Newcastle usually refers to:
*Newcastle upon Tyne, a city and metropolitan borough in Tyne and Wear, England
*Newcastle-under-Lyme, a town in Staffordshire, England
*Newcastle, New South Wales, a metropolitan area in Australia, named after Newcastle ...
,
Sydney
Sydney ( ) is the capital city of the state of New South Wales, and the most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Located on Australia's east coast, the metropolis surrounds Sydney Harbour and extends about towards the Blue Mountain ...
,
Wollongong
Wollongong ( ), colloquially referred to as The Gong, is a city located in the Illawarra region of New South Wales, Australia. The name is believed to originate from the Dharawal language, meaning either 'five islands/clouds', 'ground near wate ...
,
Gold Coast
Gold Coast may refer to:
Places Africa
* Gold Coast (region), in West Africa, which was made up of the following colonies, before being established as the independent nation of Ghana:
** Portuguese Gold Coast (Portuguese, 1482–1642)
** Dutch G ...
,
Coolum
Coolum Beach is a beachside town and coastal Suburbs and localities (Australia), suburb in the Sunshine Coast Region, Queensland, Australia. In the , the suburb of Coolum Beach had a population of 8,497 people.
Geography
Coolum Beach has the ...
,
Brisbane
Brisbane ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the states and territories of Australia, Australian state of Queensland, and the list of cities in Australia by population, third-most populous city in Australia and Oceania, with a populati ...
,
Ballarat
Ballarat ( ) is a city in the Central Highlands (Victoria), Central Highlands of Victoria (Australia), Victoria, Australia. At the 2021 Census, Ballarat had a population of 116,201, making it the third largest city in Victoria. Estimated resid ...
, and finished in her hometown of
Melbourne
Melbourne ( ; Boonwurrung/Woiwurrung: ''Narrm'' or ''Naarm'') is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of Victoria, and the second-most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Its name generally refers to a met ...
. In December, she made her
UK tour debut supporting
Frank Carter & The Rattlesnakes
Frank Carter & the Rattlesnakes are an English punk rock band formed in 2015 by frontman Frank Carter with guitarist Dean Richardson. Famed for their raucous live shows, the band released their debut album '' Blossom'' in 2015, and the follow- ...
performing in
Bristol
Bristol () is a city, ceremonial county and unitary authority in England. Situated on the River Avon, it is bordered by the ceremonial counties of Gloucestershire to the north and Somerset to the south. Bristol is the most populous city in ...
,
Birmingham
Birmingham ( ) is a city and metropolitan borough in the metropolitan county of West Midlands in England. It is the second-largest city in the United Kingdom with a population of 1.145 million in the city proper, 2.92 million in the West ...
,
Manchester
Manchester () is a city in Greater Manchester, England. It had a population of 552,000 in 2021. It is bordered by the Cheshire Plain to the south, the Pennines to the north and east, and the neighbouring city of Salford to the west. The t ...
,
Glasgow
Glasgow ( ; sco, Glesca or ; gd, Glaschu ) is the most populous city in Scotland and the fourth-most populous city in the United Kingdom, as well as being the 27th largest city by population in Europe. In 2020, it had an estimated popul ...
,
Nottingham
Nottingham ( , East Midlands English, locally ) is a city status in the United Kingdom, city and Unitary authorities of England, unitary authority area in Nottinghamshire, East Midlands, England. It is located north-west of London, south-east ...
,
Norwich
Norwich () is a cathedral city and district of Norfolk, England, of which it is the county town. Norwich is by the River Wensum, about north-east of London, north of Ipswich and east of Peterborough. As the seat of the See of Norwich, with ...
,
London
London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...
. She then returned home to perform at the 2017
Falls Music & Arts Festival in
Lorne,
Marion Bay,
Byron Bay
Byron Bay ( Minjungbal: ''Cavvanbah)'' is a beachside town located in the far-northeastern corner of the state of New South Wales, Australia on Bundjalung Country. It is located north of Sydney and south of Brisbane. Cape Byron, a hea ...
, and Fremantle again.
In February 2018, thieves stole thousands of dollars of Ecca Vandal's equipment. The gear included a six-string bass, a laptop, wireless transmitters, a keyboard, drum samplers, loads of guitar pedals and more. The singer took to Facebook to get the word out about the crime and urged fans to come forth with information. A month later in March, she supported
Incubus
An incubus is a demon in male form in folklore that seeks to have sexual intercourse with sleeping women; the corresponding spirit in female form is called a succubus. In medieval Europe, union with an incubus was supposed by some to result in t ...
on their Australian East Coast tour. In April, Ecca Vandal covered
Rihanna
Robyn Rihanna Fenty ( ; born February 20, 1988) is a Barbadian singer, actress, and businesswoman. Born in Saint Michael and raised in Bridgetown, Barbados, Rihanna auditioned for American record producer Evan Rogers who invited her to the ...
's track "
Bitch Better Have My Money
"Bitch Better Have My Money" (otherwise known in clean and radio versions as "B**** Better Have My Money" or simply "Better Have My Money") is a song recorded by Barbadian singer Rihanna. It was written by Rihanna, Bibi Bourelly, producer Deput ...
" for
Triple J
Triple J (stylised in all lowercase) is a government-funded, national Australian Radio in Australia, radio station intended to appeal to listeners of alternative music, which began broadcasting in January 1975. The station also places a greate ...
's
Like a Version
''Like a Version'' is a weekly segment on Australian youth radio station Triple J. It involves Australian and international artists playing two songs live in the Triple J studio, one of their own songs (an "original") and then a cover version, h ...
. She described her love for the song as "empowering" and how "
ihannais a total boss in every aspect of her life." Three days later, Vandal released a music video for her track "Your Orbit" featuring
Sampa the Great
Sampa Tembo (born 9 August 1993), known professionally as Sampa the Great, is a Zambian singer, rapper and songwriter. Between 2014 and 2020, she was based in Australia. Note: this source was an agency for the artist. Her debut solo album, '' ...
. In November, Ecca Vandal collaborated with Birdz on their track "Place of Dreams", for which Vandal was praised for her "creative elasticity, star power and sheer talent." Later that year, in December, Ecca Vandal joined the lineup for the inaugural
Good Things Festival.
2019–present: Upcoming second studio album
On 10 January 2019, Ecca Vandal was confirmed to appear on
Hilltop Hoods
Hilltop Hoods is an Australian hip hop group that formed in 1996 in Blackwood, Adelaide, South Australia. They are regarded as pioneers of the "larrikin-like" style of Australian hip hop. The group was founded by Suffa (Matthew David Lambert) a ...
' new album ''
The Great Expanse
''The Great Expanse'' is the eighth studio album by Australian hip hop trio Hilltop Hoods, released on 22 February 2019 through Universal Music Australia. The album was produced by members Suffa (Matthew Lambert) and DJ Debris (Barry Francis), an ...
'' as a featured artist, it was later released in February. She appears on the tracks "Be Yourself" alongside feature artist Nyassa, and "
Exit Sign
An exit sign is a pictogram or short text in a public facility (such as a building, aircraft, or boat) denoting the location of the closest emergency exit to be used in case of fire or other emergency that requires rapid evacuation. Most rele ...
" alongside feature artist
Illy
Illycaffè S.p.A. (branded and stylised as illy) is an Italian coffee company specializing in espresso, headquartered in Trieste. Illy markets its coffee globally in silver and red pressurized, oxygen-free cans; operates a network of cafes on s ...
. "Exit Sign" debuted at #44 on the ARIA Singles Charts. On 15 May, Vandal was confirmed to appear at the 2019 Dark Mofo festival in Hobart, performing with Two People and Slag Queens. In June, Ecca Vandal received a monetary grant of $15,000 from the PPCA (Phonographic Performance Company of Australia) and Australia Council. Vandal stated she would use the grant to write and co-produce her second studio album. On 22 June, performing as a support act for Clowns on their ''Nature/Nurture'' album tour, Vandal unveiled a new song entitled "Stiff Middle Finger" which has yet to be officially released. On 10 July, Vandal was featured on "In My Mind" by
Alice Ivy
Annika Schmarsel (born 8 July 1993) known by her stage name Alice Ivy, is an Australian electronic musician and producer. Alice Ivy was the winner of the 2016 Triple J Unearthed Listen Out competition. She has released two studio albums: '' I'm ...
. On 10 December, Vandal was featured as the vocals for ''
League of Legends
''League of Legends'' (''LoL''), commonly referred to as ''League'', is a 2009 multiplayer online battle arena video game developed and published by Riot Games. Inspired by ''Defense of the Ancients'', a Mod (video games), custom map for War ...
'' new champion Rell's theme song.
On 21 February 2021, Ecca Vandal was featured on
Void of Vision
Void of Vision are an Australian metalcore band from Melbourne, formed in 2013. The band consists of guitarists James McKendrick and Mitch Fairlie, drummer George Murphy, and vocalist Jack Bergin. Void of Vision have released three studio albu ...
's re-imagined version of their single "Decay" from their 2019 album ''
Hyperdaze
''Hyperdaze'' is the second studio album by Australian metalcore band Void of Vision. It was released on 13 September 2019 by UNFD. It was produced by Northlane guitarist Jon Deiley and Lance Prenc, and recorded at Prenc's home studio in Kingla ...
''.
Musical style
Ecca Vandal's musical style has been described as taking influences from artists such as
Beastie Boys
Beastie Boys were an American rap rock group from New York City, formed in 1978. The group was composed of Mike D, Michael "Mike D" Diamond (vocals, drums), Adam Yauch, Adam "MCA" Yauch (vocals, bass), and Ad-Rock, Adam "Ad-Rock" Horovitz (voca ...
and
M.I.A. Her track "Future Heroine" from her 2017
self-titled
An eponym is a person, a place, or a thing after whom or which someone or something is, or is believed to be, named. The adjectives which are derived from the word eponym include ''eponymous'' and ''eponymic''.
Usage of the word
The term ''epon ...
debut album, was described as being a blend of
Gwen Stefani
Gwen Renée Stefani (; born October 3, 1969) is an American singer, songwriter, fashion designer and actress. She is a co-founder, lead vocalist, and the primary songwriter of the band No Doubt, whose singles include "Just a Girl", "Spiderwebs ...
, M.I.A., and
Kanye West
Ye ( ; born Kanye Omari West ; June 8, 1977) is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, record producer, and fashion designer.
Born in Atlanta and raised in Chicago, West gained recognition as a producer for Roc-A-Fella Records in the ea ...
's "
Black Skinhead
"Black Skinhead" (also stylized as "BLKKK SKKKN HEAD") is a song by American rapper Kanye West, from his sixth studio album '' Yeezus'' (2013). It was produced by West and Daft Punk. The song's lyrics center on racial tensions and the crumbli ...
".
Discography
Studio albums
Extended plays
Singles
As lead artist
As featured artist
Other appearances
Music videos
Awards and nominations
National Live Music Awards
The
National Live Music Awards
The National Live Music Awards (NLMAs) are a broad recognition of Australia's diverse and successful live industry, celebrating the diversity and success of the Australian live scene – recognising the best vocal talents and musicians alongside ...
(NLMAs) are a broad recognition of Australia's diverse live industry, celebrating the success of the Australian live scene. The awards commenced in 2016.
, -
,
2018
File:2018 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: The 2018 Winter Olympics opening ceremony in PyeongChang, South Korea; Protests erupt following the Assassination of Jamal Khashoggi; March for Our Lives protests take place across the United ...
, Ecca Vandal
, Best Live Act of the Year - People's Choice
,
, -
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Vandal, Ecca
Australian women musicians
Australian women rappers
Australian people of Sri Lankan descent
South African emigrants to Australia
Dew Process artists
1980s births
Living people
Victorian College of the Arts alumni
South African people of Sri Lankan descent
Musicians from Victoria (Australia)
People from Melbourne
21st-century Australian musicians
Australian hip hop musicians
Sri Lankan Tamil people