Ecca Vandal
BornLouis Trichardt, South Africa
OriginMelbourne, Victoria, Australia
Genres
Occupation(s)
  • Singer-songwriter
  • rapper
Years active2013 (2013)–present
Labels
Websitewww.eccavandal.com

Ecca Vandal is a South African-born Sri Lankan-Australian singer-songwriter and rapper, currently living in Melbourne. To date, Vandal has released one studio album and one EP.

Early life

Vandal was born in Louis Trichardt, South Africa, to Sri Lankan Tamil refugee parents. When she was a child, her parents chose to leave South Africa with Ecca and her older sisters, due to apartheid segregation, in the late 1980s.[1] The family moved to Australia, and decided to settle in Melbourne.[2] Vandal grew up listening to gospel music, and, as she recalled, "got into [her] sister's record collection, soul and hip hop and '90s RnB. And then [she] actually became obsessed with jazz music".[3] Vandal attended the Victorian College of the Arts, studying for a Bachelor of Creative Arts.[4][5]

Music career

2013–2016: Early years

On 7 August 2014, Vandal released her debut single, "White Flag", to positive reviews. A music video was released on 18 August. In December, she made her debut live performance at the Deathproof PR Christmas party.[4][6]

On 19 February 2015, Vandal released her single "Battle Royal", with an accompanying music video. In July, she signed onto the Dew Process recording label for Australia and New Zealand,[7] and Island Records for the UK. Later that week, she played at Splendour in the Grass. 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.[8][9] On 2 November, Vandal released the single "End of Time"; a music video followed on 24 November.[10]

On 29 January 2016, Vandal'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, Vandal collaborated with Dan Cribb on the cover track "Happy Birthday, Lisa", from Cribb's album Worst Tribute Ever, which contains covers of songs from The Simpsons.[11] On 28 July, Vandal released her first single, "Broke Days, Party Nights", from her then-upcoming debut album, with an accompanying music video. On 22 September, the single "Future Heroine" was released, along with its music video. On 12 October, Vandal released the third single, "Price of Living", featuring Dennis Lyxzén of Refused, and Jason Aalon Butler of Letlive.[12] On 20 October, Vandal released her debut self-titled album, on the Dew Process label. Thomas Smith, of NME, gave the album a rating of 4-out-of-5 stars.[13] From 3–25 November, Vandal performed a national tour for the album. Across Australia, she performed her album in Fremantle, Adelaide, Newcastle, Sydney, Wollongong, Gold Coast, Coolum, Brisbane, Ballarat, and then finished in her hometown of Melbourne. In December, Vandal made her UK tour debut, supporting Frank Carter & The Rattlesnakes in Bristol, Birmingham, Manchester, Glasgow, Nottingham, Norwich, and London. She then returned home to perform at the 2017 Falls Music & Arts Festival, in Lorne, Marion Bay, Byron Bay, and Fremantle again.[14]

In February 2018, thieves stole thousands of dollars of Vandal's equipment, including a six-string bass, a laptop, wireless transmitters, a keyboard, drum samplers, and loads of guitar pedals. The singer took to Facebook to get the word out about the crime, and urged fans to come forth with information.[15] In March, she supported Incubus on their Australian East Coast tour.[16] In April, Vandal covered Rihanna's track "Bitch Better Have My Money" for Triple J's Like a Version. She described her love for the song as "empowering", and how "[Rihanna] is a total boss in every aspect of her life."[17] Three days later, Vandal released a music video for her track "Your Orbit", featuring Sampa the Great. In November, Vandal collaborated with Birdz on his track "Place of Dreams", for which Vandal was praised for her "creative elasticity, star power and sheer talent."[18] In December, Vandal joined the lineup for the inaugural Good Things Festival.[19]

2019–present: Upcoming second studio album

On 10 January 2019, Ecca Vandal was confirmed to appear on Hilltop Hoods' new album The Great Expanse as a featured artist, it was later released in February. She appears on the tracks "Be Yourself" alongside feature artist Nyassa, and "Exit Sign" alongside feature artist Illy.[20] "Exit Sign" debuted at #44 on the ARIA Singles Charts.[21] On 15 May, Vandal was confirmed to appear at the 2019 Dark Mofo festival in Hobart, performing with Two People and Slag Queens.[22] 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.[23] 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.[24] On 10 July, Vandal was featured on "In My Mind" by Alice Ivy.[25] On 10 December, Vandal was featured as the vocals for League of Legends' new champion Rell's theme song.[26]

On 21 February 2021, Ecca Vandal was featured on Void of Vision's re-imagined version of their single "Decay" from their 2019 album Hyperdaze.[27]

Musical style

Ecca Vandal's musical style has been described as taking influences from artists such as Beastie Boys and M.I.A.[13] Her track "Future Heroine" from her 2017 self-titled debut album, was described as being a blend of Gwen Stefani, M.I.A., and Kanye West's "Black Skinhead".[3]

Discography

Studio albums

List of studio albums
Title Album details
Ecca Vandal

Extended plays

List of extended plays
Title EP details
End of Time
  • Released: 29 January 2016
  • Label: Dew Process
  • Format: CD, EP vinyl, digital download

Singles

As lead artist

Title Year Album
"White Flag" 2014 non-album singles
"Father Hu$$la" 2015
"Battle Royal" End of Time
"End of Time"
"Broke Days, Party Nights" 2017 Ecca Vandal
"Future Heroine"
"Price of Living"
Title Year Peak chart positions Certifications Album
AUS
[28]
"Oblivion" (Moonbase Commander featuring Ecca Vandal) 2016 – Orthodox
"Happy Birthday, Lisa" (Dan Cribb featuring Ecca Vandal) 2017 – Worst Tribute Ever
"I Know How It Goes" (Nina Las Vegas featuring Vera Blue & Ecca Vandal) 2018 – Lucky Girl
"Place of Dreams"[29] (Birdz featuring Ecca Vandal) – Place of Dreams
"Exit Sign" (Hilltop Hoods featuring Illy & Ecca Vandal) 2019 16
  • ARIA: 4× Platinum[30]
 The Great Expanse
"In My Mind" (Alice Ivy featuring Ecca Vandal) – Don't Sleep
"Rell, the Iron Maiden" (Riot Games, featuring Ecca Vandal) 2020 _ Non-album singles
"Decay" (Void of Vision, featuring Ecca Vandal) 2021 _ Hyperdaze (Redux)
"—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory.

Other appearances

List of non-single appearances
Title Year Artist(s) Album
"Be Yourself" 2019 Hilltop Hoods featuring Ecca Vandal & Nyassa The Great Expanse

Music videos

Title Year Director(s)
"White Flag" 2014 Andrew Stalph
Richard Buxton
"Battle Royal" 2015
"Father Hu$$la"
"End of Time" Matthew Chuang
"Truth to Trade" 2016 Richard Buxton
"Broke Days, Party Nights" 2017 Richard Buxton
Sean McDonald
"Future Heroine" Ecca Vandal
Indoor Fountains
"Your Orbit" (featuring Sampa the Great) 2018 Unknown

Awards and nominations

National Live Music Awards

The National Live Music Awards (NLMAs) are a broad recognition of Australia's diverse live industry, celebrating the success of the Australian live scene. The awards commenced in 2016.

Year Nominee / work Award Result
2018[31][32] Ecca Vandal Best Live Act of the Year - People's Choice Nominated

References

  1. ↑ Sivasubramanian, Shami (13 July 2016). "Ecca Vandal: giving the Australian music scene a multicultural makeover". Retrieved 9 January 2019.
  2. ↑ "Ecca Vandal - About" Facebook. Retrieved 9 January 2019.
  3. 1 2 Marsh, Walter (5 February 2019). "Notes on a Vandal: Ecca Vandal's future punk". Adelaide Review. Retrieved 11 February 2019.
  4. 1 2 Mincher, Jessica (4 May 2016). "Ecca Vandal". The Ladies Network. Retrieved 9 January 2019.
  5. ↑ Radas, Zoë (12 October 2017). "Ecca Vandal Interview". Stack. JB Hi Fi. Retrieved 12 January 2019.
  6. ↑ Valentino, Bianca (9 November 2014). "Ecca Vandal on: Learning From Fugazi, Her Early Life in South Africa & Taking Inspiration From Skateboard Culture". Conversations with Bianca. Retrieved 9 January 2019.
  7. ↑ Staff Writer (20 July 2015). "Ecca Vandal Shakes Hands With Dew Process In New Signing". The Music. Retrieved 5 July 2019.
  8. ↑ "White Flag - Single by Ecca Vandal". Apple Music. Retrieved 5 July 2019.
  9. ↑ "Battle Royal - Single by Ecca Vandal". Apple Music. Retrieved 5 July 2019.
  10. ↑ "End Of Time - Single by Ecca Vandal". Apple Music. Retrieved 5 July 2019.
  11. ↑ Mack, Emmy (17 May 2017). "Ecca Vandal Channels MJ On Pop-Punk Cover Of The Simpsons' 'Happy Birthday, Lisa'". Music Feeds. Retrieved 6 July 2019.
  12. ↑ The Editor (13 October 2017). "ECCA VANDAL // Drops 'Price Of Living' (feat. Dennis Lyxzén & Jason Aalon Butler)". Hysteria Mag. Retrieved 5 July 2019.
  13. 1 2 Smith, Thomas (23 October 2017). "Ecca Vandal – 'Ecca Vandal' Review". NME. Retrieved 9 January 2019.
  14. ↑ "ECCA VANDAL Announces NATIONAL TOUR + Releases DEBUT ALBUM". Amnplify. 28 September 2017. Retrieved 12 January 2019.
  15. ↑ Mack, Emmy (9 February 2018). "Ecca Vandal Has Had Thousands Of Dollars Worth Of Gear Stolen". Music Feeds. Retrieved 9 January 2019.
  16. ↑ "ECCA VANDAL Joins INCUBUS On Their Huge 2018 Australian East Coast Tour!". Amnplify. 7 February 2018. Retrieved 5 June 2019.
  17. ↑ "Ecca Vandal covers Rihanna for Like A Version". ABC. 20 April 2018. Retrieved 9 January 2019.
  18. ↑ Welby, Augustus (11 December 2018). "The best (and worst) new singles this week: Sampa the Great, Kamaal Williams, and more". Retrieved 9 January 2019.
  19. ↑ Staff Writer (15 November 2018). "Good Things Festival Unveils Set Times & Local Supports". The Music. Retrieved 9 January 2019.
  20. ↑ Newstead, Al (10 January 2019). "Hilltop Hoods just dropped the tracklist for their feature-packed new album". Triple J. ABC. Retrieved 11 January 2019.
  21. ↑ Staff Writer (14 March 2019). "Hilltop Hoods set new ARIA record with 'The Great Expanse'". The Music Network. Retrieved 5 June 2019.
  22. ↑ Langford, Jackson (15 May 2019). "Dark Mofo Makes Second 2019 Lineup Announcement". Music Feeds. Retrieved 5 June 2019.
  23. ↑ Wilson, Zanda (13 June 2019). "Grant recipients Ecca Vandal & Little Quirks on their $15k boost". The Music Network. Retrieved 1 July 2019.
  24. ↑ Flint, Elke (22 June 2019). "CLOWNS // Anarchy In Melbourne". Hysteria Mag. Retrieved 5 July 2019.
  25. ↑ Newstead, Al (10 July 2019). "First Spin: Alice Ivy links up with Ecca Vandal for the dreamy 'In My Mind'". Triple J. ABC. Retrieved 10 July 2019.
  26. ↑ League of Legends (10 December 2020). "Rell, The Iron Maiden | Champion Theme (ft. Ecca Vandal) - League of Legends". Retrieved 10 December 2020 – via YouTube.
  27. ↑ Bruce, Dave (21 February 2021). "Void of Vision team up with Ecca Vandal for 'Decay'". Amnplify. Archived from the original on 24 February 2021. Retrieved 24 February 2021.
  28. ↑ "ARIA Australian Top 50 Singles". Australian Recording Industry Association. 3 June 2019. Retrieved 1 June 2019.
  29. ↑ "Place of Dreams (Single)". Apple Music. 23 November 2018. Retrieved 23 January 2021.
  30. ↑ "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2021 Singles" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved 7 July 2021.
  31. ↑ "NLMA announce 2018 nominees and Live legend". NLMA. 2 October 2018. Retrieved 5 September 2020.
  32. ↑ "Winners of the 2018 NLMA". NLMA. December 2018. Retrieved 5 September 2020.
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