Mila Vandelle Returns with ‘Weathered’
Mila Vandelle is a Kiwi/Dutch singer-songwriter based in Auckland, blending honest lyricism with warm, atmospheric pop. Inspired by the raw storytelling of Holly Humberstone, the soulfulness of Olivia Dean, and the emotional depth of Billie Eilish, Mila creates music that sits with you long after it ends.
Her second single Weathered is a follow up to her intimate debut, July Eleven, and captures the heartbreak of loving someone lost in seasonal depression, using the vivid image of a relationship fading like flowers left unwatered.
Mila’s vocals are intimate, almost like a confession whispered in the dark. Her delivery is restrained but deeply expressive, capturing the ache of trying to move on while still holding onto the memories.
With her eyes on a global stage, Mila is building an international fanbase one intimate song at a time.
For Mila Vandelle, music isn’t just something she does (it’s who she’s always been). Some of her earliest memories are soundtracked by K3, the vibrant all-female Dutch pop group that defined her childhood. Singing along to their colourful melodies sparked her love for performance, creativity, and self-expression. That passion only deepened thanks to her father, whose carefully curated CDs (filled with the sounds of Michael Jackson, Norah Jones, Alicia Keys, and Maroon 5) became the soundtrack of her youth.
“Those car rides with my dad were everything,” she recalls. “I can still hear the songs that take me right back to those moments. That’s what I love about music, how it brings memories to life again. It’s not just something you hear; it’s something you carry with you.”
As an only child growing up in New Zealand, Mila often found comfort in music when words fell short. She began writing songs as early as five years old, scribbling lyrics in her diary after school. Music became her safe space, a private form of therapy when she didn’t yet know how to open up to others. “I always connected songs to memories,” she says. “Writing gave me a way to understand myself.”
Her creative spark truly came alive when she picked up a guitar at twelve. What began as learning covers soon evolved into crafting original songs that reflected her world. A turning point came when she moved out at sixteen and stayed with a family whose home overflowed with instruments. Encouraged by their daughter Maja, Mila started writing seriously for the first time. “That house changed everything,” she says. “It was a time of big change in my life, and songwriting helped me process it all.”
While school life didn’t always accommodate her sensitivity or creativity, those challenges only deepened her connection to music. “I often felt misunderstood or like I had to tone myself down,” she admits. “Songwriting gave me a voice when I didn’t feel like I had one.”
Still, the idea of becoming a professional artist once felt far away. “Growing up in New Zealand, it didn’t feel realistic,” she says. “I didn’t see many young women from here making it in music. It always felt like something that only happened if you had money or connections.”
That changed when she met producer EDYONTHEBEAT, who recognised her talent and encouraged her to take it seriously. “He believed in me when I didn’t fully believe in myself yet,” Mila says. “That moment was the start of me realising this could really be a career.”
Since then, Mila has carved out her own lane in New Zealand’s emerging pop-soul scene (a space defined by honest storytelling, emotional depth, and timeless melody). Her writing blends diaristic detail with striking vocal vulnerability, echoing influences like Holly Humberstone, Billie Eilish, Lizzy McAlpine, Matt Corby, and Olivia Dean.
Her debut single marked the beginning of a new chapter. “It still feels surreal,” she reflects. “Releasing my first song was terrifying and exciting all at once. It’s a snapshot of who I am right now (personal, vulnerable, and real). It’s the start of my story as an artist.”
Recent milestones have reaffirmed that journey, from working with goodtwin (a label whose ethos aligns perfectly with her values) to recording at Auckland’s iconic Parachute Studios, to booking her first-ever live show (a festival slot). “It still blows my mind,” she says. “It’s one of those pinch-me moments where everything starts to feel real.”
Looking ahead, Mila plans to continue building on that momentum. She’s set to release more singles leading into her debut EP, with plans to perform live across New Zealand and abroad. “The next couple of years are about growth,” she says. “I want to connect with people in real life, to see them feel something when I perform.”
Her music, she says, is “for the lovergirls and the ones who feel too much” (people who listen deeply, love fiercely, and connect through shared emotion). “Maybe it’s for a mini version of me,” she smiles. “The girl who dreamed big, felt everything deeply, and found comfort in music. That’s who I’m writing for.”
Five years from now, she sees herself touring, collaborating, and releasing music that resonates on a global scale, always grounded in the same emotional honesty that started it all. “The dream is to make music my world,” she says. “To keep creating, performing, and connecting, and maybe one day, a Grammy wouldn’t hurt either.”
