Delain have announced that lead vocalist Diana Leah is leaving the band. In a statement posted on social media, the Dutch symphonic metal act said she stepped away after several years to pursue other things in life.
The band wrote that her departure brings sadness but also gratitude, and that the door will always remain open to her. Rather than searching for a direct replacement, Delain will move forward as a collaborative project built around founder and songwriter Martijn Westerholt, with Ludovico Cioffi, Ronald Landa and Sander Zoer forming the core alongside him.
Many voices, one name
For the upcoming album, each contributing artist will bring their own voice, personality and musical identity, with the band describing the result as unmistakably Delain while opening a wider range of possibilities. Many of the same artists will also join the band live, so the collective can take different forms from song to song and from show to show. The first single from the new material arrives via Napalm Records on 20 October 2026.
Westerholt connected the plan to the band’s beginnings:
Delain has always been about bringing different musical worlds together. Twenty years ago, Lucidity started with that idea. Now, twenty years later, we are taking it further than ever before.
- Martijn Westerholt, founder and songwriter
Ten shows in February
Delain have also announced a European run for February 2027: Live Music Hall in Cologne on 2 February, Modernes in Bremen on 3 February, Columbia Theater in Berlin on 4 February, Hellraiser in Leipzig on 5 February, Substage in Karlsruhe on 6 February, Z7 in Pratteln on 7 February, Backstage in Munich on 8 February, Batschkapp in Frankfurt on 9 February, Rockhal in Esch-sur-Alzette on 10 February and O13 in Tilburg on 11 February.\n
Diana Leah’s years behind the mic
Diana Leah joined Delain as lead vocalist in 2022, taking over from Charlotte Wessels, who moved on to a solo career. She fronted the band on the 2023 album Dark Waters and the 2024 EP Dance with the Devil, both released through Napalm Records. Outside Delain, she is also known for her solo project DYYA.
