Anna Ravnholt

Anna Marie Ravnholt was born on April 8, 1997, in Copenhagen to a musical family – her mother directed choirs while her father taught music theory. Music wasn’t just a hobby in their household; it was woven into the fabric of daily life.

She started piano lessons at six, picked up the violin at eight, and began formal singing lessons at ten. Initially, she focused on traditional Danish folk songs and classical pieces, but her teenage years brought a significant expansion in her musical horizons. From ages 12 to 15, she studied both classical and jazz vocals at the Copenhagen Music School while keeping up with her piano practice.

Everything changed when she was 15. After seeing Floor Jansen perform with Nightwish at a Copenhagen concert, Anna made a decisive switch to focus primarily on classical vocal training. The power and technique she witnessed that night showed her a path that combined the classical precision she’d been studying with the raw emotional intensity she craved.

Copenhagen’s rich musical heritage shaped her development. She attended the Royal Danish Academy of Music’s youth program throughout her teenage years, building a rock-solid classical foundation while secretly nurturing her growing fascination with metal music. At 16, she got her first taste of metal when a local folk metal band invited her to sing on a few tracks. Despite her initial hesitation – what would her classical instructors think? – the experience was electrifying. It sparked something in her that wouldn’t go away.

During her time studying classical voice at the Royal Danish Academy of Music, she also sang with an experimental metal project, developing harsh vocal techniques alongside her operatic training. These experiences taught her that classical and metal weren’t opposites – they could enhance each other.

After completing her studies and bouncing between various projects, Anna formed Grief and The Maiden in early 2024. The band exploded onto the scene with their debut album “Ashes of Vanity” in May 2024, showcasing their unique blend of symphonic metal with Nordic folk elements. Just five months later, they released “From Ashes to Starlight” on October 28, 2024 – a testament to the band’s creative chemistry and relentless work ethic.

Anna’s voice is the heart of Grief and The Maiden’s sound. She seamlessly shifts from dramatic soprano passages to powerful metal vocals, occasionally incorporating Danish and Old Norse lyrics that connect the music to its Nordic roots. Her influences include Floor Jansen, Tarja Turunen, and the Danish soprano Inga Nielsen, along with various Nordic folk singers who taught her the importance of storytelling through voice.

Currently living in Copenhagen, Anna balances her time between the band and maintaining her classical chops by performing with local choirs and orchestras. She’s passionate about preserving Scandinavian musical traditions while pushing metal’s boundaries. In interviews, she often talks about how Danish folk music and the country’s musical heritage influence her songwriting, and she’s vocal about the importance of musical education – citing her own journey as proof that classical training and metal passion can coexist beautifully.