Though Winona Oak has been releasing music since 2018, she and her signature black bangs are finally getting the attention they deserve. Her music videos—namely “He Don’t Love Me,” which has amassed well over one million views on YouTube—is reminiscent of peak-2000s Tumblr sound and visual aesthetics; both would have dominated the platform in its heyday. Warm and sultry, the 28-year-old, LA-based Swedish singer’s voice invites you in, while her look is poignantly the opposite—sharp, cool, and with cheekbones that could cut glass.

Her highly anticipated debut album, Island of the Sun, which just released this summer, is a moody yet upbeat journey that sometimes tricks you into not realizing a song is sad until you look up the lyrics. Its name is derived from its maker’s birthplace, Sollerön, which sits amidst the Nordic forest in Sweden. It’s an area known as the Island of the Sun, and is a place that Oak associates with enchantment, peace, and a yearning to return. 

All clothing and accessories Louis Vuitton Fall/Winter 2022
Makeup by Cyril Lane
Hair by Kevin Roux
Nails by Sally Derbali
Casting by Nicola Kast
Produced by Farago Projects
Photo assistant: Anja Graber