Born in Johannesburg, South Africa, the girl known by age two as Dilana Smith discovered a love for music at an early age, participating in school and church choirs as an escape from an unpleasant home life. Inspired by such visceral singers as Janis Joplin and Tina Turner, she left school at sixteen to follow her own dreams. Dilana soon found herself with a promising music career in Holland, becoming one of the country's most coveted live acts. Recording and releasing the album Wonderfool in 2000 yielded five singles, four videos and a string of touring and festival gigs throughout the region, celebrating her natural talents as a songwriter and performer.