Winona Oak is the stage name of Johanna Ekmark, a Swedish singer-songwriter. Oak grew up as a trained horse acrobat during her childhood which was spent more with animals than people.

She was born into a musical family that encouraged her talent to flourish, her grandmother performed in the Swedish Royal Opera, and passed that legacy onto Winona, who began playing violin at 5 years old and piano at 9 years, in addition to singing throughout her youth.

After moving to Stockholm to pursue her passion for music from her hometown Sollerön, she was invited to attend Neon Gold Records' writing retreat in the Nicaraguan jungle in 2017, there she met the Australian electronic producer What So Not. With him, she co-wrote his next two singles “Better” and “Stuck In Orbit”, later in 2018, Winona was the featured artist on his 2018 single “Beautiful”.

Winona was signed in 2017 as an artist to Neon Gold/Atlantic Records, she closed 2018 with her biggest writing credit and feature to date on The Chainsmokers’ hit song “Hope”.

Her first single, “He Don’t Love Me”, was released on Neon Gold/Atlantic Records in late April, the song was be accompanied by visual by director, Andreas Ohman filmed throughout their native Stockholm.

On the theme of her debut single, Winona explained,

“We’re all capable of falling for people who don’t value us, grasping for a leaving hand. But we must understand that we’re just as capable of realizing that our worth does not lay in those heavy hands.”

Just a couple of months later, she released her second single, “Break My Broken Heart”.

Prior to her official debut, a cover of “Don’t Save Me” a song by Neon Gold Record signees, HAIM, was released and it can be found featured on the label’s 10 year anniversary compilation: NGX: Ten Years of Neon Gold.

Winona’s debut EP is set to be released in October 2019 along with a new single, “Let Me Know” co-written by american singer-songwriter Ryn Weaver.