Meet Daniela Villarreal, The Warning’s lead guitarist and vocalist, whose soulful sound and magnetic presence are redefining the modern rock experience.
Daniela Villarreal: The Warning’s Soulful Force and Visionary Leader
In the dynamic world of modern rock, few artists embody raw talent and creative vision like Daniela ‘Dany’ Villarreal of The Warning. As the band’s lead guitarist and vocalist, Dany fuses soul-stirring melodies with electrifying stage presence, captivating fans worldwide. From Monterrey’s vibrant music scene to some of the most iconic stages across the globe, her fierce ambition and innovative sound are reshaping how audiences experience rock music today. Dany’s artistry is not just heard—it’s felt.
Daniela Villarreal: Quick Facts
| Full name | Daniela Villarreal Vélez |
| Known as | Dany |
| Born | January 30, 2000, per the band’s own website at the time |
| Role | Lead vocals and guitar |
| Band | The Warning, the rock trio she plays in with her two younger sisters |
| Hometown | Monterrey, Nuevo León, Mexico |
| Sisters | Paulina “Pau” Villarreal (drums) and Alejandra “Ale” Villarreal (bass) |
| Main guitars | PRS Custom 24s, plus two Fender Stratocaster baritones on the 2026 album |
| Signature model | PRS Astryx Limited Edition (2026), limited to 200 |
| Nickname | “Solecito” (“little sun” in Spanish), the name fans use for her online |
Updated October 4, 2026: new sections on her guitars and live rig, on her 2026, and a FAQ.
The Birth of a Rock Rebel
Born in Monterrey on January 30, 2000, Dany’s musical journey began like many others—with a few piano lessons. But fate had bigger riffs in store. At just eight years old, the spark truly ignited when the video game Rock Band introduced her to the electric guitar. Teaming up with her sisters—Paulina on drums and Alejandra on bass—Dany dove headfirst into rigorous classical training. This disciplined foundation ultimately set the stage for The Warning’s signature blend of fiery intensity and intricate musicianship. By 2013, the sisters had officially formed the band, kickstarting a remarkable climb from garage rehearsals to global acclaim.
Shaping a Signature Sound
Dany’s guitar playing is equal parts brain and heart—a masterclass in crafting riffs that run deep with emotion. Armed with her beloved PRS guitars, she opts for precision over flash, favoring thoughtful note choices and sonic textures that evoke true feeling. Inspired by legends like David Gilmour, she walks the line between technical prowess and artistic restraint, letting the guitar itself sing the band’s story.
That relationship with PRS became official in August 2026, when the company built her a signature model. The PRS Astryx Limited Edition is a Custom 24 reworked for her, with an ebony fretboard, a sun inlay named Solecito, a sunset fade called Ocaso and an autographed backplate, limited to 200 instruments. It is the first signature guitar of her career, and she has called it her favourite. We broke down the full specs, the meaning behind the three names and what is actually different from a stock Custom 24 in our guide to the PRS Astryx Limited Edition.
But Dany’s talents go far beyond the fretboard. Her voice can shift from quiet vulnerability to sheer, soul-shaking power in an instant. Tracks like “SHATTERED HEART” reveal her vocal range, blending the band’s gritty rock edge with a depth of feeling that resonates long after the last chord fades. On stage, she often punctuates performances with wordless, cathartic outbursts—echoes of classic rock showmanship, now reborn for a new generation.
Dany Villarreal’s Guitars and Live Rig
Her first guitar was not a real one. “I actually started with a plastic guitar,” she told Guitar.com in August 2026, describing the three sisters playing the Rock Band video game at home in Monterrey. Her first electric was a semi-hollow Ibanez that was too big for her at that age, so she switched to a Stratocaster. Early in her career she also played a Les Paul. She loved it, but it “eventually became a problem for my back as a growing child because it was very heavy.”
PRS came through the studio. While The Warning recorded their 2022 album Error, producer David Bendeth recommended that she try one. PRS’s own artist page for Dany says her first was a Custom 24-08 in Fire Smokeburst, which reached her in the middle of the pandemic. “We just clicked,” she told Guitar.com. “It was so comfortable. It just felt completely right.”
Her current guitars, as listed by Premier Guitar in September 2026: PRS Custom 24s in standard tuning and in drop D, with a backup for each tuning; her PRS Astryx signature model; and two Fender Stratocaster baritones, a black one tuned to B standard and a white one in drop A, both loaded with Seymour Duncan JB/59 pickup sets. She strings the PRS guitars with D’Addario NYXL .010–.046 and the baritones with .014–.060.
The Baritones on Everything’s Falling
The baritones changed how she plays on the new album. Before, she used baritone guitars “more as a layer than as a main guitar,” she told Guitar.com, “and that was not the case for this album.” On Everything’s Falling, in her words, “we went fully with the main guitars being the baritone guitars.” She added that she was surprised herself by how much they ended up using them.
The Gifted Guitars
Three of her guitars came from other musicians, and each has a story she told Guitar.com.
- A Manson from Matt Bellamy of Muse. He knocked on her dressing room door with it at the last show the two bands played together in the UK, in 2023. It once got lost in airports on tour, and she decided: “I’m gonna stop touring with it.”
- A white Gibson Explorer from Lzzy Hale of Halestorm. At a 2022 show in Texas, on a bill with Halestorm, The Pretty Reckless and Lilith Czar, Hale walked onstage with it. When Dany tried to hand it back after playing, Hale told her to keep it.
- A PRS from Orianthi. Orianthi handed it to her after the two played together at PRS’s 40th anniversary event, and it was the guitar Orianthi had used on stage with her that night. PRS identifies it as a Lotus Bloom Private Stock. Dany played it at one of the band’s Auditorio Nacional shows in Mexico City.
The Live Rig
According to PRS’s artist page, she programs every sound on a Kemper profiler that goes straight to the front-of-house desk, keeps an amp on stage so she can feel it, and now tours with seven guitars, where she used to travel with two. Premier Guitar’s rundown names a Kemper Profiler Stage, an Orange Pedal Baby 100 power amp and a Mesa/Boogie 4×12 slant cabinet.
Her goal on stage, as she put it to Premier Guitar: “I want everything to be automatic so I can get into the emotions I’m trying to convey.” To get there, “I rehearse my guitar parts over and over till I don’t have to think about them.” She is the band’s only guitarist, and on the idea of adding another player she said: “To bring in somebody else who isn’t a sister would feel very unnatural.”
Leading with Vision
As the eldest Villarreal sister, Daniela’s role extends beyond frontwoman. She’s the band’s creative catalyst, guiding The Warning’s evolution with a clear vision and collaborative spirit. Whether it’s songwriting, refining arrangements, or shaping their overall sound, Dany pushes the group toward new horizons while keeping their rock ‘n’ roll roots firmly intact.
Dany Villarreal in 2026
In 2026 The Warning released an album, reached No. 1 at US rock radio, won their first Latin Grammy and booked their first stadium headline show. Here is that year from Dany’s side.
Everything’s Falling and “Kerosene”
The band’s fifth studio album, Everything’s Falling, came out on Friday, August 28, 2026, on Lava Records and Republic Records, produced by Anton DeLost. Our track-by-track guide to Everything’s Falling covers all twelve songs. The first single, “Kerosene,” came out on March 6, 2026, and closes the album. It reached No. 1 on Billboard’s Mainstream Rock Airplay chart dated September 5, 2026, according to Billboard’s chart beat by Kevin Rutherford.
“Kerosene” was also the song the sisters brought when they surprised Nene Royal, the 16-year-old guitarist from Thailand who went on to win season 21 of America’s Got Talent. They walked into her rehearsal room and played it with her, and Guitar World wrote that Nene “shared guitar and vocal duties with Dany Villarreal.” NBC aired the moment in her pre-taped finale package on September 22. We covered it in The Warning surprise Nene Royal with “Kerosene”.
“Ego” and the Latin Grammy Nomination
“Ego,” the album’s second single, came out on May 18, 2026, and is sung entirely in Spanish. It won Best Rock Song at the 27th Annual Latin GRAMMY Awards on Thursday, November 12, 2026, in Las Vegas, the band’s first Latin Grammy. Best Rock Song is a songwriting award, and on November 8, 2026 the Academy’s category page credits the song to “Anton Curtis Delost, Niko Rubio, Mónica Vélez Domínguez & The Warning”; when we read the same page on September 26, it named six people, Dany among them. The song’s credits on Tidal list Dany with her sisters, Anton Delost, Danielle Nicole Rubio and Mónica Vélez Domínguez. It is the band’s second nomination in the category, after “Qué Más Quieres” in 2024. The full field is in our post on The Warning’s 2026 Latin Grammy nomination for “Ego”. On the business side of songwriting, Universal Music Publishing Group announced on December 15, 2025 that it had signed The Warning to an exclusive global publishing agreement.
Her First Signature Guitar
Also in 2026, PRS released her first signature model, the Astryx Limited Edition described above. Our PRS Astryx guide has the full specs. She told Premier Guitar that from her visit to the factory to the finished guitar “the whole process took well over a year,” and that nobody told her she would be getting one: “it was a total surprise.” Her verdict: “I see it as my twin.”
Collaborations: Carín León and PNAU
On February 6, 2026, The Warning and Carín León released the single “Love To Be Loved” through Republic Records and Lava Music. In the song’s Apple Music credits, Dany is listed on guitar and vocals and as one of eight songwriters, together with her sisters, Anton DeLost, Robert Francis Grimaldi, Jaten Dimsdale, Neil Ormandy and James Norton. León sings on it but is not credited as a writer. On September 4, 2026, the band joined León on the sold-out opening night of his residency at Sphere in Las Vegas, according to Sphere Entertainment.
On April 8, 2026, PNAU released “Tu Corazón (Your Heart)” featuring The Warning, on etcetc Music. Its Apple Music credits list Dany, under her full name, as a co-writer with her sisters, Nick Littlemore, Peter Mayes and Sam Littlemore. The official music video is on PNAU’s YouTube channel.
The NFL Halftime Show and the First Stadium
Two big dates are still ahead. On Sunday, November 22, 2026, The Warning play the halftime show at the NFL Mexico City game, Minnesota Vikings vs. San Francisco 49ers at Estadio Banorte, which most of the world still knows as the Estadio Azteca. On Friday, February 5, 2027, they headline Estadio GNP Seguros in Mexico City, their first stadium headline show and the opening night of the Everything’s Falling World Tour. It is the only Mexican date announced on that tour.
Grounded and Grateful
Offstage, Dany couldn’t be more down-to-earth. She often jokes that music takes up most of her waking hours, reflecting an unwavering commitment to her craft. That approachability and earnestness have endeared her to the band’s ever-growing fan base, affectionately known as the Warning Nation. Through social media updates, heartfelt messages, and candid glimpses into studio life, she creates a genuine, two-way bond with fans that feels more like family than fandom.
Lighting the Way for Future Rockers
Dany’s journey offers a beacon of hope and possibility for aspiring musicians worldwide—especially young women looking to break into a scene historically dominated by men. Her story proves that talent, hard work, and relentless passion can shatter geographic and cultural barriers. By forging her own path, Dany inspires others to pick up their instruments, find their voices, and defy expectations.
Key Elements of Dany’s Impact:
- Innovative Guitar Techniques: Balancing technical expertise with emotional storytelling
- Vocal Prowess: From gentle melodies to arena-shaking anthems
- Creative Leadership: Steering The Warning’s artistic direction without losing authenticity
- Authentic Fan Connection: A welcoming, supportive environment that nurtures community
- Trailblazer Status: Encouraging new generations to rise through the ranks of rock
The Road Ahead
As The Warning roars forward, Dany’s focus remains on pushing boundaries, embracing fresh influences, and sparking a rock revolution. Her transformation from a young gamer inspired by virtual riffs into a global force on stage is more than a personal success story—it’s a call to arms for anyone looking to leave their mark on modern music.
For seasoned fans and curious newcomers, one thing is certain: with Daniela Villarreal at the helm, The Warning is ready to carry rock’s torch into the future—burning brighter, louder, and more passionately than ever.
Daniela Villarreal FAQ
Who sings in The Warning?
Dany Villarreal is the lead vocalist and guitarist. Her sisters sing too: in the credits for “Love To Be Loved,” Pau is listed on drums and background vocals and Ale on bass and background vocals.
How old is Daniela Villarreal?
She was born on January 30, 2000, according to the band’s own website at the time (archived profiles page). That makes her 26 as of October 2026.
What guitar does Dany Villarreal play?
Mainly PRS. She plays PRS Custom 24s and her own signature model, the PRS Astryx Limited Edition, and on Everything’s Falling the main guitars were two Fender Stratocaster baritones. Live, her sounds come from a Kemper profiler.
Is Dany the oldest of the Villarreal sisters?
Yes. Guitar.com describes Pau, the drummer, and Ale, the bassist, as her younger sisters. You can read our profiles of Pau Villarreal and Ale Villarreal.
What does “Solecito” mean?
It is Spanish for “little sun,” and it is what fans call Dany online. The sun inlay at the 12th fret of her PRS Astryx reads “Solecito.” She told Premier Guitar: “That’s what everybody calls me on the internet, so it was nice to include my fans in this guitar.”
Did Dany Villarreal write “Ego”?
Yes. Tidal lists her among the song’s six writers, with her sisters, Anton Delost, Danielle Nicole Rubio and Mónica Vélez Domínguez. As of November 8, 2026, the Academy credits “Anton Curtis Delost, Niko Rubio, Mónica Vélez Domínguez & The Warning”. The song won Best Rock Song at the Latin Grammys on November 12, 2026.
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