Vinita Sandhya Strauss (born December 7, 1986) is an American rock musician. She is currently a touring guitarist for Demi Lovato and Alice Cooper and has a successful career as a solo artist.^[2][3] Strauss was the first female signature artist with Ibanez guitars and is regularly featured on the covers of worldwide print magazines including Guitar World and Guitar Player. She was ranked No. 1 on Guitar World's list of "10 Female Guitar Players You Should Know".^[4]

Strauss started touring with her own band Lia-Fail as a teenager, leaving high school in her junior year to pursue music full time; the band included future world champion boxer Mikaela Mayer.^[5] Although initially known for her work with Iron Maiden all-female tribute band The Iron Maidens, Strauss' career has included performing with several rock and metal ensembles including As Blood Runs Black, Consume the Fire, Femme Fatale, and the video-game supergroup Critical Hit.^[6][7]

In 2014, Strauss was the official in-house guitarist for the Los Angeles Kiss (LA KISS), the arena football team owned by Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons of KISS. The house band played the national anthem and provided additional music during the games.^[8]

In June 2014, Strauss was hired to replace Orianthi as Alice Cooper's touring guitarist for the remaining 2014 tour dates.^[9][10] She toured with Alice Cooper until July 2022, when she announced her departure from the touring band.^[11] A few days later, Strauss announced that she had joined Demi Lovato's backing band as a touring guitarist. On March 3, 2023, Alice Cooper announced that Strauss would return for the 2023 tour.^[12]

Strauss is featured as the main guitarist for seven songs on Docker's Guild album called The Heisenberg Diaries – Book A: Sounds of Future Past, released on January 21, 2016.^[13]

Strauss appeared in the 2017 Netflix documentary Hired Gun.^[14][15]

In January 2018, Strauss became the first ever female Ibanez signature artist with her own model guitar, the Ibanez JIVA10.^[27] DiMarzio later released their Pandemonium humbuckers, signature pickups that were developed especially for her JIVA Ibanez guitar.^[28][29]

On January 26, 2019, Strauss was honored at the 7th Annual She Rocks Awards with the "Inspire Award", presented to her by Nick Bowcott and her personal hero, Steve Vai. ^[30]

On January 9, 2022, Strauss became the first female rock solo artist in 32 years to hit number one on Billboard's Mainstream Rock chart with her song "Dead Inside".^[31]

Strauss teaches guitar playing, and has gone on teaching tours offering master classes in the US, Canada, UK, Europe, South America, and Asia. She has written articles and recorded companion videos for Guitar World and Premier Guitar magazines.^[32][33]

Strauss and fellow musicians Rabea Massaad and Plini were selected as celebrity judges to choose the "2019 Young Guitarist of the Year" at the UK Guitar Show.^[34][35]

Strauss claims to be a descendant of Austrian composer Johann Strauss through her father,^[36] which is not true according to Johann Strauss's known family tree.^[37] In 2023, Strauss became engaged to Drummer Josh Villalta.^{[citation needed]}

Strauss has recorded with Alice Cooper, Jamie Christopherson, Critical Hit, Docker's Guild, FB1964, Metal Allegiance, Kane Roberts and We Start Wars. She has been featured on albums by Maxxxwell Carlisle, Tina Guo and Angel Vivaldi, as well as the all-female compilation album She Rocks. She has played on dozens of albums, trailers and soundtracks, including Heroes of the Storm and Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance. Strauss released her first instrumental solo album, Controlled Chaos, on November 16, 2018.^[43]

• Josh Villalta - drums^[45]
• Johnny Young - rhythm guitar
• Katt Scarlett - keyboards
• Kasey Karlsen - vocals (2023-present)

• Femme Fatale
• The Iron Maidens