Dena Mwana was born on December 27 in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo; her name at birth was Denise Mwanakitata Muwayi. She is the sixth child, from a family of eight children. She began singing in public as part of a church choir, "Notre dame de Grâce", in Kinshasa at the age of 13 and she was their music director by the age of 18. In 1998, the choir rose to prominence over a patriotic hymn, which was copied by schools across the DRC, making her vocal style well-known across the country.
In 2003, the Professor of Music at the National Institute of the Arts, Rigobert Mbila, suggested that Mwana set up her own singing group. By 2004, her first band, Acapella Thematic Musical Group, was born.
In 2006, Mwana emigrated to the United States to pursue a career in gospel music, settling in Virginia. From 2008, Mwana decided to split her time between the US and the DRC, joining the Philadelphia Mission Choir in Kinshasa as cantor. Her Christian faith is central to her singing, compositions and performance.
Dena Mwana has released three albums: HOSANNA ( 11 May 2011), MONENE (10 June 2016) & SOUFFLE (04 December 2020), and several singles and collaborations. In May 3rd, 2024 she has released her first E.P "2DADDY" with Afrobeat and Urban vibes.