When lockdowns began, the beloved LA-born singer-songwriter Banks found therapy through music. “I set up a studio in my house and just started writing. That’s pretty much all I did.” This return to what was essential was long overdue. At the time, she was about to embark on a sold out world tour, while recovering from a back injury, and coping with the sudden, inexplicable onset of panic attacks, as she told Vogue.
Last week, celebrating her return to the spotlight and her new album, Serpentina, Banks held court and sway over the crowd at NeueHouse Hollywood. NeueJournal sat down with the songstress for a quick Q&A about her return to form right before she hit the stage, just hours before the album dropped.
NEUEHOUSE
Banks, thank you so much for being here. It’s such a full-circle moment. For your second album, The Altar, we did the listening party here at NeueHouse. For your third album, III, you performed next door at The Palladium and we did the after-party here. And here we are tonight, with your fourth album, Serpentina, coming out tomorrow.
BANKS
It’s crazy.
NH
How are you feeling about it?
BANKS
I just feel excited, honestly. It’s bittersweet, too. I think every time you release something that you worked on for so long, you almost get a little bit of postpartum after. But I’m really excited.
NH
Tell us about the concept and the creative process.
BANKS
I made most of [the album] was during quarantine. I didn’t have a way to record, so I set up a studio in my house and just started writing. That’s pretty much all I did all of quarantine. It actually shocked me how much — I know I love music and I know that it’s therapy for me, but I didn’t know how much I would want to do it every second.
I felt very far away from the business—the music business—so I think that allowed me to kind of regroup, recenter, stay in one place. It reminded me of when I was making music just for myself before anything happened in my career. To be able to have that time [in quarantine] was kind of a blessing for me.
NH
Was it a collaborative process?
BANKS
I started the most of songs alone. I worked a lot with Shlohmo, who executive produced the album with me — he’s incredible. My friend Jasmine was staying with me on and off during quarantine, so she and I wrote a lot which was really fun. And my friend Ben, who is actually playing with me tonight, he’s one of my best friends. And Lido is incredible, he’s on two tracks.
NH
What music do you throw on to spark creativity?
BANKS
I don’t actually listen to music to spark creativity. It just comes from my own life and feeling. When I’m going through the process of writing a lot, I don’t listen to music.
NH
What’s inspiring you artistically now?
BANKS
Movement. Surrealism, surrealist paintings. I’m thinking about my live show a lot and the movement that I want in it and the vibe of it. Growth. And the people in my life.
NH
That’s a good point, in terms of people and community. As NeueHouse is a collective of creatives, what note might you have for our community?
BANKS
Surround yourself with people that inspire you. And if anybody makes you feel anxious or less empowered, then cut it. Listening to my gut, really listening to my intuition, and only working with the people that made me feel good was a really big part of this process for me.
