Suit by Christopher Kane.L.A. dark-pop singer Banks has kept a low profile since she set SoundCloud on fire last year with a handful of steamy singles, but on her strong debut album, Goddess (out September 9 on Harvest Records), she's an open book. Listening to her post-R&B tracks set to brooding electronic beats feels like reading the 26-year-old's diary. There's the sullen-yet-sultry Sohn-produced standout, "Waiting Game," where she sings, "You make me feel all sexy, but it's causing me shame," followed by the title track -- an empowering anthem about asserting yourself when someone puts you down and acting like the goddess that you are. "Each song has a different heartbeat," says Banks. "Embrace all your moods."
The resulting emotional roller coaster, with Banks shamelessly baring her vulnerabilities, not only presents a full picture of her as a songwriter, but it's also a rarity in today's pop landscape. Unlike her peers' music, Banks isn't interested in putting her own spin on the aspirational fantasy trope -- see Beyoncé's "Flawless," Katy Perry's "Roar" -- that's been trending for the past couple of years. Her reflective songs are rooted in real-life incidents -- painful or otherwise -- and you actually get the sense that you know her through them. "My music is me at my core, showing my weaknesses, anger, or any other emotions," she says smiling.
Outside of her music, she's just as personal with her fans. The anti-pop star even shared her phone number on her Facebook page last summer, when she was just a few slinky songs into her career. As you can imagine, the messages piled up fast but, a year later, she's kept the same number and still keeps a rapport with her admirers. "At the beginning, I was like, 'I want to answer everybody and obviously that's a little bit harder now,' she recalls. 'I have an extra phone now but there's no reason for me to get rid of my other number. I still answer as many people as I can. It's a really special way to communicate with people that connect with something that's so connected to me."
It might get even harder in the coming months for Banks to stay in touch as her schedule fills up with photo shoots and tour dates. "My life has changed significantly in the last two years," she says, reflectively. "It's really amazing and exciting. I feel like I'm pushing myself and doing things that are out of my comfort zone and that means I'm growing." Right now, she's riding high having just taped an appearance on Jimmy Kimmel (her TV debut) and opened for the Weeknd. Advice she picked up from her midnight-crooning counterpart along the way? "Just enjoy it."
Styling by JAK at The Magnet Agency / Hair by Nikki Providence using L'Oreal Professional / Makeup by Rachel Goodwin at The Magnet Agency using Chanel Makeup / Location: Mack Sennett Studio