Banks (singer)

Banks

Banks performing at Lollapalooza in August 2015
Background information
Birth name Jillian Rose Banks
Born (1988-06-16) June 16, 1988
Orange County, California, U.S.
Genres
Occupation(s)
  • Singer
  • songwriter
Years active 2011–present
Labels
Associated acts The Weeknd, Lil Silva, Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs, Chet Faker
Website hernameisbanks.com

Jillian Rose Banks (born June 16, 1988), known simply as Banks (often stylized as BANKS), is an American singer and songwriter from Orange County, California.[4] She releases music under Harvest Records, Good Years Recordings and IAMSOUND Records imprints of the major label Universal Music Group.[5]

She has toured internationally with The Weeknd and was also nominated for the Sound of 2014 award by the BBC and an MTV Brand New Nominee in 2014.[6] On May 3, 2014, Banks was dubbed as an "Artist to Watch" by FoxWeekly.[7]

Early life

Jillian Rose Banks was born in Orange County, California.[8][9] Banks started writing songs at the age of fifteen.[5] She taught herself piano when she received a keyboard from a friend to help her through her parents' divorce. She says she "felt very alone and helpless. I didn't know how to express what I was feeling or who to talk to."[10][11]

Career

2013–present: Breakthrough and Goddess

Banks used the audio distribution website SoundCloud to put out her music before securing a record deal. Her friend Lily Collins used her contacts to pass along her music to people in the industry; specifically Katy Perry's DJ Yung Skeeter, and she began working with the label Good Years Recordings.[12] Her first official single, called "Before I Ever Met You" was released in February 2013. The song which had been on a private SoundCloud page ended up being played by BBC Radio 1 DJ Zane Lowe.[13][11] Banks released her first EP Fall Over by IAMSOUND Records and Good Years Recordings.[14][15] Billboard called her a "magnetic writer with songs to obsess over."[5] Banks released her second EP called London by Harvest Records and Good Years Recordings in 2013 to positive reviews from music critics,[16] receiving a 78 from Metacritic.[17] Her song "Waiting Game" from the EP was featured in the 2013 Victoria's Secret holiday commercial.[18]

In late 2013, she received nominations for awards from both the BBC and MTV. She was nominated for a Sound of... award by the BBC and a Brand New Nominee by MTV.[6] Shazam included her on its list of "2014 Acts to Watch"[19] and she was named to the iTunes list of "New Artists for 2014".[20] Banks was artist of the week for Vogue in August 2013 where they wrote that her songs "perfectly capture a feeling of being lost and powerless in the world."[10] Banks has been tipped by more than a dozen media outlets as the artist to watch in 2014, including Spin calling London the "Album You Gotta Hear in 2014"[21] and being named as one of Spotify's Artists Under the Spotify Spotlight for 2014.[22] Additional accolades came from The Boston Globe,[23] Fuse[24] and The Huffington Post.[25]

Banks was the opening act for The Weeknd during his fall 2013 tour.[26] The tour was international with dates in the United States and the United Kingdom.[6] After finishing the tour with The Weeknd, she announced her own tour which begun in the United Kingdom during March 2014.[6] Banks was also a featured performer at the Coachella festival, taking place in April 2014, Bonnaroo and Open'er Festival in July 2014. In January 2015, Banks was part of the lineup for the 2015 St. Jerome's Laneway Festival, which toured Adelaide, Auckland, Brisbane, Detroit, Fremantle, Melbourne, Singapore and Sydney.

Her debut album, Goddess was released on September 5, 2014 and charted within the top 20 of several countries, including the UK, Australia, Germany, New Zealand and Sweden. In the US, the album debuted at number 12, selling 25,000 copies in its first week of release. It received positive reviews from critics, who praised her sonic ambition and the album's raw sound. It currently holds a score of 74/100 on Metacritic.[27] Thus far, the album has been supported by the release of four singles: "Brain", "Goddess", "Drowning" and "Beggin for Thread". "Drowning" peaked at number 48 in Billboard's Rock Digital Songs chart,[28] whilst "Beggin for Thread" peaked at number 11 on the US Alternative Songs chart, and at number 80 and 64 in Australia and Germany (respectively). The track "Waiting Game" was featured in the film Divergent, which was released in March 2014. Along with "Waiting Game," "You Should Know Where I'm Coming From" were featured in the October 9th, 2014 episode of Grey's Anatomy, also the track "Goddess" was featured in the March 12, 2015 episode. "You Should Know Where I'm Coming From" was also featured on the ninth episode of Red Band Society.

Public image

Banks' reluctance to use social media is often noted by journalists. Although she has stated she lets her "management run that stuff",[11] the singer did give out her real telephone number on her Facebook fanpage.[5] One month after London was released, Ellie Goulding said in an interview with Radio.com that she often listens to Banks.[29] She is featured in the BBC's Sound of 2014 long list.[30]

Artistry

Banks' sound has been described as dark R&B and compared to The Weeknd[31] and Aaliyah,[32] although she cites Lauryn Hill and Fiona Apple as her biggest influences.[33][34] She says that music helps her release her emotions and for that reason kept her music private while she earned her bachelor's degree in psychology.[11] Her vocals have frequently been described as "Aaliyah-like",[35] in addition to Billboard noting that "her rhapsodic voice possesses a frail vulnerability and recalls singers like Feist and Erykah Badu."[5]

Discography

Studio albums

Title Album details Peak chart positions
US
[36]		 AUS
[37]		 AUT
[38]		 CAN
[39]		 FRA
[40]		 GER
[41]		 IRE
[42]		 NZ
[43]		 SWI
[44]		 UK
[45]
Goddess 12 17 47 8 70 18 23 18 12 20

Extended plays

Title Album details
Fall Over
  • Released: March 4, 2013[46]
  • Label: IAMSOUND, Good Years
  • Format: Digital download
London
  • Released: September 10, 2013[47]
  • Label: Harvest, Good Years
  • Formats: CD, 12", digital download

Singles

Title Year Peak chart positions Certifications Album
US
Bub.
[48]		 US
Alt.
[49]		 US
Rock
Dig.
[50]		 AUS
[51]		 GER
[41]
"Warm Water"[52] 2013 — — — — — Goddess
"Brain"[53] 2014 — — — — —
"Drowning"[54] — — 48 — —
"Beggin for Thread" 16 11 — 80 64
"Better"[56] 2015 — — — 112 — TBA
"—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory.

Promotional singles

Title Year Album
"Change"[57] 2014 Goddess
"Alibi"[58]

Other charted songs

Title Year Peak chart positions Album
US
Alt. Dig.
[59]		 UK
[45]
"Waiting Game" 2013 16 99 Goddess

Music videos

Title Year Director
"Fall Over" 2013 Dylan Knight[60]
"Warm Water"
"Waiting Game" Francesco Carrozzini[61]
"This Is What It Feels Like" Ellis Bahl[62]
"Brain" 2014 Barnaby Roper[63]
"Drowning" Mike Piscitelli[64]
"Beggin for Thread" Barnaby Roper[65]
"Better" 2015 James Mountford Studio[66]

Awards and nominations

Year Organization Category Nominee Result
2014 MTV Brand New Nominee[6] Banks Nominated
2013 BBC Sound of 2014[67] Banks Third

References

  1. ↑ Rubenstein, Holly (February 22, 2014). "Alternative R&B: Much more than bump'n'grind". The Independent. Retrieved September 13, 2014.
  2. ↑ "BBC Sound of 2014 list announced". BBC. December 2, 2013. Retrieved September 13, 2014.
  3. ↑ Choi, Mary H.K. (September 8, 2014). "Banks' Gorgeously Gloomy Music Has Made Her a Breakout Star". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved September 13, 2014.
  4. ↑ "Review: BANKS – LONDON EP". prettymuchamazing.com. September 17, 2013. Retrieved October 25, 2013.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 Lipshutz, Jason (June 28, 2013). "Banks, Quick-Rising Pop Starlet, Explains Why Her Fans Have Her Cell Number". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved October 25, 2013.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 "Banks For Headline UK Tour in March 2014". MTV UK. December 11, 2013. Retrieved January 7, 2014.
  7. ↑ "#5. BANKS [artist to watch.]". Fox Weekly. May 3, 2014. Retrieved May 3, 2014.
  8. ↑ "Songwriter/Composer: BANKS JILLIAN ROSE". BMI. Retrieved September 13, 2014.
  9. ↑ Savage, Mark (January 8, 2014). "BBC Sound of 2014: Banks". BBC News Online. Retrieved September 13, 2014.
  10. 1 2 Brown, Jacob (August 9, 2013). "Artist of the Week: Banks". Vogue. Retrieved January 7, 2014.
  11. 1 2 3 4 "Banks: Rising star with a high interest rate". BBC News.
  12. ↑ Kate Hutchinson. "Banks: ‘I’m being as honest as I can’". the Guardian.
  13. ↑ Stern, Bradley (February 12, 2013). "You Be The Judge: Banks’ "Before I Ever Met You"". Idolator. Retrieved January 7, 2014.
  14. ↑ "Fall over – Banks (Djemba Djemba remix)". The Dankles. April 9, 2014. Retrieved January 21, 2014.
  15. ↑ "Banks Single Out Now, Listen to "Fall Over"". IamSound Records. March 4, 2013. Retrieved January 22, 2014.
  16. ↑ Willcott, Carl (August 27, 2013). "BANKS' Sultry "Waiting Game" Gets A Shadowy Video". Idolator. Retrieved January 7, 2014.
  17. ↑ "Reviews for London [EP] by Banks - Metacritic". Metacritic.
  18. ↑ Saad, Nardine (December 12, 2013). "Watch extended cut of Victoria Secret models Paris commercial". L.A. Times. Retrieved January 7, 2014.
  19. ↑ "Shazam's 2014 Acts To Watch & 2013 Big Hitters". Shazam. December 3, 2013. Retrieved January 7, 2014.
  20. ↑ Mylrea, Hannah (January 8, 2014). "Banks is #3 in the BBC Sound of 2014". The Edge. Retrieved January 21, 2014.
  21. ↑ "50 Albums You Gotta Hear in 2014". Spin. Retrieved January 17, 2014.
  22. ↑ "Spotify reveals the artists under the Spotify Spotlight for 2014". Spotify. December 6, 2013. Retrieved January 17, 2014.
  23. ↑ Reed, James; Sarah Rodman (January 9, 2014). "Music's rising stars for 2014". The Boston Globe. Retrieved January 17, 2014.
  24. ↑ "Fuse's 18 Breakthrough Artists of 2014". Fuse. January 8, 2014. Retrieved January 17, 2014.
  25. ↑ Kristobak, Ryan (January 7, 2014). "20 Artists To Start Listening To in 2014". The Huffington Post. Retrieved January 17, 2014.
  26. ↑ "Pop Shop Picks: Lady Gaga, Romeo Santos, Banks & More". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. August 16, 2013. Retrieved January 7, 2014.
  27. ↑ "Reviews for Goddess by Banks - Metacritic". Metacritic.
  28. ↑ "Banks". billboard.com.
  29. ↑ "Ellie Goulding Reveals Her New Favorite Musicians". Radio.com. October 24, 2013. Retrieved October 25, 2013.
  30. ↑ "2014 The Long List". The BBC. Retrieved January 7, 2014.
  31. ↑ "BANKS’ “Waiting Game”: Hear Why She’s Opening For The Weeknd". Music News, Reviews, and Gossip on Idolator.com.
  32. ↑ Hermes, Will (September 9, 2014). "BANKS's New Album: Goddess". Rolling Stone. Wenner Media. Retrieved September 9, 2014.
  33. ↑ Martins, Chris (March 4, 2013). "Hear Banks' Badu-Channeling R&Beats Bubbler 'Fall Over'". Spin. Retrieved January 7, 2014.
  34. ↑ "Banks singer LONDON interview music news - This Is What It Feels Like (Glamour.com UK)". glamourmagazine.co.uk.
  35. ↑ Martin, Felicity (August 28, 2014). "Banks – Goddess". Clash. Retrieved September 1, 2014.
  36. ↑ "Banks – Chart history: Billboard 200". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved October 5, 2014.
  37. ↑ "Discography Banks". australian-charts.com. Hung Medien. Retrieved October 5, 2014.
  38. ↑ "Discography Banks" (in German). austriancharts.at. Hung Medien. Retrieved October 5, 2014.
  39. ↑ "Banks – Chart history: Canadian Albums". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved October 5, 2014.
  40. ↑ "Discographie Banks" (in French). lescharts.com. Hung Medien. Retrieved October 5, 2014.
  41. 1 2 "Discographie von Banks" (in German). Offizielle Deutsche Charts. GfK Entertainment. Retrieved September 17, 2015.
  42. ↑ "Discography Banks". irish-charts.com. Hung Medien. Retrieved October 5, 2014.
  43. ↑ "Discography Banks". charts.org.nz. Hung Medien. Retrieved October 5, 2014.
  44. ↑ "Banks" (select "Charts" tab). swisscharts.com. Hung Medien. Retrieved October 5, 2014.
  45. 1 2 "Banks". Official Charts Company. Retrieved September 17, 2015.
  46. ↑ "Fall Over EP: Banks: MP3 Downloads". Amazon.co.uk. Retrieved September 17, 2015.
  47. ↑ "London – EP by Banks". iTunes Store (GB). Apple. Archived from the original on October 6, 2013. Retrieved December 24, 2013.
  48. ↑ "Search results: Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved September 17, 2015.
  49. ↑ "Banks – Chart history: Alternative Songs". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved September 17, 2015.
  50. ↑ "Banks – Chart history: Rock Digital Songs". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved May 12, 2015.
  51. ↑ "ARIA Top 100 Singles – Week Commencing 10th November 2014" (PDF). ARIA Charts. Pandora Archive. p. 4. Retrieved September 17, 2015.
  52. ↑ "Warm Water – Single by Banks". iTunes Store (GB). Apple.
  53. ↑ "Brain – Single by Banks". iTunes Store (GB). Apple.
  54. ↑ "Drowning – Single by Banks". iTunes Store (GB). Apple.
  55. ↑ "American single certifications – Banks – Beggin for Thread". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved 29 October 2015. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Single, then click SEARCH
  56. ↑ "Better – Single by Banks". iTunes Store (US). Apple. Retrieved November 6, 2015.
  57. ↑ "Change – Single by Banks". iTunes Store (GB). Apple.
  58. ↑ "Alibi – Single by Banks". iTunes Store (GB). Apple.
  59. ↑ "Search results: Alternative Digital Songs". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved September 17, 2015.
  60. ↑ "Music videos". dylanknight.com. Retrieved October 5, 2014.
  61. ↑ Gottlieb, Steven (August 28, 2013). "Banks "Waiting Game" (Francesco Carrozzini, dir.)". VideoStatic. Retrieved October 5, 2014.
  62. ↑ Brown, Jimmy (October 2, 2013). "Banks 'This Is What It Feels Like' by Ellis Bahl". Promo News. Retrieved October 5, 2014.
  63. ↑ Brown, Jimmy (March 13, 2014). "BANKS 'Brain' by Barnaby Roper". Promo News. Retrieved October 5, 2014.
  64. ↑ Tierney, Luke (June 17, 2014). "BANKS 'Drowning' by Mike Piscitelli". Promo News. Retrieved October 5, 2014.
  65. ↑ Gottlieb, Steven (July 29, 2014). "Banks "Beggin For Thread" (Barnaby Roper, dir.)". VideoStatic. Retrieved October 5, 2014.
  66. ↑ Gottlieb, Steven (November 6, 2015). "Banks "Better" (James Mountford Studio, dir.)". VideoStatic. Retrieved November 6, 2015.
  67. ↑ "BBC Sound of 2014 longlist revealed". BBC. December 2, 2013. Retrieved December 24, 2013.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Banks (singer).
This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the Thursday, February 11, 2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.