Listen Up! BANKS

The definition of chanteuse is a songstress—more specifically one who sings in a nightclub. It’s that extra distinction that conjures up dimly lit, smoky venues where a beautiful woman slinks onto a tiny stage and delivers a tour de force performance to a select few.

Jillian Banks—aka BANKS—is most definitely a chanteuse. Even though she’s performing for much larger audiences, like the ones at a little festival called Coachella or at a recent mini set on “Jimmy Kimmel Live!,” she brings that sultry, mysterious energy that undeniably earns her the label.

The L.A.-based singer’s special blend of rich vocals, poignant lyrics and languid beats has been steadily amassing a following since 2013, when she casually dropped a song on a popular music-sharing site that was picked up and played by a British radio show.

Her videos are equally engaging. Just check out the clip for “Drowning,” which features BANKS serving up mega style on a set that reminds us a lot of Yayoi Kusama’s “Mirrored Room” exhibit. Sooooo good! And if we weren’t already (pretty obviously) swooning over all things BANKS, she made us love her even more with her acoustic rendition of our most favorite Aaliyah song.

Goddess, the full-length debut, comes out September 9. To learn more about all things BANKS, check out her site.

Image of BANKS via photographer Jasmine Safaeian.

—Jenny Yule

via The Thread Blog http://ift.tt/1zcY4mu