BANKS is back with a stellar new album, 'Serpentina,' out tomorrow, April 8.
Like most every artist, BANKS kept up a near constant on the go schedule in the six years leading up to Covid. She was on the musical hamster wheel of album, tour, album, tour. rinse and repeat.
So when Covid hit and she was forced, like every other musician, to get off that hamster wheel it allowed her to slow down, think about what she wanted to do musically and explore new sounds.
The result of that time to experiment and find her voice is the stunning Serpentina, out tomorrow (April 8). It is a collection that exudes confidence, and at various times throughout the 13 songs playfulness, heartbreak, empowerment and more.
I spoke with BANKS about the making of Serpentina, her admiration for Florence + The Machine, her choice for greatest melody of all time and the songs she can’t wait to play live when she hits the road for Serpentina starting May 25 in San Diego (the tour will hit BottleRock May 28, then she will begin a full run, including Lollapalooza, July 11 in Austin, Texas).
Steve Baltin: Are you still a San Fernando Valley person today?
Jillian BANKS: I'm still kind of pro-valley, I think I might always be 818 girl.
Baltin: Has being an 818 girl, as you call it, influenced your music?
BANKS: Honestly I don't really feel like where I live has affected my music much, other than different places you live you meet different people. And my music is more affected from my relationships and my emotions about that, as opposed to where I live. A lot of people throughout my career have always said like, "You don't sound like you're from California, you don't have like beachy music." I'm like, "Well, it's not really for me how it works really. It comes from so deep within." But I definitely think that who you're around affects and inspires you. It's more about the people I think.
Baltin: When you went back into Serpentina, having gone through some of this illness and things that you went through, are there things that have come out on this record that surprised you from a lyrical standpoint or thematically?
BANKS: Definitely, I think that every time I write a song. I'm surprised by it just because it's such a magical experience for me making music. It's coming from my subconscious, like you said. But I think that there's a warmth and a brightness to some moments on this album that I haven't really had before. Getting into production and diving deep into Ableton gave me a lot of time. I've never engineered stuff myself, I never really had time to. I'm such a melody fanatic and I'm so obsessed with finding the absolute best melody you possibly can for chord progression. And I was able to sit and freestyle melodies for 30 minutes, go through those melodies, chop up certain moments. And I think when you're just on your own for so long and there's no time constraint it's so great to not feel pressured. I got really into gospel type of melodies and really soulful. I've always been into that type of thing and really soulful melodies, but it's like a new level on this album. "Anything 4 U" has a brightness to it that was really fun for me. Same for "Holding Back" and "Spirit," both of those feel like guttural, soulful brightness. It feels like not just like a surface level brightness, it feels like a really deep joy about life, which I think is probably a new energy.
Baltin: With all the extra time to make this record are there melodies on here you feel like you could not have made before?
BANKS: It's funny that you asked that. Because in the past I would say I like every melody I write. But there are definitely certain melodies on this album that are just so special to me. The "Deadend" melody is one of my favorites on the album. There's an outro on "Deadend" that just kills me. There's like a really swaggy hardness to that melody. And I think that's kind of new for me. And then "Birds by the Sea" and "Unleavable." Both of those were two songs that I that I was alone for hours and hours and hours and hours and hours playing with harmonies and chopping different melody sections up. I think, playing with the keys, even like finding different ways to play certain moments, lent itself to making something really fresh and soft and beautiful. And I really love those two songs. And then the melody on "Spirit," so sick. There are so many different moments. But that outro for "Deadend" is definitely a highlight for me.
Baltin: Was there one thing that really inspired you to change your mind set in recording?
BANKS: I think, honestly, just quarantine in general. Having to stay in one place for so long. I had been on the go for like six years straight between Goddess and touring Goddess and making The Altar, then touring The Altar, then making III then touring III. To the point where I was dealing with some health stuff, and I was just completely drained and overtired. But at the same time, I got to a place where I didn't feel like myself when I was at home as to when I was on tour. Like I almost forgot how to be still. And I think that is something I really appreciated about the time that I had to make this album. It gave me time to reconnect with stillness and even consciously feel and react to where I was. I think when you're so [busy] you don't even have time to process or look in the mirror, really to think about what you're going through, what's painful and what's not painful, and I think just time to process is a really beautiful thing. You can clear the slate and get ready for new energies. And the thing that's really special about this album is I think that kind of documents me not only clearing the slate, but also welcoming in new energies. It feels really fresh. And I think a lot of times music is about the past, and about letting go of the past, or about relationships, or how you feel about something in the past. I think this album was so cool because I feel like I wrote it during a time of such immense growth, that it actually doesn't only document me processing stuff from my past, but also falling into new experiences and actually, in the present time, experiencing things and writing about that. And it's almost reintroducing myself and my audience to who I am in the moment.
Baltin: Are there songs that you're really excited to hear how the audience responds to them?
BANKS: Oh my gosh. I cannot wait to play "F**k Love" [laughter]. That one is so much fun. That's a song that I feel doesn't take itself too seriously. It's just kind of a really fun song that feels really self-loving 'cause it's not about saying f**k love. I hate love. It's more just "I don't need anybody." And so that is one that I know even, from people who have heard the album already, I've been getting a lot of response. The idea of getting ready with a group of girls, maybe one of which just went through a breakup, and listening to that song is so fun to me.
Baltin: Have you had that experience yet?
BANKS: Not yet, but I've definitely had that experience where we haven't listened to this song before, in my life and I'm happy I have this song now to be the soundtrack for it.
Baltin: Were there songs from other artists that are the soundtracks for that moment?
BANKS: When you're like getting ready to go out with your friends, you need something hard and sexy and that makes you want to move and feel yourself. I feel like there's a lot of Rihanna energy, anything in that world is fun.
Baltin: Where do other songs on the album take you mood wise?
BANKS: Every song has another energy and driving in a car, listening to it, you can be in a different world, depending on what you're listening to. "I Still Love You" is such a nostalgic bittersweet love song. And I think "Birds by the Sea" is another version of that where it's like nostalgic bittersweet, but a little bit heartbreaking. Then I think "Meteorite" is just fun. That song was actually originally called "Mistress" and it was like a ballad on a piano, and then I just totally f**ked it up and made it more of like a crunchy upbeat banger. There are so many. "Misunderstood" is one of my favorite songs on the album. I love that it opens the record. They're all different.
Baltin: Did you miss playing live during Covid?
BANKS: Yeah. Honestly I just can't wait to play live. I don't even care what I'm singing [laughter]. It's been so long, I just miss it. And I'm really focused on this new album. The week of the album coming out, I have a few shows that I think are even just for industry people, but they're telling me to pick a few new songs and a few old and I'm just like, "Nah, I'm thinking all new songs." I'm just really excited and I feel inspired by the idea of newness, 'cause it's just been so long without touring and without newness.
Baltin: Are there artists that you really admire for the way that they've been able to evolve over their career?
BANKS: Yeah, definitely. I was actually thinking about this yesterday, that I really love Florence + The Machine's whole trajectory. I think she's so cool, I love that she plays such beautiful venues, her art is incredible, you don't know much about her other than what she makes. And I really respect that, but yet she still grows and she constantly puts out incredible things. She's somebody I definitely admire.
Baltin: What is your choice for greatest melody ever?
BANKS: There are so many, I really can't choose one. But I'm gonna say "Landslide," Fleetwood Mac. That's what came to mind. I think it's 'cause I listened to it yesterday and I was like, "This song's beautiful."
Baltin: What do you hope people take from Serpentina when they hear it?
BANKS: When I listen through it, it just feels like the full circle. I feel proud and happy and I really love it. I hope that it empowers people and makes people feel understood. And makes people proud to be misunderstood, and makes people feel empowered and motivated and hopeful and self-loving.
