Banks: NPR Music Tiny Desk Concert

Tiny Desk Concerts often require creative and logistical transformations, from electric bands going acoustic to big bands squashing into a tiny space to many players gathering around a single microphone. But the setting is particularly challenging for vocalists, especially those accustomed to heavy production, effects or — in the case of recent guest T-Pain — generous dollops of Auto-Tune.

T-Pain's effects-less set grabbed more attention at the time, given the extent to which digital alterations are expected of him, but this performance by Banks is, in its own way, an even greater high-wire act. Banks' terrific full-length debut, Goddess, is constructed out of layer upon layer of electronics, beats, samples and other means of submerging the singer's voice in swirling accoutrements. With assistance from keyboardist/guitarist John Anderson and percussionist Derek Taylor, she's not all alone behind the Tiny Desk, but her expressive voice is fully exposed here.

Kicking off her three-song set with "Beggin For Thread," Banks sets the scene in vulnerable, breathily seething fashion before opening the throttle in her choruses. On record, she's placed at the center of lavish productions, each suitable for throbbing remixes and banks of swirling lights. At the Tiny Desk, though, she serves notice that she's a powerful singer in her own right — and that heavy production needn't be the product of necessity. --STEPHEN THOMPSON

Set List:
"Beggin For Thread" 0:01
"Alibi" 4:23
"Brain" 8:04

Credits:
Producers: Bob Boilen, Maggie Starbard; Audio Engineer: Kevin Wait; Videographers: Becky Lettenberger, Maggie Starbard; Assistant Producer: James Clark; photo by James Clark/NPR

[lcrooks]

Banks is EASILY one of the most creative, beautiful and under-rated artists out there.

[xNANUSSE]

please, invite her again so she can sing songs from The Altar.

[knifeprty]

she seriously should release an acoustic album, this shit's amazing.

[aceinfinity]

Here in 2024…. gosh this album hit so hard when I was 18. Still speaks to me the same. She is a GODDESS.

[daniellelamothe]

Can we please take a moment to appreciate how confident she is when she's singing, but as soon as the music stops and the crowd starts clapping, the intimacy of the performance makes her bashful. She is so precious.

[jakesinnaeve]

This performance of "Brain" is breathtaking. She makes a CHOICE to sing, break, lose herself a bit, and FEEL these lyrics she is singing. While I am sure she could make it perfect and polished, she CHOOSES not to, to make it more real and raw. That to me is real musicianship. A lot of people below can't seem to grasp that...

[sophieburrows]

i will never ever get bored of this album. gives me mad nostalgia and makes me feel just some typa way.

[sapundjieva]

This girl released one of the best albums of 2014 if you ask me.

[shayonehayes]

I love how she like almost loses herself, then remembers and comes back in.

[BecaGee]

I'm impressed she can maintain her lower pitch live, not a lot of artists can.

Also, can we talk about her face?? She looks amazeballs.

[rockwjz]

This woman is damn near perfection. I love everything about her.

[lizhailand]

I've watched this so many times... It makes me wanna cry when she belts stuff out. She's a goddess.

[juanjuri]

i never know who she's singing about but i know he ain't shit

[Ian-hfdn]

Brain is definitely one of my favorite songs, phonically and lyrically

[Lorenzowuysang]

I actually like the fact that she doesn't sound perfect. It's part of her whole style. She even admits in interviews that she's no way close to a professional (singing wise, ) but she learns as she goes. I personally love Banks and her style. 

[TheLumbersnack]

At 3:17 when she let loose. Oh god that was amazing.

[boixgenius]

That vibrato at 10:20 damn. the vocals on this woman are phenomenal

[LauraLegille]

I come back to watch this pretty much every other day

[sydneylb]

I'm in love with Alibi and Under The Table. But I will always love This is What It Feels Like and Brain because those were the first songs I heard of hers.

[manuu]

When she belts out Brain... Jesus... she's simply amazing!