#WomanCrushWednesday: 12 Reasons You Should Know Banks

While many women are great #WCW contenders, singer and songwriter Banks is seriously on our radar. The 26-year-old Los Angeles native croons through funky trip-hop, dark R&B, and alternative pop rhythms, keeping her above the mainstream, which is something we’ve been craving from female musicians for some time now.

Emotions run raw in Banks’ tunes, helping us through those awful breakups and seriously rough days. But even when we’re having a great day, blasting Banks’ songs from her album Goddess makes it just a little better.

Keep scrolling to understand why we think Banks should be your #WCW, too!

1. Her eyebrow game is on-point.

In a world that embraces thicker brows, Banks’ are seriously up there on the one to Cara scale. 

2. She goes against the grain.

What else keeps her left of the middle? Banks isn’t another singer to come out of the social media crop, and in fact, seems to ignore it altogether. On her Facebook page, she listed her phone number and wrote, “Hello world! I like making connections outside of a computer screen. Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram have never really been my thing. So my manager is going to run the Social Media stuff. If you ever want to talk call me.” 

3. Finally, a singer who writes her own material.

Goddess runs deep with emotions, both uplifting and heart-breaking. Tears? Oh no, we just had some dust in our eyes.

4. She puts on amazing live shows.

Seeing her in concert is an unreal experience. Check out her official website for a list of shows.

5. Her stellar all-black wardrobe.

While we love some colour in a wardrobe, the head-to-toe noir ensembles that Banks pulls together have become the singer’s signature style, and she’s clearly mastered an enviable edgy-cool vibe.

6. Her friends are stylesetters.

One of Banks’ closest friends is Lily Collins, who, in fact, helped Banks to get signed to Good Years Recordings. The fashionable pals were spotted together at the Chanel Couture show this past July.

7. She has excellent taste in music.

One of her biggest influences is Fiona Apple, a serious contender on our moody playlists. 

8. Billboard dubbed Banks a “quick-rising pop starlet.”

In addition to that lofty title, the magazine compared her to the likes of Erykah Badu and Feist.

10. She has serious substance behind those lyrics.

In an interview with The Huffington Post, Banks describes her album Goddess to “be honest and to accept feelings strong at times, weak at times, fragile at times, empowered, sexy, scared, angry, aggressive at times.” Talk about exposing her vulnerable side!

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10. She can pull off winged eyeliner.

Seriously, who else could pull off eyeliner like that? The doe-eyed brunette’s beauty choices are definitely inspiring.

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11. She keeps it real.

In a world full of shock-inducing publicity stunts, Banks is personable and brings true artistry to her trade.

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12. She’s the best all-around.

In an industry where individuality is key, Banks really stands out. Add her songs to your playlist now!

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Are you a fan of Banks? Let us know in the comments below!

Nayiri Mampourian
Senior Fashion Editor, Branded Content

Nayiri is Who What Wear's senior fashion editor for branded content and based in her hometown, Los Angeles. It all began in 2014 when she landed an internship at the company and never looked back. While she does love writing her fair share of fashion stories, her heart really belongs in the brainstorm room, where she has fun strategizing different ways to create content with our fashion partners so that you engage with the brands you know and love. Her style tends to be more classic (she loves a good black-and-white look with gold accessories), and white pumps are kind of her thing. If she had to pick one person's wardrobe to raid, it would be Rosie Huntington-Whiteley's, and she also has a major obsession with interior design. She's a mom to a 1-year-old baby girl named Sophie, and she fully plans on training her to spot fashion trends by the time she's 10. That's all!