Asha Banks on Truth-Seeking, Creative Chaos, and How Real Was It?
- Vaneza Gutiérrez Wyckoff
- 23 hours ago
- 3 min read
On asking the hard questions, embracing chaos, and writing in real time.
Article Contributed by Vaneza Gutiérrez Wyckoff
For Asha Banks, reflection isn’t something that happens neatly after the fact — it’s an active, ongoing state. That instinct sits at the heart of How Real Was It?, her debut EP released last November via Island Records, shaping both the emotional arc of the project and the way she speaks about her creative life overall. Rather than presenting the EP as a finished statement, Banks describes it as a living document — a collection of questions asked honestly and in real time.
“I wrote that lyric as the first thing that came out of my mouth when I was writing ‘Done Is Done.’”
The title emerged instinctively, almost accidentally, but quickly revealed itself as the emotional spine of the entire project. What began as a single lyric soon expanded into something far larger. “That [lyric] became the ‘everything’ for that song, and then became ‘everything’ for the EP,” she explains. The phrase came to represent not just the music, but the period of her life in which it was written — one filled with extremes, firsts, and constant self-reflection. “I’ve had so many amazing firsts, so many ups and downs… and that sentiment felt so present throughout all of the music and is a question I’m asking myself always.”
“As a songwriter, every day I’m trying to be more honest and say the ‘scary’ things.”
That openness extends to vulnerability — particularly when it feels uncomfortable. Banks speaks about fear as a kind of creative compass, something she’s learned to trust rather than avoiding it, as she did in the past. Pointing to the song “Delay” as one of the most exposed moments on the EP, she describes the process of sitting with that discomfort and recognizing its value. “Trying to hold on to that feeling [of fear] and realize that means that it’s probably a good one… something I should be brave enough to write down and get out of my brain and out of my mouth and throw it onto paper.”
“The more I write, the more I learn about myself — it’s literally the most self soul-searching you could ever do.”
In the process of writing How Real Was It?, Banks discovered parts of herself she didn’t fully expect. The act of building not one, but two EPs forced her to confront her instincts, her habits, and her need for control. “These two EPs that I’ve made have made me realize that I’m probably a bit of a control freak,” she admits, before reframing it as a strength rather than a flaw. It’s a realization that’s helped her grow not just as a songwriter, but as a collaborator and storyteller — particularly at the intersection of singer, songwriter, and actress. “I’m so used to dissecting somebody else and trying to figure out their rhyme and reason for everything,” she says, “and now I can use those tools for myself.”
“There’s the truth of what needs to be said in the most plain, kind of ‘journal entry’ words.”
While her music often feels like an entry in her diary, Banks is intentional about balancing raw honesty with narrative and sound. She describes her songs as a meeting point between confession and craft — where lyrics, production, and emotional instinct all work together. “I find that the most impact comes from having a balance of the storytelling and hard-hitting home truths,” she explains, noting that the goal is always emotional resonance. “I feel like I’m constantly on the hunt for whatever it is in the track that makes my heart ache a bit.” That instinct, she says, often leads her toward the most vulnerable moments. “Often the things that [fans] relate to and connect with the most are the things that I have found the most intimidating to say or the things that are the most truthful to my core.”
“I’m like, ‘bring on the chaos!’ I feel like I thrive with chaos.”
Looking ahead, Banks acknowledges that stillness or closure aren’t likely to come anytime soon - and she doesn’t mind that. Instead, she’s embracing that momentum. After what she describes as a “mad” year, she hopes what comes next is just as full, just as unpredictable. That sense of movement mirrors the EP itself — a project rooted not in resolution, but in emotional honesty and self-questioning. Wherever that chaos leads, she’s guided by joy and by a deepening connection to the people finding themselves reflected in her songs. How Real Was It? doesn’t offer tidy answers, but that openness is precisely its power: a portrait of an artist caught mid-thought, learning to trust uncertainty and allowing each creative chapter to come as it may.
“I’m still learning… and hopefully I will just pick up more as I go along and continue to grow.”
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