8.9.23
EP: Lay Bankz – Now You See Me
The 19-Year-Old Philly Riser Shows Off the Breadth of Her Talent on Her 7-Track Debut EP, Moving From Club-Rap Bangers Like Her Viral Hit “Na Na Na” to R&B Slow Jams and More
Critical Praise:
“Of all the artists this year trying to infuse the bounce of East Coast club into pop hits, Lay Bankz might have the most seamless style. The 18-year-old’s songs with producer Jumbo Beats are sleek and tasteful—her voice has an elegant, almost synthetic quality that gives her busy instrumentals a smooth finish—but tap into the underlying momentum of 2022’s viral club music…Bankz’ freewheeling writing style and urgent club production add dimension to her point of view, capturing the rush of conflicting emotions behind her poised exterior.” – Pitchfork
“And on the feverish ‘Na Na Na,’ Lay Bankz reminds everyone she’s a better rapper than just about everyone else hopping on club beats.” – The FADER
“Updating the romantic desperation of old-school R&B with new-age toxicity, Lay Bankz is becoming the go-to feature for up-and-coming rap artists who need a silky verse to balance their frenetic flows on racing beats.” – Okayplayer
The EP:
Applying R&B vocal chops and sharp songwriting skills to club-style instrumentals, Lay Bankz is one of the most talented artist in a bustling Philly scene. The 19-year-old singer, rapper, and dancer continues to redefine what it means to be a club music vocalist on her debut EP, Now You See Me, out now. Assembled with assistance from her frequent collaborator JUMBO, the 7-track EP has no shortage of high-BPM bangers: “Ick!” is a ferocious club-rap song about the moment sparks stop flying, while pre-release single “Throw Dat” is a relentless dancefloor anthem. On the other hand, Now You See Me gives Lay the opportunity to flex her vocal chops, on the trap-style, radio ready “Smackdown,” the slowed-down club beat of “IDFWU,” and breathtaking closing ballad “Flowers,“ a waltz-time plea for recognition that recalls torch songs by R&B divas past.
Now You See Me is home to Lay Bankz’s recent viral hit “Na Na Na.” An impossibly energetic, fast-paced anthem, “Na Na Na” is a clarion call to the dancefloor, as Lay builds on the titular playground chant with tongue-twisting bars, before floating over the track with a melodic bridge. To date, the song has generated 15.9 million global streams (1.9m global streams per week) and over 179K creates on TikTok. Recently mentioned as a potential Song of the Summer for 2023 by The FADER, “Na Na Na” has been featured on key playlists such as Spotify’s Most Necessary, Feelin’ Myself, Internet People and the cover of Jersey Club Heat. Filmed in Miami during spring break, the official music video has reached over 900k+ views, with over 170k YouTube shorts creates.
“Na Na Na” and Now You See Me continue to exhibit why Lay Bankz is one of the most exciting risers in hip-hop and R&B today. Lay Bankz first emerged onto the scene as a dancer, gaining a following on social media with her energetic interpretations of regional dance moves, like the “blick.” When she built a large enough platform, she showed the world her true talent with the viral hit “Left Cheek (Doo Doo Blick),” a club and R&B hybrid that generated nearly 450k creations on TikTok. The success of “Doo Doo Blick” established Bankz as a bonafide TikTok phenomenon–wit over 1.5 million followers and 61 million likes–and one of the most sought-after talents in the club scene–she showed off her chops on “PIANO,” a highlight from Bandmanrill’s debut album, and recently got a call from Ciara, who recruited Lay Bankz to appear on the “Dance Mix” of her new single “Da Girls.” Videos of Lay dancing with Ciara generated over 1 million combined views on TikTok. Lay earned critical acclaim from Pitchfork for her seamless club-n-b single “In My Bag,” and showed off her bars in a a performance with On The Radar. Most recently, she was mentioned by Complex as a Philly artist on the rise in their list of The Best Rap Cities Right Now.
Stay tuned for much more from Lay Bankz, as she continues to make waves as the new face of club music.
Stream Now You See Me EP: https://laybankz.lnk.to/nowyouseeme
Follow Lay Bankz on socials: tiktok | instagram | spotify | youtube
Watch “Na Na Na” (Spring Break video): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lNtWif6xayg
Now You See Me tracklist:
1. IDFWY
2. Ick
3. Na Na Na
4. Throw Dat
5. Smackdown
6. Check Me
7. Flowers
Photo credit: @RichPhotography (Shakur Richardson)
Please contact Michelle or T’Keyah for more info.
The Background:
Lay Bankz is an 19 year old singer/songwriter and dancer hailing from Philadelphia, PA. Growing up she was influenced by musical greats such as Michael Jackson, Beyonce, Aaliyah, and Bruno Mars that helped to create her unique and vibrant sound. She effortlessly fuses club and R&B music by incorporating high energy Club beats coupled with her hard-hitting and electric dances. With her vibrant personality she has amassed 1.4M+ followers on TikTok with 58M likes and 248k followers on Instagram. A rising star, Lay is poised to take the music industry by storm.
Links:
tiktok | instagram | spotify | youtube
Now You See Me EP: https://laybankz.lnk.to/nowyouseeme
“Na Na Na”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lNtWif6xayg
“Da Girls (Dance Mix)” (w/ Ciara): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sp0jmazMXTM
“I Deserve”: https://laybankz.lnk.to/ideserve
“Throw Dat”: https://laybankz.lnk.to/throwdat
“No More Crying” ft. Maiya The Don: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AHQBO_ptCjM
“In My Bag”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=du7roy1k68I
“Left Cheek (Doo Doo Blick)”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nOdXAxQABNk