Kota Banks drops new power ballad ‘Eternal Crush’

Photo by @ttyltonia
August 11 2023

PRAISE FOR Kota Banks

“Australia’s rising stars of hyperpop”

The Guardian

“Bouncy pop production”

NME

“Serpentine delivery”

Paper Magazine

“Sparkly electro textures”

The Atlantic

“Futuristic pop queen”

Fashion Journal

“A stellar pop confection”

Clash Magazine

“A breath of fresh air”

Acclaim

“Modern, futuristic, and most importantly, EXCITING”

Purple Sneakers

‘Eternal Crush’ out now via NLV Records, buy/stream here.

Prominent pop futurist Kota Banks shares her second release of the year with ‘Eternal Crush’, out now via NLV Records. LISTEN HERE.

After kicking off 2023 with the fierce pop-rnb hybrid ‘GIRLS WORLD!’, today Kota shares a peek into her softer side on ‘Eternal Crush’. Showcasing her penchant for sugar-sweet pop and delicate melodies, here Banks channels NewJeans and Tove Lo, backed with a glitchy sparkle courtesy of longtime collaborator Swick. Complete with his signature animated percussion on ‘Eternal Crush’ Kota Banks delivers clever one-liners with instant-earworm hooks over gentle piano chords and smooth garage before ascending into a frenzied final verse with gritty electric guitars.

In her own words Kota shares, “I wrote Eternal Crush during lockdown and never stopped being obsessed with it. It was a song I was keeping in my back pocket for the right moment, and I feel like now is the time. It’s sonic bliss to me (thank you Swick). I love the idea of contrasting forever with a crush – something so fleeting and superficial. It’s giving layers, chaos and indecision, my M.O. as a Libra! In terms of the situation… I rarely write about unrequited love because usually, the boy likes me back as I’m a baddie, but the boy this song is about HUMBLED me for real. I love a flirtatious, fun, dreamy moment and I think Eternal Crush gives all the above!!”

A long-time innovator of her own future sound forged at the apex of hyperpop and alt-rnb, Kota Banks’ artistry stems from a fierce drive for empowerment: of women, of love, aspirations and her craft. With infectious melodies and clever, tongue-in-cheek lyricism consistently backed with experimentation, Kota bounces between genre and instrumentation to conjure every mood and sentiment. Not to be confused with a plastic-fantastic persona or sickly positivity, Banks works to serve fans and listeners with an otherworldly escape through her affectionate music.

Boasting a meticulous songwriting resume (Larissa Lambert, SOPHIE, Ninajirachi, Cashmere Cat) that highlights her sought-after ability, the oft-hailed trailblazer shares a similar disparate boundary-bouncing state as Doja Cat, Slayyyter or Gwen Stefani, as a likeminded artist able to manipulate vivid imagery, vivacious wordplay and deceptive simplicity to quell comparisons to caricature or a Barbie naivete.

The accolades speak for themselves: over 40 million streams, praise from tastemakers in triple j to Acclaim, Fashion Journal and PAPER Magazine to critical recognition from The Guardian, NME, Billboard, CLASH, The Daily Telegraph and more; appearances supporting Mallrat, Duckwrth, Allday, Falls Festival, This That; a coveted triple j Like A Version cover of ‘SICKO MODE’, and even a feature on the 2019 Matildas anthem for Australia’s national women’s team, ‘Everything We Ever Dream Of‘ and more – Kota Banks is set to propel into the stratosphere and beyond.

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