Asha Banks Confronts Vulnerability on How Real Was It?

Credit: Louis Browne

“The scariest thing you have to say is what most people want to hear.”

Asha Banks shared this during a recent Zoom conversation while reflecting on “Delay,” one of the standout tracks from her latest EP, How Real Was It? At its core, the EP wrestles with the fear of saying the thing that sits heaviest on your chest. It is reflective and emotionally raw. There is no resolution, and that lack of closure is exactly what makes it feel so honest.

Throughout the Zoom conversation, Banks kept coming back to the idea of vulnerability. She admitted that being open in her music can feel scary, but she also made it clear that she writes “for the need to do it,” explaining that songwriting is her way “to process and get all of [her] emotions out.” That urgency is felt in every track. This is not an artist chasing trends or trying to manufacture relatability. You can tell these songs exist because they had to.

Unlike many projects that build toward resolution, How Real Was It? offers no clear closure. Banks described the EP as reflective and cyclical, much like the emotions that inspired it. The songs move through highs and lows, but not in a straight line. Instead, they mirror the way real feelings unfold. You can feel empowered one day and completely unravel the next. As she put it, it is very human to feel all over the place, and Banks allows herself that freedom.

Banks also joked that she can be a bit of a “control freak,” especially while making both this EP and her previous project, Untie My Tongue. That earlier record taught her about cohesion, she said, and How Real Was It? became an extension of that learning process. It is still thoughtful and intentional, but it allows more emotional messiness. She is clearly still learning and evolving, which makes the music feel even more authentic.

She also spoke thoughtfully about how important connection is to her as an artist. “Connection is a North Star and motivation for me,” she said, explaining that the whole reason she releases music is to create that shared emotional space. She talked about how something deeply personal can quickly become someone else’s. But that exchange is exactly what keeps her going. It is terrifying to let people that far in, yet just as rewarding when it resonates.

That vulnerability becomes especially present when she performs live. “Mascara Tears” is one of the songs that still catches her off guard on stage. She admitted there have been times when she has had to hold back tears mid-performance, looking out and seeing her fans singing the words back to her. In those seconds, she is not only reliving her own experience but also stepping into theirs, sharing something that now belongs to everyone in that room.

Looking ahead, Banks seems ready to loosen her grip. When asked about the future, she smiled and said, “Bring on the chaos. [I] thrive on chaos.” If this EP captures her carefully processing emotions, maybe the next chapter will be about embracing unpredictability.

Overall, How Real Was It? feels deeply personal, almost diaristic, yet universally relatable. There is no grand resolution waiting at the end. Instead, the EP circles back on itself, questioning memories and feelings. Was it real? Did it mean what it felt like it meant? Banks does not pretend to have the answers.

And maybe that is what makes it so powerful. In a music landscape that often favors polished narratives and clear redemption arcs, her willingness to sit in uncertainty feels refreshing. Asha Banks is not offering a clean ending; she is offering honesty.