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The path of our lives at times feels too capricious to accept; imagine taking a break from your studies, walking into a national singing contest and making it into the finals on a whim. If it feels too fairy tale and scripted, then much of BANA's story is just that “a tale of a remarkable talent, from a people with a long, proud history of perseverance, finding her voice in a way that is both uniquely her, and still native to her roots. BANA's latest single, "Air," might be the peak of confidence for her, a perfect display of her vocal range but also an uptempo euro-styled dance that that can land anywhere feet will move. This song and her story made us extra keen to interview her when she happened to be in LA for a writing trip, so read on to learn of her journey here:

OnesToWatch: Who are you? Why are you an artist? 

BANA: Well, very good question. Who am I? I ask myself that question every day. My name is Bana, and I come from Kurdan, from a small city called Slemanani. We call it Suli. Okay. I'm 24 years old and I have been singing professionally ever since I was 16. I participated in singing a competition called Kurdan Idol, and I became the youngest Kurdish artist overnight. I just went there just for fun. I didn't have any expectations. I had an exam the day after, and I was like, "Okay, let me just go sing one English song, just for fun…” 'Cause even though my Kurdish was my first language, I didn't sing in it. I always wanted to sing in English, become a pop star, but didn’t know how because the resources were very limited back home. I come from a normal family, and there are a lot of limitations coming from where I come from, especially for women. Especially for women with dreams. So I just went to the competition just for fun, blew up overnight. I didn't know who I was. I didn't know what I wanted to do exactly. I just wanted to sing. And then the real challenges started after that program. I didn't win, but I was in the finals, and then having a fanbase in my hometown, I had to figure out what to do next. There's no label back home to help me do music. I didn't know how to write songs.
I didn't know how the music industry worked there, and in my mind it was just a big dream that I was not going to be able to reach. So I tried to work with what I had. I went to university first, to give myself a backup plan. 

What did you study? 

Business and management and economics. 

Very smart. 

I wanted to have an understanding of the business side of things, because the creative side I could learn as I went through experiences. Then, I wrote my first album at 18. I went through a very challenging time with my mental health and the hate I was getting. There were many times I wanted to give up, because I would wake up every day, and some people were applauding me and others were hating me, and I didn’t understand why. I just wanted to sing. The more I understood my surroundings and the more I grew up, I understood that I should not be looking at myself through anyone else’s perspective. I needed to take time off for myself and see what kind of an artist I want to become. I was very young. So I did my Kurdish album at 18, I wrote everything myself, I found a producer who's also Kurdish. It was a huge mix of genres, but put into the Kurdish language. I merged styles and wanted to see what would happen. I got lucky again, but also worked really hard at it. I got the opportunity to go to London, travel by myself at 21. I worked with some producers and I wrote some songs that are now out, but I feel like the songs that I've put out are still not what I truly want to make. So, this trip to LA has helped me open my eyes. I think after all these years, I’m getting closer to who I want to become, and the initial dream I had of being an artist is taking shape. I didn’t know what I would have to do to achieve that, but the more I grow up the more I learn. And, the more love I have for my country and my roots. I want to become the first Kurdish pop star out there because a lot of them give up. I won’t. No matter what it takes, I will not give up. I think you can never, ever fail unless you give up on something you want to do, and then you regret it later. That's failure in my eyes. But if you fail and learn and then bounce back, that's totally fine. I've done that so many times, but the only thing that grounds me is the dream that I have to tell the world that Kurds exist. Kurds have dreams. Kurds are resilient. Kurds are brave. They're fighters. I don't want Kurdish people to be known in the world for misery, for negativity. In fact, it's the complete opposite, you know? I want to be able to make change for my people. And then at the same time, stay true to what I've been given, which is my voice. 

Okay, that was an amazing answer. Something I’m interested in is the musical differences of writing in various languages. I can imagine singing in Kurdish is very different from a Western English-based pop style. What would you say are the biggest differences, and how have you explored bridging the gaps? 

It's been an interesting journey with that, because I learned the guitar through English songs, and just the way I sing, I've learned through the major artists, like, Beyoncé, Whitney Houston, or Ariana. They've literally raised my voice and that's how I learned how to sing. But at the same time, the writing and production processes are so much bigger than I thought. 
I thought you'd just be given a song and you can become a singer. But no, there’s so much more that goes into it. On the other hand, the Kurdish writing process is simpler for me. I can release anything I want and then the people would like it. It’s like my listeners and I are growing up together. They were young when I was young and starting out, and they’ve given me more grace as I explore my sound through the years. They change with me. Kurdish music has a lot of folk, violin, vocal layers, and difficult scales. I enjoy using those complex melodies and the philosophical subjects, especially when I’m writing in Kurdish. But, my English songs end up a bit simpler. 

What does your writing process look like? Especially deciding between styles, languages, etc.? 

Every day I wake up a different person, and it’s so exciting getting to consider, “Hmmm, how am I going to be today?” Going into writing rooms, it’s different every day. The shoes I wear could indicate the type of person and writer I am that day. Little things impact everything. But I always start with melodies. I’ll hum melodies first on my phone or on a microphone if the producer’s down to do that. If I like the sound of it, I’ll put thoughts into it later, and then organize it with a songwriter. I’ve always been so insecure about writing English songs. I don't think it's been my biggest strength. But I’m getting more and more confident in that aspect because of the songwriters I’m in the room with who bring out my true self. 

What would you say has led you to finding your own voice? 

I think every artist has an alter ego that they can tap into, and then it could come out.
For me, if I'm in front of a camera, it instantly comes out. When the microphone’s on, it comes out. But in my day to day life, the confidence comes from everything I’ve been through since I was a child. Everything my mother went through. I'm a learner in my life. And I want to use the one life I have in a good way. So even if I don't feel the most confident, I'm gonna fake it until I believe it. 

Let's talk about your upcoming single “Air.” What is “Air” about? How was it written? 

“Air” is a song that I didn't write. It was sent to me and I immediately loved it, because it reminded me of a song from Summer 2016… it’s a very specific feeling. For me, that era can’t be topped. I was so happy about life. I still am, but music was just so fresh to my ears. Maybe because I was so young… but that’s what “Air” sounds like to me. It showcases my vocals, too, and we’re going to release some DJ remixes as well so it can be enjoyed at the club and people will dance to it. 

When you think of the summer of 2016, what is the standout song? 

Every Justin Bieber song. 

Awesome. If everything works out for you musically, what does that look like? What does that feel like? 

I don't think I'm the type of the artist that's out there always. I want to be the mysterious type that has a secret life behind the scenes. I want to live on an island or a mountain or a castle. That’s the dream. But also, the first goal of mine is for my roots and for Kurdan to be known through my music. Also, just to make good music for people to vibe through, and stay true to themselves. I would like to radiate that energy so other people are inspired to be themselves. That's what I want to do.

I hate reducing cultures to one takeaway, and the Kurds have a very complex culture like all do. But if you could leave people with one thought about the Kurds right now, what would it be? 

That's very difficult. I think Kurds get a reputation for being… dark isn’t the right word, but maybe complex? I’d like people to know that we’re very bright. We’re optimistic people. No matter what we're going through, we'll still rise up. We're known to be the children of the sun, the flag is literally a sun. It’s a fire burning inside us. Every single person. 

I love it. Let’s say you and your friends are all out dancing and come back to your place hungry. What would you whip us up?

Steak. A reverse seared steak. And if you don't like rare steak, you're going to have rare steak. I'll change your mind. And maybe a salad. Baked potatoes. I don't have time to fry up anything. 

Delicious. If you were to be doing anything else with your life, what would it be? 

I'd be a vet. I’ve always loved animals. A vet that has a garden, a farm. 

What kind of animals would you want to keep? 


Cows and sheep and stuff. 

I’m new to gardening, so I also have to know what you’d grow on your farm? 

This is something that I've discovered, and I love it. Imagine a poison garden to protect yourself. 

I'm not coming to your garden. If you could curate your dream performance – venue, collaborators, anything – what would it look like?

It would be in London, at Wembley Stadium. The crowd there is always so exciting. To be able to connect with that many people is amazing. 

Who would be performing with you?

Billie Eillish. Most of my songs are fast, but I have this deep lover girl emotional version of me that would come out while singing with her. 

What would you do to celebrate? 

I would tell everybody to go home and sleep and rest. And then we go pilates in the morning. 

You belong in LA. 

And then we take ginger shots. 

What do you do to relax, give yourself flowers? 


There's something called aromatherapy. You meditate, and you put yourself in a zen state. And then you choose a specific smell, a perfume or essential oil, and you put it on your hands and smell it. Then, whenever you’re actually stressed in the outside world, you smell it, and it takes you back to the zen state. I’ve learned that. 

What’s your favorite scent? 

White musk. 

Love that. Could you give me a non-music recommendation? Something to watch, read, go, anything. 

Okay, this is gonna be like a cheesy answer. But if you're with the right person or someone you love so much… it doesn't matter. You could go grocery shopping, and it's just gonna be fun. 

Last question. At OnesToWatch, we love when artists celebrate other artists. Could you give us some recommendations of people we should be listening to? 

I've been obsessed with Reneé Rapp recently. We also watched the Lady Gaga Mayhem tour and I'm still not over it. There's a guy called Biji from Kurdistan.. Biji means "l live.” He's working very hard to do the same thing that I'm doing, but in his own way, and it's pretty cool. He's doing great. 

Awesome. And then last thing, anything you want to shout out, promote, give advice on, wisdom? 

Personally, I always look within. The more I understand myself, the more I understand the world, and how I can connect the two and do good. If you have the chance to go deeper and deeper within yourself, just go ahead and love yourself throughout and make friends with your demons, because they're here to be friends with you and to help you. And grow a poison garden.