Lay Bankz Explained

Background:person
Lay Bankz
Birth Name:Layia Watkins
Birth Date:11 June 2004
Birth Place:Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Years Active:2019–present
Label:APG

Layia Watkins (born June 11, 2004), known professionally as Lay Bankz, is an American singer, rapper, and songwriter. After signing a record contract with Artist Partner Group (APG) in 2022, she released the singles "Left Cheek (Doo Doo Blick)", "Na Na Na" and "Ick" the following year. Her 2024 single, "Tell Ur Girlfriend" became popular on TikTok and marked her first entry on the Billboard Hot 100.

Life and career

Layia Watkins[1] was born on June 11, 2004, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and raised in Southwest Philadelphia.[2] [3] Her stage name is derived from her first name, Layia, shortened to Lay, Along with an acronym: "Billionaires Attract Natural Kinetix Zen".[4] She is of Eritrean descent from her mother's side and African American from her father's.[5] [6] [7] She started writing raps at age 10 and released her first song, "Passion", in October 2019 when she was 15 years old. She signed to Artist Partner Group in 2022 and released her debut single with the label, "Left Cheek (Doo Doo Blick)", later that year. She was featured on the "dance mix" of Ciara's song "Da Girls", released in May 2023.[8] She also appeared on NLE Choppa's song "It's Getting Hot" in July 2023. In August 2023, she released the single "Na Na Na". Both "Left Cheek (Doo Doo Blick)" and "Na Na Na" went viral on TikTok. Her debut extended play, Now You See Me, was also released in August 2023.[9] Her jersey club single "Ick" was released in September 2023 and also became popular on TikTok and on streaming services. She followed that success with the R&B, hip hop and synth-pop infused single "Tell Ur Girlfriend" in February 2024,[10] which became her first song to chart in the US and multiple other countries aided by a viral dance trend.[11] [12] It followed her debut studio album, After 7, which was released in May 2024.[13]

Musical style

Bankz has described her music as "every kind of genre you could ever think of".[14] Kenyatta Victoria of Essence wrote that she "merges club and R&B music".[15] Billboards Kyle Denis described it as Jersey club. Pitchforks H.D. Angel identified her music as East Coast club and pop rap, writing that her voice had an "elegant, almost synthetic quality" to it and that her instrumentals were "busy".[16] [17]

Discography

Studio albums

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Layia Watkins Trademarks :: Justia Trademarks . https://web.archive.org/web/20240506215801/https://trademarks.justia.com/owners/layia-watkins-5049949/ . 2024-05-06 . 2024-05-06 . trademarks.justia.com.
  2. laybankz . CtVgCWwA7yM . happy birthday 2 me . June 11, 2023.
  3. Web site: Davidson . Adam . 'Nobody in Philly takes you seriously unless you make them' — rising star Lay Bankz is here to stay . . December 28, 2023 . August 15, 2023.
  4. Web site: 16 May 2024 . [FEATURE] VIPER PRESENTS: LAY BANKZ ]. 31 July 2024 . vipermag.
  5. Web site: Esomnofu . Emmanuel . Meet Lay Bankz, the Eritrean Artist Climbing the Billboard Charts . . July 27, 2024 . May 20, 2024.
  6. Denis . Kyle . Lay Bankz Talks 'Tell Ur Girlfriend' Success, Taking Notes from Beyoncé & Repping Eritrea . . July 27, 2024 . May 16, 2024.
  7. Lay Bankz . bankerrz . 1701188408066908639 . September 11, 2023 . Heritage is my birth right, I'm Eritrean and African American so I will forever walk and represent both cultures with pride and determination.
    Despite your ignorance
    I LOVE BEING ERITREAN/AMERICAN . en . July 27, 2024.
  8. Web site: Rashad . New Songs: Ciara - 'Da Girls (R&B Slow Mix)' [featuring Derrick Milano] & 'Da Girls (Dance Mix)' [featuring Lay Bankz] ]. That Grape Juice . December 28, 2023 . May 11, 2023.
  9. Web site: Ech . Joey . The Break Presents: Lay Bankz . . December 7, 2023.
  10. Unterberger . Kyle Denis,Jason Lipshutz,Andrew . 2024-04-10 . Eclipse & Earthquake Songs From Soundgarden, Bonnie Tyler, Carole King & More Way Up in Streams After Wild Week . Billboard . en-US.
  11. Zellner . Xander . 2024-04-23 . Hot 100 First-Timers: Philadelphia Rapper, Singer Lay Bankz Debuts With 'Tell Ur Girlfriend' . 2024-04-23 . Billboard . en-US.
  12. Rutherford . Kevin . 2024-05-02 . Lay Bankz's 'Tell Ur Girlfriend' Spends Second Week Atop Billboard TikTok Top 50 . 2024-05-21 . Billboard . en-US.
  13. Web site: Blake . Cole . 2024-06-03 . Lay Bankz Marks Her Debut With New Project, "After 7" . 2024-06-23 . HotNewHipHop . en.
  14. Web site: Garrett . Ural . Lay Bankz Is Dancing To The Top With Her Own Soundtrack . . December 28, 2023 . September 25, 2023.
  15. Web site: Victoria . Kenyatta . Get To Know Lay Bankz, The Creator Of Viral Hit 'Ick' . . December 28, 2023 . October 27, 2023.
  16. Unterberger . Andrew . Lipshutz . Jason . Denis . Kyle . Katy Perry Bathroom Performance Goes Viral, Results in Big Gains for Four-Year-Old Single . . December 28, 2023 . October 4, 2023.
  17. Web site: Angel . H.D. . Lay Bankz: 'In My Bag' . . December 28, 2023 . October 11, 2022.

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