PREMIERE - Behind the Music: ‘All I Wanted Was Truth and Closure’—Banksia on Clay

This inspiring artist has touched us deeply on so many levels. Banksia’s new EP, Clay, is a truly mesmerizing soundscape that unveils the true beauty of music in an intense way. And his words, “The most important things in life? For me, it’s really simple—just be a good human being. I try to embody that every day in my life. I could never live with the guilt of hurting someone or bringing them down—that’s just not who I am,” are a moving reminder that the world needs more of this kind of kindness and authenticity. It’s truly comforting to know that a genuine soul is behind this music.

As an artist, Banksia thrives on a “no rules” approach to creativity, drawing inspiration from visual artist and composer Christian Marclay. His sound is a blend of ambient, experimental, and jazz, infused with heavy sound design and long-form compositions. Growing up in Kitwe, Zambia, and now based in San Francisco, his multicultural upbringing and experiences resonate in his music, blending together his Indian heritage and African roots with contemporary electronic production.

The new EP, Clay, released on his label Ordinary Pleasures, marks a significant departure from the club-oriented releases he’s known for. The two tracks, written in under 30 minutes each, are deeply personal, reflecting his journey through a recent breakup. The A-side features samples from Thom Yorke’s ‘Bloom’ and Indian composer Ravi Shankar, and the B-side delves into his childhood in Zambia, incorporating a vocal sample from ethnomusicologist Hugh Tracey’s archive of African folk music.

In our interview, we talk about what feels like home to him, the inspiration behind Clay, and how his upbringing influences his artistry.

Photography by Oaday Awadalla

You were inspired by visual artist and composer Christian Marclay, who plays with sound, photography, and film. Abandoning conventional methods can be liberating but also challenging. How did embracing a “no-rules” approach impact your creative process and the overall sound of the EP?

Normally, when I’m working on music, I have a pretty clear vision of what I’m going to create, whether it’s a jazz composition or a club track for the dancefloor. But when I was feeling completely uninspired, taking this “no rules” approach was my way of getting back into music and trying to express the emotions I couldn’t put into words. I was just searching for a breath of fresh air, something to reignite my inspiration.

That approach shaped the sound of the two tracks you hear—they sit somewhere between ambient, experimental, and jazz but still incorporate what comes naturally to me: heavy sound design, long-form compositions, and a focus on evoking emotion. By letting go of all the usual rules, I was able to just let everything I was internalizing flow out through the music.

I never intended for these two tracks to become an EP I’d release. For the longest time, they felt like a very personal project—almost like a journal. But I’m so happy with how they turned out that I felt like I had to share them with the world, hoping they might help someone else find peace the way they helped me.

The EP also reflects on your recent break-up. You’ve mentioned that creating it brought you peace during low times. What emotions come up for you now when you listen to the EP?

Now, I truly feel at peace. All I wanted was truth and closure, and I’ve put that chapter behind me. It’s become an era of my life that I’ve moved on from. Sure, I might talk about it here and there or it might come up in conversation, but I never let it hold me back from growing and making progress.

I don’t carry any grudges, ill thoughts, resentment, or anger about the whole situation. If anything, I’m just happy that I found peace with it, got the closure and truth I needed, and was able to understand everything from a more logical perspective.

When I listen to the EP now, it gives me a sense of relief and peace. Parts of it that used to carry so much tension no longer trigger me. Instead, they’ve transformed into something beautiful, and now I just feel excitement for what’s ahead.

“These tracks felt like a personal project—almost like a journal. I had to share them, hoping they might help someone else find peace as they did for me.”

During production, you incorporated traditional Hindu practices like meditation and prayer to restore calm and reduce stress. Did these practices make their way into the songs? Was there any particular track that was especially hard to finish because it was too emotional?

I see Hinduism more as a philosophy and way of life. A lot of modern practices like meditation, yoga, and chanting mantras come from Hindu traditions. During a really tough time in my life, I turned to meditation, yoga sessions, long walks, and reciting mantras I had memorized. These practices really helped me unwind, and after each session, I felt more mentally clear, which made it easier to deal with what I was going through and even find some of the answers I needed to move forward.

When it comes to finishing tracks, I’d say Clay [B Side] was especially challenging in terms of its arrangement. The structure of the track ended up reflecting the whole journey between me and the person, from our first conversation to the abrupt ending. But what’s interesting is that both tracks on the EP were written in about 30 minutes each, and the whole thing came together in one day. These two tracks were really emotional for me, and like I mentioned before, they were my way of expressing feelings I couldn’t put into words. Music became the outlet for all of that.

The B-side of the EP delves into your childhood in Kitwe, Zambia. What are some of your most vivid memories from growing up there?

Growing up in Zambia was an incredible experience. I went to a boarding school about four hours away from where my family lived, and there was always this strong sense of family, community, and unity among the people. Zambia is such a beautiful country—not just in terms of its nature but also its culture and the warmth of its people. It’s one of the most peaceful countries in Africa, if not the most.

Some of my fondest memories are the connections I made with people, my time at boarding school, and being out in nature. Even now, almost 20 years later, I’m still friends with many of the people I went to primary and secondary school with. Those bonds have really stood the test of time.

“Music became my escape. In those moments, nothing else mattered—just happiness in that space, and that’s where I found my peace.”

One of the tracks features a vocal sample from ethnomusicologist Hugh Tracey’s archive of African folk music recordings. How did you come across his work, and what made you want to include it in the EP?

I first came across Hugh Tracey’s work while digging through library archives of African music. There are a few other electronic artists who have sampled Tracey’s recordings, and that’s always been inspiring to me. Being from Africa, the chants, the songs, the traditional practices all resonate deeply with me, so it felt completely natural to incorporate them.

When it comes to sampling, I see it as a way to jam with my favorite artists or sound sources, even if they’re not physically there. Sampling from the Hugh Tracey archive was like traveling back to the time those recordings were made, and imagining myself in a band, jamming along to the folk music in my own style.

You’ve lived in San Francisco for a while now, but you were born in Manchester and have Indian roots. Where do you feel most at home, and where do you envision growing old?

Honestly, home for me isn’t about a physical address—it’s wherever my mind and heart are in that moment. Right now, for me, that’s San Francisco. I’ve moved around so much and had such a unique upbringing that I don’t get attached to a specific location, but more to the people who are there. Right now, my friends, family, colleagues, and so many of my inspirations are in San Francisco, so this is where I feel happiest.

I love being able to see the people I care about, and the music scene here is so inspiring. There are all these different pockets of music, and so many grassroots movements happening. As an independent artist, it feels great to know I’m not alone—there are so many others doing their own thing too. It’s like we’re all on this journey together, even though we’re each following our own path.

“All I want is to live a noble life. If I leave a legacy, I’d want it to be about kindness, honesty, and loyalty.”

How did your journey into music begin? Did you always know that music would be your path, or was it something that developed over time?

Music has always been a part of my life, whether it was at school, at home, during religious praise and worship, on my iPod, or even having competitions with friends over who had the latest songs or the biggest music collection. But for the longest time, I was just a casual listener and consumer.

It wasn’t until 2015, when my dad passed away, that I fully committed to music. Instead of turning to things like drugs or alcohol to cope, music became my escape. Whenever I was playing shows, attending them, or writing music, I felt like I could lose myself in the moment. In those times, nothing else mattered—there was no negativity, just happiness in that space, and that’s where I found my peace.

Outside of music, what are some of the things you really enjoy doing in your free time?

I love cooking and hosting! If I hadn’t pursued music, I think I would’ve gone down the path of becoming a professional chef. My dream is to one day own a restaurant, a wine bar, and a cafe—each as their separate spot. I’m a huge foodie, and there’s something about feeding and hosting people that brings me so much joy. Besides that, I love painting, drawing, taking Polaroids, and traveling. And, of course, occasionally, I’m not opposed to a good lazy day where I can binge-watch an entire season of a show on Netflix!

Finally, what would you say are the most important things in life?

For me, it’s really simple—just be a good human being. I try to embody that every day in my life. All I want is to be a genuine person and live a noble life. If I were to leave this earth and my legacy was to live on, I’d want people to remember the goodness and the noble life I lived, where kindness, honesty, and loyalty were what I practiced. I could never live with the guilt of hurting someone or bringing them down—that’s just not who I am.