NEW ARTIST FINDS: BANOFFEE

Banoffee is a type of English dessert pie made with bananas, toffee, and cream. Stylized it bAnoffee and you've got the emerging artist from Australia. 

Twenty-five year Martha Brown is a bit of a paradox. Musically she combines synth-driven pop with R&B for a mixture that recalls Balearic Beats because of its house-style production with hip hop's emphasis on percussions. She literally prides herself in being "non-committal to any one genre." And yet her songs are intensely focused, combined with stunning music videos that are practically albums unto themselves. 

BANOFFEE "NINJA"

With her debut single "Ninja" and the accompanying video, Banoffee became an immediate internet sensation. It all started with Line Of Best Fit editor Dan Carson tweeting, "Everyone stop what you're doing, Banoffee's "Ninja" video has already won the week," and things quickly built to a tizzy from there.

The initial reaction took Brown by surprise, as she assumed everyone would hate it. While she was happy people liked her music, she was less enthused by the focus on her looks, especially bloggers calling her 'cute'. Brown would prefer her music speak for itself and said that all the attention on her looks made her "Very uneasy, the word cute makes me want to throw up." Overall she also felt embarrassed by the song's success since it was such a personal song.

Despite this inherent shyness, Brown has recently posted a picture of a dildo (it was Birthday Gift) on her Tumblr. Again, a paradox. Or this is probably another example of what Brown means when she says that as a female artist it's easy to get attention, but hard to get the kind of attention you want, an extension of the problem all women face in that it's easy to get noticed, hard to get respected. 

BANOFFEE "GOT IT"

In August of this year Banoffee release her self-titled debut EP, which has already delivered three stunning singles in "Ninja," "Got It," and "Reign Down."  While it may seem like she's come out of nowhere, Brown has been a part of bands since she was 15. She previously played in Aussie bands Otouto and Dreaming & Delicious, and her work as Banoffee isn't entirely a solo project. She has frequently collaborated with fellow Two Bright Lakes signee Oscay Key Sung. In fact, Brown's sister is the head hunch over at Two Bright Lakes, as well as the other founding member of Otouto. 

Inspired by the likes of Drake and Mariah Carey Banoffee puts her vocals at the epicenter of her music. The production around it is minimal and used to create a sense of space and atmosphere. 

If you haven't heard of the non-dessert version of Banoffee yet, you will soon enough.

BANOFFEE "REIGN DOWN"

About Calvin Paradise

Calvin Paradise manages to live a productive life despite a childhood of home schooling and suffering from what some doctors have called the worst case of Groucho Marx's Syndrome in recorded history.