Kurdish Singer BANA Delights with Fresh, Summery Single, “Tangy”

Kurdish singer and songwriter, BANA, brings us the summer treat we’ve been waiting for. Her recently released single, “Tangy” infuses the energy of summer with the freshness of an up-and-coming pop sensation.

Delivering strong vocals with a snappy chorus, BANA entertains and impresses with her debut hit. “Tangy” is a pop song about heartbreak, infused with the feel-good sound of summer. “It’s just a feel-good song,” tells BANA. “After a breakup, you wouldn’t want to listen to sad music at some point. You’d want to feel good breaking up with someone who wasn’t good for you. It sends the message of ‘you know what you lost.’”

Born and raised in Sulaymaniyah, the Kurdish city of culture and art, BANA chose to create her own path, far surpassing the expectations society set for her. “I came from a normal family,” explains BANA of her upbringing. “Everyone spoke Kurdish. I didn’t go to English school, didn’t have English friends. I taught myself English through music, movies, and pop culture.”

“The love of music was always in me,” adds BANA. “I was dancing to music at age 4, but it wasn’t until I was 16 that I started pursuing it professionally.” After seeing an advertisement for the singing competition, Kurdish Idol, BANA decided to enter the competition with an English song, accompanied by guitar. Hesitant to compete among contestants singing traditional Kurdish music, she chose to believe in herself. The day of the audition, she was instructed to sing in Kurdish, so the young BANA quickly had to learn a song before taking the stage. “I got a lot of recognition and support I wasn’t ready for,” tells BANA. While she didn’t win first place, the recognition earned throughout the competition helped BANA gain the support she needed to further her career on her own terms.

Fame at a young age came with setbacks, of course. “People were trying to take advantage of my innocence and everything I was at 17. I faced a lot of difficulties, especially as a young woman trying to chase her dreams in the Middle East. My mom raised me to be brave and follow my dreams no matter what anyone says. If I know in my heart my path is good and I’m connected to God and not hurting anyone, I’m good to keep moving forward.”

Five years after launching her debut, BANA decided to take the next step by relocating to London, first for six months, then more permanently, to pursue her career. “It was a big transition for me because I’d never traveled abroad before,” shares the artist. Yet the move has been a positive one for BANA. “I’ve been working on music that is colorful, vibey—different from what I’ve always done. My 16-year-old self would listen to the songs I have now. I’m trying to make a change for myself and touch people. I’m really excited for people to hear my music.”

“Tangy” came together on BANA’s third day meeting with her London-based producer and songwriting team. “We sat in a room with the guitar loop playing in the background and ‘tangy’ came to us. Collectively we turned it into what it is now. We wrote and recorded the song in the same day.”

This year, BANA is looking forward to sharing two more singles with fans. “I leave hints in my Instagram captions,” teases BANA. “I want listeners to listen to my music and get what they want from it. That’s who I am—I don’t want to put myself in a box. I’m always changing every day to become a better version of myself.”

Make sure to stay connected to BANA on all platforms for new music, videos, and social posts.
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