III is the third studio album by American singer and songwriter Banks. It was released on July 12, 2019, through Harvest Records. Following the release of her second album The Altar (2016) and its accompanying tour, the Altar Tour, Banks began writing material for III over a period of approximately two and a half years, primarily recording at Westlake Recording Studios in Los Angeles. During the process, she wrote around 50 songs before narrowing the track list to 13. The album was produced through close collaborations with Buddy Ross, BJ Burton, and Hudson Mohawke.
Banks announced the album's title and release timeframe in May 2019, followed by the release of its cover artwork and track listing. The album was supported by the singles "Gimme", "Look What You're Doing to Me", and "Contaminated", as well as promotional performances and media appearances. In support of the record, Banks embarked on her third headlining concert tour, the III Tour, across North America and Europe. Thematically, III focuses on self-love, emotional growth, and personal transition. The album addresses pain, intimacy, and transformation, while also engaging with cyclical ideas such as beginnings, endings, and rebirth. Musically, III has been described by critics as an emo and goth-pop production with alternative R&B elements, characterized by heavy bass, spacious percussion, layered vocal processing, and frequent use of Auto-Tune.
Upon release, III received generally positive reviews from music critics, earning a score of 76 out of 100 on Metacritic. Critics praised its cohesiveness, sonic experimentation, and emotional maturity, though some offered reservations regarding its restraint and scope. Commercially, the album debuted at number 21 on the US Billboard 200 and reached number three on the Billboard Top Alternative Albums chart. It also peaked number seven in Canada.
Background and recording
In 2016, Banks released her second studio album, The Altar, which reached top 20 in the Billboard 200 chart. She gained 513 million on-demand streams in the United States, also appearing on several TV shows including Girls and Power.[2] In 2017, she collaborated with American singer and songwriter 6lack on the song "In Between".[5] After her second headlining tour, the Altar Tour, Banks kept writing songs for III in Los Angeles' Westlake Recording Studios, although she was taking a break from the music.[2] The record was also recorded at Henson Studios in Los Angeles, a period during which Banks turned 30; she said that the milestone brought a greater sense of self-acceptance and a tendency to "giv[e] less fucks".[6] In 2019, she said that she was writing the album for "two-and-a-half years".[4]
Banks said that she wrote approximately 50 songs during the recording process, later narrowing the tracklist down to 13. She described selecting the final songs as "hardest part" of her, stating that the chosen tracks were those that best represented "all the layers of the time of making the record".[3] She stated that the process of creating III differed. Banks explained that she was in "a very different place" than she had been even two years earlier, noting: "I've grown more in the last year and a half than I did for three years. Or five." She attributed this change to having the "space and time to actually confront certain things", likening the work on the album to "changing mental scripts that are in your head".[7] Regarding collaborators, Banks said she worked with the producer Buddy Ross, who she met through her publishers. Ross later introduced her to the producer BJ Burton, and the collaboration "clicked immediately". She also worked with Hudson Mohawke, whom she described as a longtime influence. Banks emphasized that she preferred to work intensively with a small group of producers rather than collaborating with many at once.[3]
Theme
Every song is about the graphic, gritty details of my life: resentment, guilt, love, lust, jealousy, missing my mom, whatever; it's about little things.
According to Banks, III is about a "lot of self-love, learning that life is not just black and white".[4] In a press release, Banks also shared the album's theme, saying that it's "really about this transition between a girl and a wise woman",[9] adding, that "in between you go through pain and you learn people can lie and you learn those hard lessons that are quite painful".[10] Banks said in an interview with Time that "the more experiences you have and the more pain you've gone through, the wiser you become", and likened the process of confronting harmful thought patterns to "taking a shovel and digging in the mud every day".[11]
III was almost titled as Eros, a reference to the ancient Greek god associated with love and sex,[8] but Banks ultimately chose the title III to reflect the beginning, middle, and end of a part of her life.[2] It also alludes to the universe's cycle of threes, such as birth, death, and reincarnation.[12]
In "Gimme", featuring "twisted metal sounds",[13] Banks describes herself as "dripping for your love" and urges her lover to "lick it from the ground".[14]
Banks co-wrote every track of III,[15] which contains elements of emo and goth-pop.[14] According to Sophia Ordaz from Slant Magazine, it features "fresh, expansive atmospherics" that "toy with her usual alt-R&B stylings".[16]AllMusic's Neil Z. Young observed that the album is filled with "walloping bass", "spacious drum fills" and "an endless array of pitched vocal samples".[17]The Observer's Damien Morris characterized the album as moving between "trap-pop and R&B", and that its sound aligns with contemporary musical trends while retaining a distinct identity.[18] Writing for The Independent, Roisin O'Connor found that the structure of III guides listeners through "complicated yet nuanced emotions" and that the album traces a narrative in which Banks "embraces her pain", being able to "let it go" through that process.[19] The album reflects Banks' renewed focus on exploring the meaning of "love, life, and everything else" following a period of reflection, and it continues to place emphasis on style, according to Chris Taylor from DIY.[20]Will Hermes of Rolling Stone noted the record emphasizes a "darker, weirder places", featuring elements such as "menacing sub-bass distortion, suspended silences, grimey organ tones and digitally-abraded vocals".[14]Pitchfork's Noah Yoo also noted that Banks "seems eager to reestablish her footing and take greater creative risks".[13]
Music critics noted Banks' vocals on the album; Mark Kennedy described her vocal as "warm and hypnotic".[15] Sophie Ordaz noted that Banks employed her "most heavy-duty arsenal of sounds to date", with the assistance of producers, Buddy Ross and Hudson Mohawke.[17]NME editor Nick Levine observed that her "darkly seductive" sound differs from Lana Del Rey's "glacial alterna-pop".[21] Neil Z. Young found that the record continues Banks' "upward trajectory", including noticeable improvements in both her vocals and production value.[16] As noted by Ludovic Hunter-Tilney from Financial Times, the singer's vocal is "changeable", at times rendered as a "feathery whisper" before being warped by digital distortion or settling into a "slurred R&B timbre".[22]
Some critics compared Banks' sounds to her fellow artists; Aimee Cliff from The Guardian noted that III incorporates "streaming-friendly electronicsoul ballads" alongside "post-Kanye West maximalist pop".[23] Morris said the album features "layered, subtle sound" like Bon Iver and Billie Eilish, while Banks also brings "a rare, steely delicacy all her own".[18] They also noted the album's Auto-Tune sounds; Morris highlighted III's frequent use of a "ghostly Auto-Tune choir", describing it as "sighing and whispering encouragement" behind Banks' "increasingly empowered words".[18] Cliff observed that while Banks is often associated with "Auto-Tune-heavy ballads", the album includes tracks where her vocals are presented more openly, which allows her "unaffected vocal" to run free.[23] Writing for MXDWN, Mark Young noted on the opening track "Till Now" that Banks "sings a little six-note tune over and over with Auto-Tune, while warped, monster vocals are gradually layered on".[24]
As noted by Levine, III features "intricate production details" alongside "semi-cryptic lyrics" that become more apparent with repeated listens.[21] It also presents "a wiser version" of her, with lyrics that focus on "longing, love, and loss".[16]Harper's Bazaar's Amy Mackelden noted that the evolution, which Banks described as a "transition between a girl and a wise woman", is significant on III, particularly in its lyrical progress. She contrasted Banks' earlier lyric, "to think you would get me to the altar..." with the line "You are my God, my God, and when you're gone, I'm godless", describing Banks as being "in a constant state of genuflection".[9]
Release and promotion
Banks in 2019, on the Space 15 Twenty
Banks revealed the title of III along with its release month, in an interview with Billboard published on May 24, 2019.[2] Its cover artwork was released on May 30;[25] the track list was revealed on June 11 alongside the release of the single "Look What You're Doing to Me".[26][27][28]
Singles
III's singles failed to chart in any of the US charts or the UK charts. The album's first single was "Gimme", released on April 29, 2019, marking her first release since 2017.[29] Banks debuted the song on Zane Lowe's Beats 1 radio show.[30] Written by Banks, Josiah Sherman, and produced by BJ Burton, Hudson Mohawke and Kito,[31][29] it peaked at number 31 in New Zealand Hot Singles chart.[32] The next single, "Look What You're Doing to Me", was released on June 11 along with a lyric video,[33] featuring American pop project Francis and the Lights.[27]Harvest Records unveiled the third and last single "Contaminated" on July 10.[34][35] The lyric video was released through her YouTube channel on August 22.[36] It peaked at number 30 on New Zealand Hot Singles chart.[37] On September 10, Banks performed the song on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert featuring an orchestra.[38]
In support of the album, Banks launched her third headlining tour, the III Tour.[39] American musician Kevin Garrett participated in the tour,[40] which began from Toronto, Canada on September 3, 2019, to Miami on October 19.[39][41][42] The second leg started from Manchester, England on November 1, to Paris, France on November 21.[28][43] The set list was composed of 20 songs, including the starter "Till Now" and closer "Beggin for Thread".[44]
III received generally positive reviews from music critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream publications, the album received an average score of 76, based on 11 reviews.[46]
Several critics framed III as a pivotal moment in Banks' career, assessing how it builds on her earlier work while redefining her artistic identity. Narzra Ahmed of Clash described it as a progression for Banks and noted that its "more upbeat" tracks are interspersed with "softer, more delicate, heartfelt" moments that reflect a sense of duality and enhance the album's replay value.[47] Similarly, The Line of Best Fit's Rhys Harding observed an increased maturity in Banks' work. He characterized the album as "the sound of an artist solidifying her already concrete career", and suggested that she is "becoming a musician ready to take over the world".[48]The Observer writer Damien Morris called it her most impressive album to date.[18] Writing for Slant Magazine, Sophia Ordaz argued that the album "does little to push Banks' own limited" and contended that once its performative edginess is stripped away, it remains difficult to define.[17]
Other reviews focused on III's production choices and sonic textures. Pitchfork emphasized the prominent role of producer BJ Burton, whose experimental techniques—ranging from layered vocal processing to abrasive distortion—shape much of the recordms atmosphere. According to Noah Yoo, these elements amplify Banks' presence, giving songs like "Till Now" and "Stroke" a forceful, immersive quality while allowing her to project confidence amid dense low-end production. He suggested that, seven years after her debut, the album marks the end of early-career hype and creates space for artistic expansion.[13] Will Hermes of Rolling Stone also commented on the album's extreme sonic qualities, describing its "distressed" textures as striking within her broader catalog.[14] In a review for Q magazine, Rachel Aroesti similarly suggested that while III does not rival 2014's "Beggin for Thread" in terms of songwriting, it nevertheless finds excitement in its "adventurous production".[49] AllMusic's Neil Z. Yeung highlighted several tracks—such as "Stroke", "Alaska" and "Propaganda"—where stylistic shifts, including funk bass flourishes and '80s-inspired synth pop touches, alter the album's mood and hint at new creative directions. He ultimately regarded III as Banks' most accomplished statement, highlighting its emotional intensity and unexpected turns.[16] Mark Kennedy of New Zealand Herald stated that one of the album's deficiencies was that Banks' vocals were sometimes "overwhelmed" by other elements.[15]
Other reviewers questioned the album's structural coherence and stylistic balance. Aimee Cliff of The Guardian observed moments of "piercing joy" but characterized the overall mood as "scattered", suggesting that the material does not always land as effectively as the bass-heavy, vengeful template for which Banks is best known. Although her expanded range was acknowledged, not every experiment was found "convincing".[23] In contrast, Roisin O'Connor of The Independent regarded III as Banks' "most cohesive album to date", as she restricts "herself to exploring one feeling at a time".[19]DIY's Chris Taylor argued that despite her stated desire to probe deeper themes, the album often prioritizes style over substance. Particular tracks were singled out as undercut by uneven execution, with "Look What You're Doing to Me" described as cluttered and vocally constrained.[20] Nick Levine of NME characterized the album as creating a "supremely intriguing musical world", highlighting its "ear-snagging lyrics" and distinctive production details, such as the dog-bark sound effect preceding the final chorus of "Gimme".[21]
Commercial performance
In the United States, III debuted and peaked at number 21 on the Billboard 200 chart,[50][51] while also reaching number three on the BillboardTop Alternative Albums chart.[52] In Canada, the album peaked at number seven on the BillboardCanadian Albums chart.[53]
In Europe, III reached number 57 on the UK Albums Chart[54] and peaked at number 62 on the Scottish Albums Chart.[55] The album also charted in Germany, where it reached number 60,[56] and peaked at number 41 in Switzerland.[57] In Belgium, III appeared on both regional charts, reaching number 113 in Flanders[58] and number 165 in Wallonia,[59] while it peaked at number 185 in France.[60] The album also reached numbers 73 and 25 in Lithuania and Australia, respectively.[61][62]
↑The limited edition of III features a different photo of Banks.[1]
↑According to Banks, she did not stop writing songs after the Altar Tour, which concluded in 2017;[2][3] the singer said that she wrote the album for "two-and-a-half" years, in 2019.[4]
References
↑Anon. (July 12, 2019). III (Limited edition LP). Banks. United States: Harvest Records. 2577794476.
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