Rapper Azealia Banks recently chatted with HypeTrak TV about her tenuous relationship with the fashion world:
She said, “I think that too much fashion attention as an artist can actually smother you, and it can really really distract from your music. I kind of almost got there with it where it was just fashion, fashion, fashion. I was like this fashion darling. I was putting out records and the only record that anyone would listen to was ’212′ and that was the only Azealia Banks record that anyone knew.”
She continues, “I think that fashion and style is one thing but I definitely think that branding can definitely hurt you as an artist, especially if it’s not real. If it’s not something that you really like. Like, I really like Alexander Wang and I really shop at ASOS, so it makes sense…but you can very easily get sucked up by the fashion world, because they bring artists in to kind of make themselves look a certain way, and as soon as someone new comes out, they’ve completely forgotten about you. They’re so fickle. They’ve completely forgotten about you and completely disregarded you. If you place your faith in the fashion world, you will get let down as an artist you absolutely will get let down, so it’s very, very important to remember what you’re here for.”
It seems Ms. Banks is getting a whiff of just how fake and flaky the fashion industry can be. Just like trends, what’s hot for one moment is totally out of style 6 months later (as Heidi Klum famously says on Project Runway, “One day you’re in, and the next day you’re out.”)
With a limited, yet strong body of work and questionable personal style, I’ve always been a little befuddled by the fashion world’s obsession with Ms. Banks (I told Larry Getlen of the New York Post that Karl Lagerfeld was a fan of Azealia’s because she’s, ‘trendy.‘) It seems Ms. Banks’s rapper fashion ‘it girl’ status, just like Nicki Minaj before her, might be slowly on the decline.
All the better perhaps–now she can focus on expanding her musical repertoire.
What do you think?
See her full interview here:
Spied @NecoleBitchie
January 6, 2013 11:00 am
Maybe if she got a stylist or hired a new one she would change her mind. Fashion and music goes hand and hand imo…
January 6, 2013 11:02 am
Maybe if got a new stylist and revamped her look she will feel differently…imo fashion and music goes hand and hand
January 6, 2013 12:04 pm
That’s great advice for other girls coming up behind her and nicki. The fashion world gave her a great platform it’s up to her to make the most out of that opportunity.
January 6, 2013 1:40 pm
she needs to use fashion to build her music career, plenty or artist have done it. Maybe she’s just making excuses for why her music didnt pop.
January 6, 2013 1:52 pm
I love her music, I think she’s grogeous and exciting and I like seeing her do well….but the fashion world’s embracing of her did suprise me…I don’t really think fashion when I see her, and I’ve never been fond of any of her outfits, she’s usually kind of messy and unco-ordinated IMO…but anyways. Also, she’s very contradictory. She has a huge hipster fanbase but hates hipsters, she’s famous because of her talent as a rapper but she says she thinks its tacky, she’s been embraced by fashion royalty but she says the industry is fiickle…I don’t get it. She seems to be biting th hand that feeds her.
January 6, 2013 2:31 pm
’212′ is the only song I STILL know ol’ girl from. Sad.
January 6, 2013 2:42 pm
I just read that she called Jake of the Scissor Sisters a “faggot” because he dared criticize her. She explained that the word refers to men who act like women not about men who are gay. What turnip truck did she fall off of?
January 6, 2013 5:22 pm
She is not cute, therefore she needs to be fashionable. I always said if my babies come out ugly they gon be some fly ass babies.
January 6, 2013 7:54 pm
LMAO @Jamese. Hahahaha
Anyways, I’m not a fan of this chick. I don’t even listen to rap. Next
January 6, 2013 8:00 pm
She does have a point and that has nothing to do with the way she dresses. Like most industries especially fashion and music, people tend to go after what is hot at the moment. Once your prime is gone and someone new and fresh comes along, some people don’t return your calls anymore,nobody is checking for you.
Heidi Klum was able to branch out from modeling by doing so many things and she is still on top of her game in a industry that worships youth and tends to get rid of models once they reach a certain age.
When it comes to branding, I disagree with her. Branding is what she needs to do if she wants to stay in the game and make money.
Albums are not selling anymore like they used to do. She needs to be a triple threat or become a business woman like J-lo that used her music as a platform for movies, perfumes, fashion, American Idol, etc… She is a brand.
January 6, 2013 10:10 pm
She is right. Especially if you are not a pop artists it is so much more important to kept your identity as an musician. it would probably benefit the music industry to follow individuality rather than fashion when putting out music. We miss out on some really great artists and music just because they are not or somehow can not be packaged to impress the masses.
January 6, 2013 10:48 pm
Why is this news? Even the fashion world calls the fashion world fickle. Moving on to something new every spring/summer/fall/winter. There’s no commitment in fashion. Just constant change.
January 6, 2013 10:49 pm
If the fashion world weren’t fickle, they’d all go broke.
January 6, 2013 11:44 pm
I love Azeala’s music, but her style is wack. She definitely should have used her 15 mins as fashion’s darling to make connections and come up with something better. She has a great body, she needs a better stylist and hair stylist because those wigs are the worst.
January 7, 2013 5:19 am
Honey boo! The only reason i gave this chick a second look is because Alexander Wang sponsored her. Ha ha… they got the wrong memo apparently. This chick is not only WHACK, she’s a horrible business women. Honey you are pandering to a group of people who will not buy your music. You may need to take your ass to college to understand the wonderful world of business.
January 7, 2013 9:22 am
What does she have against getting her hair done?
January 7, 2013 10:21 am
Azealia makes it so very hard for me to “super s cape” for her – I love her music & have downloaded each of her mixtapes, her music is fun & she reminds me of another artist Kid Sister.
I agree that she could have/should have used the fashion industry embrace to help create her brand and obtain a new stylist (because admittedly most times she looks a complete HAM). If I was on Azealia’s “team” she would be banned from Twitter, Instagram & Facebook IMMEDIATELY and would only use those outlets to tease her music & give performance info because really she is killing her career before it truly starts with her foolishness.
January 8, 2013 12:09 am
Ughhhh…….not feelin’ this chick at all.
January 8, 2013 2:25 pm
I too think that she’s biting that hand that feeds her. Honestly, i wouldn’t know who this chick was otherwise. and yes, i only know that one song. It’s up to her to flip that into record sales.
May 1, 2013 2:24 am
she is looking most sexiest girls. and also wearing style of that girl is awesome , she look like a Miss world 2013