Artists often draw from personal struggles to fuel their creativity, and Stevie Bankster is no exception. The Greek-Australian artist released his latest single, Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing earlier this month.
The song honours his journey of self-love, confronting impostor syndrome, and overcoming self-sabotage.
“I think in the past seven years I’ve done a lot of growth, self-development and self-discovery, and so now I feel like this is the body of work that I’m going to release, and this song is embodying who I am as a person,” said Stevie Bankster to Neos Kosmos.
Turning emotions into art
As an independent artist, Bankster admitted he struggled to find the “spark” to release new music, especially due to COVID and other “factors.”
After a long hiatus, he felt “nervous” about returning to the studio, but decided to write about “whatever comes out.”
“I ended up writing about the imposter syndrome that I was feeling, the lack of confidence, and even the self-sabotage,” he explained.
“I think we all have these kind voices in our head that cause us to question ourselves and I think it’s about which voice you decide to feed more…I kind of I used those negative feelings to write something constructive, deep, and empowering for myself.”
Despite the negative feelings, he said returning to the studio, was”life-changing”, and “reawakened” a part of him.
“I just felt like another side of me that maybe had been dormant or asleep for a while, came alive again and I felt really at home. I think that’s a big part of why there was self-doubt because I hadn’t been in that space for a while to trust my instincts and my creative intuition.”
With elements of “R&B, pop, and a bit of soul,” Bankster’s song features “smooth vocals” and introspective lyrics that explore the internal struggle between self-growth and insecurity.
His passion for storytelling comes in many ways.
For his new single, he also released a music video based on a concept he developed that tells a story—his brainchild “brought to life.”
Embracing identity
When he was younger, Bankster struggled with his Greek heritage and even tried to “reject” it, feeling it didn’t “fit in” or “align with what was popular.”
“As I’m getting older, I’ve really felt connected to the Greek music.”
The Greek Australian said the “backing vocals and hums” in his new track remind him of the singing in a Greek church, which might come as no surprise, given that the studio he worked in was located across from one.
Embracing his Greek identity wasn’t Bankster’s only challenge, his love for music also made his school years “turbulent.”
“I was bullied quite a lot because I pursued music at such an early age and it’s quiet, I don’t know different for a kid to be singing on stage.”
What once made him a target has now become his source of strength and creativity.
Through his music, Bankster hopes to inspire others to “embrace sensitivity and emotions.”
“I want to empower people not to question themselves and to be their own biggest fan, and that you can be humble when you’re doing that. […] My goal is always to create a safe space for people to feel like they’re not alone.”
Chasing dreams
Bankster’s passion for music pushed him to seek opportunities beyond Australia so after winning a competition on a performing arts website, he headed to LA.
The week-long prize experience in Hollywood helped him “solidify” his identity as an artist and gave him the confidence “to pursue songwriting seriously” and view himself as a dedicated creative.
While Melbourne and Australia have “amazing talent,” Bankster said there is “just something in the air in LA where everyone’s chasing a similar dream,” which he found really “inspiring.”
About eight or nine years ago, he released his first project in Melbourne—a collection of four or five songs that reflected his “creative expression” at the time.
A few years later, he released four singles written and recorded in Nashville, completing all the songs in just five days.
Along with sharing his new music and creating visuals, Bankster has his sights set on one more goal.
“I would love to represent Greece or Cyprus in Eurovision. I think that that would be an amazing opportunity, and I think it’s such a fun, energetic competition.”
