Banks is limbering up for Laneway

Gillian Banks' debut album made a big impression on Rolling Stone magazine's writers.

Banks can’t wait, finds Paula Yeoman.

There will be no Lykke Li at this year's St Jerome's Laneway Festival, after the Swedish singer pulled out at the eleventh hour because of health problems. But there is Banks.

Those with their fingers on music's wildly fluctuating pulse will know exactly who Gillian Banks is and why she's one of the must-see acts this year. For the benefit of those who don't, here's Banks' past 24 months hastily and chronologically summed up in one paragraph:

The Los Angeles singer gets her big break with a label in 2013 thanks to songs uploaded on SoundCloud; in 2014 she's listed in almost every credible music publication as one of the artists to watch; she plays Coachella; she tours the world; she releases her debut album, Goddess, in September. "The f-bombing title track is something to behold," says Rolling Stone.

"I take it as it comes," the 26-year-old says of all the hoopla around her this past year. "I make music because I need to make music. The rest has been a blessing. It's been incredible. But you can't release music for any purpose other than because you love it, otherwise it gets impure and kind of muddy."

Banks has lost count of the shows she's played since her big break but admits she lacks experience as a punter. She'd only ever been to one festival before she played at any. That was Coachella.

"I didn't go to many gigs growing up. I mean I didn't start playing gigs until a year and a half ago. Music for me, my whole life, has been this private thing. It was like this individual thing that I enjoyed alone. And I wrote alone."

There is little alone time in a travelling festival such as Laneway. Banks can't wait.

"It sounds like the most fun you can have. Kind of like a travelling summer camp where you get to play music," she laughs.

As well as planning to wow the crowds, Banks also plans to make up for all those years of missed live gigs by catching as many of her fellow acts as possible - something she now makes a point of doing.

"It's funny, because when you're touring so much you live in your own little world. Seeing a gig reminds you of how amazing and fun it is.

"To be in an audience watching, it feels so big and it feels so special. I think it's one of the most inspiring things in the world - to see other artists doing their thing and being themselves in front of all these people."

St Jerome's Laneway Festivals is tomorrow at Silo Park in Auckland.