Zane Lowe: Azealia Banks Interview Excerpt (Nov 2014)

[Background music: '212' instrumental] [Zane] Banks you just did it! You just dropped the album, like "where's this album? Where's this album?!", and just when everyone is like "it's never..." -KABOOM!! BLAOW!!, you did it, well congratulations. 'Broke With Expensive Taste' above and beyond. Even I'm sure your most hardcore fans must have expectation your album is out. [Azealia] I'm so happy to have it out. Like, literally the minute it came out just felt like I was twenty pounds lighter. [Zane] Was there any doubt that it wasn't going to come out? At any point, through all of the stuff you've been through, was there any ever doubt that the album was gonna come out? [Azealia] No, I knew it would come out. I just was afraid that it would come out when people really didn't care, you know? Like I was afraid that it might have been like seven years before 'Broke With Expensive Taste' would come out. Because I wasn't going to leak it, you know? There were some times where I got really anxious and tempted and angry with the label and stuff like that, but... I'm really happy I held out; I'm really happy! [Zane] And you got off the deal and I'm not going to get into that because I'm sure that that has all sorts of repercussions. And I have friends who work for that record label, so -good people work there!- but um, but still, to see your name underneath the schedule of the release record... like, it's you, you did it, with you. But still that's amazing to actually have that independence, and through all the lessons you've learnt to get to that point; any regrets? [Azealia] Ahh, no. I guess I definitely regret just... no I don't regret anything. I've had so much fun! Like I've had so much fun travelling the world and, you know, touring and all that stuff. I guess, okay, one regret: I would've released 'Fantasea' as an album, instead of a mixtape. 'Fantasea' would've been my first album. [Zane] But it's still out there and it's still enjoyed, and the music is still enjoyed; and that's the thing. One of my favourite songs on the record is 'Gimme a Chance'. This is the real old-school throwback business, but with a real fresh approach, man, that whole "dun-dun-dun-dun-dun-dun-dun" -AGH it just killed me when I first heard it. I'm going to play it now - Azealia Banks. [Song played: 'Gimme a Chance'] [Zane] Azealia Banks. The album proper is out there- everyone is loving it; I'm seeing the reviews. People have, all your fans have stuck with you, those that doubted are flip-flopping dramatically. That is the reaction that you want for sure! And for good reason. It's full of ideas and it's a really danceable record as well. I mean, there's a few dark moments in 'Heavy Metal and Reflective' and stuff, 'Ice Princess', but there's a lot of really, like, fun, like upbeat stuff too- was that reflected on the record for you? [Azealia] Yeah! I think it's just, um, just really, like, indicative of where I am in my life, you know? Like, I'm young and fun, just hanging out and doing all that stuff. [Zane] And when it comes to choosing who you work with and the beats and stuff -coz I'm sure there's a lot of it- let's talk about 'Gimme a Chance', we just played that, like where did that song come from? Tell us a story about how that song come to existence. [Azealia] So 'Gimme a Chance', I actually did a version of 'Gimme a Chance' when I was 17, and that was the record that got me signed with Richard Russell at XL- [Zane] -I'm not surprised! [Azealia] -that was his favourite and, so, I did that record, and, then it kind of like floated away into cyperspace, you know what I mean? It was like, it was out and you could find it, but you had to dig for it. But for the album, I wanted to do a kind of tribute to my 17-year-old self for having worked so hard and, you know, just all this stuff that I've been through. Yeah, it was kind of just a nod, to like, the original kind of spark of my rapping. But, I'm happy to get to the next project, you know? Because I notice that every time I write, it's like exercising when you lift a weight:,your muscle gets bigger. And every time I work I get better and better, and better and better. [Zane] But can we have this just for a minute? Because... [Azealia] Yeah, you can you can you can, I promise. I am working on 'Fantasea II' and my next album. [Zane] Great and that's really good to hear, but I mean [there are] songs on there that need to be lived with; 'Soda''s fantastic, 'Desparado' was like- [Azealia] MJ. [Zane] That is crazy! [Azealia] That was originally an MJ Cole track from his album 'Sincere'. [Zane] Yeah, that's right. I knew the beat but when I heard it and you flipped it, it was like, aw man, this is exciting. It's great, man, well done. I wish we had more time, but you know, you got things to do and I know everyone needs to listen to this record. But when are you back in the UK? When are we gonna get more time with you? [Azealia] Whenever you want me to come back! I'll come back anytime. [Zane] Alright, check it out. Azealia Banks, the door is always open if you keep making records like this, always open, and I appreciate you. [Azealia] Thank you!