Banoffee Is a Self-Indulgent Troll in 'Idiot'
Music

Banoffee Is a Self-Indulgent Troll in 'Idiot'

More than a year has passed since Melbourne artist Banoffee first shared her long-awaited debut, Look At Us Now Dad. A vibrant and deceptively devastating album, Banoffee showcased her keen ability to mine the depths of her own trauma, whether that be heartbreak, sexual assault or intergenerational baggage, and transform them into sparkling synth-pop gems that had us dancing along to the moments of emotional catharsis.

A global pandemic later and there's no shortage of trauma for Banoffee to mine — and today she's back with a brand new single, "Idiot," off her sophomore album, Teartracks. Described as being "for people who just want to stay indoors and aren't really willing to try and be picked up yet," Teartracks promises to dive even deeper into the highs and lows of heartbreak without pulling any punches in the process.

"I want people to cry in the car listening to this, driving at night, in the shower," Banoffee says. "I want someone to think 'I want to feel sad, I'm gonna put on Teartracks.'"

Full of washed out guitars and distorted vocals, "Idiot" sees Banoffee indulging in her more bratty, self-destructive tendencies. This song is about being messy and selfish, with lyrics like, "Could I serve myself today/ Stay in bed and masturbate/ Feel like I deserve the break." She's not making excuses, but rather embracing our own demons for what they are.

Banoffee best sums this up in the song's opening line, "I've gotta clean the house today/ The outside world just don't seem safe/ I might let myself waste away/ To feel like I have something in control." After having our lives dictated by the pandemic, any ability to regain some semblance of control, even if it's actively harmful, feels to some extent worthwhile.

"Idiot" arrives alongside a new music video directed by Phebe Schmidt, featuring Banoffee rolling around on a heart-shaped bed and generally terrorizing men. "Making this video was such a joy," Banoffee says. "Living out a dream I had about trolling tradies was such a fun experience and of course a moment on a love heart bed was crucial."

Watch the PAPER premiere of Banoffee's official music video for "Idiot," off Teartracks, out October 8th.

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Photography: Phebe Schmidt