Devendra Banhart is a Venezuelan American singer-songwriter and visual artist born in Houston, Texas. He grows up in Venezuela, where he is raised by his mother, before moving to California as a teenager.

Music

Banhart works in folk, freak folk, indie folk and singer-songwriter styles, and is associated with the New Weird America movement. His songs often use simple guitar melodies with little additional instrumentation, while his lyrics are frequently surreal, naturalistic and shaped by stream-of-consciousness writing. His early performances in New York draw underground attention, including shows where he performs with underwear on his head.

His first records are released on Young God Records in New York, including Oh Me Oh My... The Way the Day Goes by the Sun Is Setting Dogs Are Dreaming…, which is released on Michael Gira’s label in 2002 after Gira discovers him. A later album, Smokey Rolls Down Thunder Canyon, reflects his involvement in the Los Angeles artist community. He also releases music on Nonesuch.

Collaborations and projects

Banhart often joins Vetiver, and he is part of Megapuss. His full band is known as Power Mineral, a group that includes Andy Cabic, Greg Rogove, Noah Georgeson, Luckey Remington, Pete Newsom, Otto Hauser and Kevin Barker, among others. The band also uses a series of rotating names, including Fried Hummingbird, Vagina Burglars, Hairy Fairy Band, Las Putas Locas, Stoner Boner, Spiritual Boner, Bummer Hummer, Brain Taint, Love Fart, Bathhouse Of The Winds and First Woman Millionaire.

In 2005, Banhart and Andy Cabic, together with Revolver USA, create the Gnomonsong record label. He also helps curate an edition of the British All Tomorrow's Parties festival in 2006. He is among the younger musicians involved in bringing attention back to the music of Vashti Bunyan, who appears as a guest vocalist on Rejoicing in the Hands.