Serpentina (album)

Serpentina is the fourth studio album by American singer and songwriter Banks, released on April 8, 2022 through AWAL and Her Name Is Banks Inc. Developed largely during the COVID-19 pandemic, it was written and recorded while Banks was living in isolation, a period she later described as both emotionally difficult and creatively transformative. She recorded the album at Fortress of Amplitude, Larrabee Sound and Wedidit Studios, and used the time to focus on songwriting, co-producing, and learning music production.

For Serpentina, Banks worked with a smaller, hand-selected group of collaborators—primarily Shlohmo and Tālā—departing from her previous practice of collaborating with a wide range of producers. She also chose not to seek feedback or approval from management during its development, and the release marked Banks' first project as an independent artist following her departure from Harvest Records. An alt-pop album with experimental R&B elements, Serpentina blends elements of R&B and electro-hip-hop, which pairs Banks' restrained vocals with dramatic, bass-driven production and drawing on themes of sensuality, rebirth, independence, and emotional release. It also spawned six singles, including the lead single "The Devil" in July 2021, followed by "Skinnydipped", "Holding Back", "I Still Love You", "Meteorite", and "Deadend". Banks embarked the Serpentina Tour in mid-2022 in support of the album.

Serpentina received generally favourable reviews from music critics, holding a score of 70 on Metacritic. Reviewers highlighted its dramatic production, pop accessibility, and themes of reinvention, though some criticism was directed at its stylistic cohesion. Commercially, the album charted on multiple UK charts and reached the top 100 of Billboard's Top Current Album Sales chart in the United States.