Lay Bankz
Lay Bankz is a Philadelphia singer, rapper, songwriter and dancer whose music brings club beats, hip-hop and R&B together, from “Ick” to “Tell Ur Girlfriend.”
At 100 nudges, fangea sends Lay’s team an official invite.
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Latest
Lay’s happenings, collected from public sources, plus their backstory and Starbook, where fans write.
Known for
YouTube
Apple Music
Spotify
SpotifyOverview
- From
- Southwest Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Name
- Layia Watkins
- Work
- Singing, rapping, songwriting and dance
- Breakout
- “Ick” and “Tell Ur Girlfriend”
- Label
- Artist Partner Group
Mini bio
How it started.
Layia Watkins grew up in Southwest Philadelphia. In a Philadelphia Inquirer interview, Lay recalled releasing a first song in 2019 and meeting future manager Kenny Blake at his barbershop while taking younger brothers for haircuts.
Finding an audience.
Music and movement grew together in Lay’s work. The 2023 EP Now You See Me brought together songs including “Na Na Na,” “Ick” and “Flowers.” A clip of Lay dancing to “Ick” at a gas station helped the song spread online, as described in Uproxx’s interview.
The breakout.
“Tell Ur Girlfriend” took that momentum further in 2024. Co-written with Johnny Goldstein and Atia Boggs, it reached the Billboard Canadian Hot 100 as a TikTok dance challenge spread. Lay followed it with After 7 and was selected for XXL’s 2024 Freshman Class.
Keep listening.
The next releases include 2025’s “Baddie Decisions” and “Vitamin P,” plus collaborations with jigitz, Sturdyyoungin and SEVENTEEN’s S.COUPS and MINGYU. In August 2026, “Tap The Bottle” appeared under both Layia and Lay Bankz, followed by a feature on DJ Diamond Kuts’ “YoYo.”
Creditschronological, newest first
- 2026YoYoFeatured artist and lyricist
- 2026Tap The BottleRecording artist, credited as Layia and Lay Bankz
- 20255, 4, 3 (Pretty woman)Featured artist
- 2025Penny PoundJoint artist and lyricist
- 2025dollaz n dollazJoint artist and co-writer
- 2024After 7Recording artist
- 2024Tell Ur GirlfriendSinger, rapper and co-writer
- 2023Now You See MeRecording artist
- 2022Left Cheek (Doo Doo Blick)Recording artist
Awards
Quotes
I’m always sharing a part of myself no matter the feeling I’m portraying.Lay Bankz, Viper interview
On vulnerability in the studio, May 16, 2024. Source linked below.
Trivia
- Lay told Viper that Bankz stands for “Billionaires Attract Natural Kinetic Zen.”
- The first song Lay remembers singing was Beyoncé’s “Irreplaceable,” according to the Uproxx interview.
- In the XXL Freshman interview, Lay talked about loving anime, skateboarding and doing musical theater in high school.
Find Lay
Follow Lay for music, dance clips and personal updates.
Are you Lay Bankz?
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