In just a year, singer-songwriter Banks has gone from relative unknown, producing music behind closed doors, to underground favorite and rising star.

Her first live performances ever were opening a national tour with the Weeknd. Now she's about to hit the road for her first headlining tour, in support of debut album, Goddess.

She's making a stop at Grand Central this weekend. So we here at Crossfade caught up with the soft-spoken artist to learn more about her ever-evolving sense of self and how goddesses are sometimes vulnerable even when they are strong.

See also: Review & Photos: Banks - Grand Central, Miami

Crossfade: Last time we spoke, you were opening for the Weeknd with Anna Lunoe. Back then, you were saying that was your first experience playing live. What did you learn?

Banks: It was incredible, I mean, playing on that tour was awesome. I just learned a lot, and now I'm still learning, but I'm really excited for my first album tour.

Goddess is a beautiful record, but it also has a very strong and confident title. It's a very empowering statement, as I think the music is as well. That's a departure from being the girl who was too nervous to share her music with friends. Is that empowerment a theme for you right now?:

It's just a theme in my music to highlight being human and embracing every part of who you are, every emotion that you have. I put all of my emotions into my music, so that's kind of what I think being a goddess is being fragile at times, strong at times, just human in general.

There's a lot of material on the album. How long were you working on it?

Since I was born. I feel I worked on it that long, but it was an incredible process. I just got to write music, which is all I want to do.

That makes a lot of sense, this being your debut LP. But do you mean some of these songs have been floating in your head for a while? Or just in a sense of growing as an artist?

Both, I think. My music represents who I am, and I'm constantly developing. My writing style has developed since I started writing, and it's still developing. I think the earliest out of all these songs that I wrote was "Beggin for Thread." But I meant it more in terms of just me as a songwriter and a singer. Ever since I started doing it, I think it's been a constant development and progression.

See also: Banks on Going From "Writing in My Room" to Touring With the Weeknd