Devendra Banhart stopped by WNYC Studios as the guest on New Sounds' Soundcheck to talk with host John Schaefer about his new album, Ma, and perform three songs from it: "Is This Nice?," "Carolina," and "Taking a Page." "The folk songwriter, visual artist, and poet Devendra Banhart offers tenderness, introspection, and space in music, poetry, and art," says Schaefer. You can watch the session here.

Devendra Banhart has released "Taking a Page," a fourth song from his new album, Ma, due September 13. For the song, he sought special permission from Carole King to lift a line and melody from her beloved 1971 classic "So Far Away." "I'm so glad Carole got to hear it," he says. "It's really just a song about my entire life. I can't explain it much beyond that." King's immediate response upon hearing the song: "I like it."

Devendra Banhart has confirmed eighteen European tour dates in January and February 2020 as part of a world tour in support of his forthcoming album, Ma. The European leg comprises concerts in Poland, Germany, Czech Republic, Belgium, Netherlands, UK, France, Switzerland, Italy, Spain, and Portugal, including London’s Shepherd Bush Empire on February 4.

Devendra Banhart has released the third song from his forthcoming album Ma, "Memorial." A tribute to loved ones who have gone too soon, "Memorial" explores the process of mourning. The intimacy of the recording, the sadness in Banhart's quivering vocals, and the beautiful melancholy of the lyrics showcase an artist attempting to understand death. You can watch a visualizer featuring Banhart's art from the album cover, here.

Devendra Banhart has shared a new song from his forthcoming album, Ma: "Abre Las Manos," which translates to "Open Your Hands." The song, sung in Spanish, was inspired by Banhart's relationship with his motherland, Venezuela, and was released along with a slideshow of amateur Flickr photos of Caracas and El Avila National Park in Venezuela, which you can watch here.

Devendra Banhart's new album, Ma, is due September 13, 2019, on Nonesuch Records. With tender, autobiographical vignettes, Ma displays a shift from the sonic experimentation of his previous albums to an intricate, captivating story-telling and emotional intimacy. Banhart favors organic sounds to accompany his voice and guitar, the arrangements bolstered by strings, woodwinds, brass, and keyboards. The album was produced by his longtime musical compadre Noah Georgeson and includes a background vocal from Cate Le Bon and a duet with Banhart's mentor, muse, and dear friend Vashti Bunyan. Pre-order to download the track "Kantori Ongaku," a video for which can be seen here.

Devendra Banhart has announced a 23-city North American tour for autumn 2019, beginning October 15 in Ventura, CA, and continuing through December 8 in Philadelphia, with stops in Chicago, Austin, Brooklyn, Washington, DC, and more. Banhart has partnered with PLUS1 so that $1 from every US ticket sold (excluding Austin) will go to World Central Kitchen, an organization founded by José Andrés to fight hunger around the world. With every ticket bought in Canada, $1 will go to support Rainbow Railroad to help LGBTI people around the world escape persecution and violence.

Devendra Banhart curated a series of children's workshops titled Imaginary Universes, which opened at Fondazione Prada's Accademia dei bambini in Milan in May. The inaugural workshops, titled "The Astonishing Adventures of a Celestial Archaeologist." included a short film animated by Matteo Toffalori and set to the song "Celebration," from his album Ape in Pink Marble. You can now watch it here.

Devendra Banhart begins a seven-city tour of Asia with a performance at the Guro Arts Valley Theatre in Seoul tonight. The tour, a series of duo performances with his longtime collaborator Noah Georgeson, continues with concerts in Shanghai, Beijing, Hong Kong, Singapore, Bangkok, and Kyoto. 

Devendra Banhart has been named a curator of and performer at the 2018 Le Guess Who? festival. Le Guess Who? is a celebration of sound in the city of Utrecht, The Netherlands. Dedicated to boundary-crossing music from across the globe, the twelfth edition of the festival takes place November 8–11, 2018. The artists Banhart welcomes to the festival include Vashti Bunyan, Ghanaian Highlife musician Ebo Taylor, Japanese singer-songwriter Shintaro Sakamoto, and several others. This year's other curators are Asia Argento, Shabaka Hutchings, and Moor Mother.

Devendra Banhart will lead a six-city tour of duo performances with his longtime collaborator Noah Georgeson in Asia this June, starting in Seoul on June 6, with concerts in Shanghai, Beijing, Hong Kong, and Singapore and culminating in Bangkok on June 16. Banhart will also headline the LTDOMX festival in Silao, Mexico, on May 19.

Devendra Banhart has curated a new series of workshops, titled Imaginary Universes, which open at Fondazione Prada's Accademia dei bambini in Milan this Saturday, May 5, 2018. He will personally lead the inaugural workshops scheduled for that day, titled "The Astonishing Adventures of a Celestial Archaeologist." Workshops are open to children aged four to ten on a first-come first-served basis.