Devendra Banhart Artistfacts

May 30, 1981
Devendra Banhart was born in Houston, Texas, to a Venezuelan mother and an American father, Robert Gary Banhart.
His first name is a synonym for Indra, the lord of Svargaloka or heaven in Hinduism. It was suggested to his parents by an Indian religious leader, Prem Rawat, who claimed that he could impart direct knowledge of God to his followers.

"Growing up in Caracas, Venezuela, it gave me an otherness that was a bit isolating but made me feel quite special," Banhart told The Guardian. "Then on my first visit to India I realised everyone was called Devendra [laughs]. So if I lived in Bari [in Rajasthan], I'd be Dave."
Banhart's middle name, Obi, was 99% modeled after Obi-Wan Kenobi, a Star Wars character and 1% after the tampons his mother used, which were called OB.
Banhart's debut performance was in 1998 for a gay wedding at a church. He sang Elvis Presley's "Love Me Tender" and the classic hymn "How Great Thou Art."
He was engaged to Serbian-born furniture maker, illustrator, photographer and model Ana Kras for several years but they have now broken up. The title track of Banhart's eighth album, Mala, was inspired by a ring Ana gave him.
Banhart's hobby is buying old press photographs of musician's head shots from record shops on New York's Lower East Side. He told The Guardian: "It's my opportunity to have a wonderful interaction with a hero. I get a blank head shot and I can write whatever I want to myself from this person."