AnaElda Ramos | Illustration Editor

Tank and the Bangas has continuously redefined the line between music, poetry, and New Orleans sound. The 10 person band officially formed in 2011, when the founding members met at the Liberation Lounge open mic in New Orleans. In the past 13 years, the group has released four albums to widespread critical acclaim, winning the NPR Tiny Desk Concert and receiving a nomination for Best New Artist at the 2020 Grammys. 

Since then, they have been nominated for two more Grammys and have worked with artists like Jacob Collier, Samara Joy, and Jill Scott. Their album “The Heart, The Mind,The Soul” is out on streaming platforms right now, with an expanded release with bonus content released on vinyl on Oct. 11. 

It’s hard to describe the Tank and the Bangas’ sound as they mix and cross genres so frequently, but as a whole, the band’s sound traverses a combination of hip hop, soul, and funk, all within the New Orleans influence. On tracks like “Ants” from the band’s 2019 album “Green Balloon,” lead vocalist Tarriona “Tank” Ball’s melodic, gospel-influenced voice is layered with clever spoken word for a conversational, intimate sound as she reflects on her childhood. Other songs like “Stolen Fruit” negotiate nostalgia with present identity, struggle, and prosperity.  

“If you listen to the collection of work that I’ve put out as a whole over all the years you will never, ever … be able to truly put it in a category,” said Ball.

Part of the group’s genre-crossing style comes from their diverse influences. Tank and the Bangas combines the homey, artistic feel from open mics with the rambunctious, ‘jazzerific’ New Orleans energy.

Ball’s musical influences are similarly diverse and unexpected. 

“I loved the Disney Channel. I loved Lizzie McGuire, I love Ingrid Michaelson. I love a lot of folk music. I love a lot of Sara Bareilles and Joanna Newsom. The band fun was one of my favorite bands. Of course, a lot of just gospel growing up too. So that was a lot of little interesting influences to make up Tarriona.”

Referencing the song “Am I Still New Orleans,” Ball spoke about being directionally challenged, and explained that she uses GPS to go everywhere in New Orleans. Her music echoes her familiarity but unique relationship with New Orleans too.

“[I’m] truly carving my own lane in a musical sense, even in a style sense; doing my own thing always. And it pays its own homage to the city because of how free people can be in a city.” 

“The Heart, The Mind The Soul,” which came two years after their last record, [was] special to Ball. 

“This particular project [was] a passion project of mine, a spoken word album,” she said.

The group worked with different producers on the album, who all brought their own sound to the project. 

“Since it’s organically Tank and the Bangas there, you still hear the whimsy, soulfulness, and poetry of it all coming together: it sounds like one big cohesive thing.” 

She continued, “We wanted to create a vibe. Something that you could listen to in your car, on trips, and not sound all over the place.” 

The songs flow into each other and lyrical ideas build on each other from song to song. From “A Poem Is” to “Remember” to “Am I Still New Orleans,” Ball’s presentation of the words evolves through the album, slowly transitioning from spoken word to rap and song. In the latter, Ball discusses if she can still associate with New Orleans if she, for example, “Can’t second line,” or “Only cried once at a Saints game.” 

Ball explained that New Orleans has clubs that not everyone is invited to. She grew up in the city but, she shared, at times has felt that her upbringing estranged her from her surroundings.

“I grew up in church, away from a lot of the things that were going on that speaks to the culture of the city. Sometimes it made me feel like, am I still New Orleans? Even though I already know in my heart I am,” she said.

Ball also discussed how her educational experience helped her figure out what she wanted to do. 

“I majored in education for a little while, African American Studies, Psychology. I was jumping around like it wasn’t nobody’s business. I jumped around so much that I ran out of money,” she said.

Ball recalled a meeting with the dean of her college where he said that she did not have enough accumulated credits for a major and her funding for college ran out.

“At the time I was so active at school. I was Miss Freshman at one point. I was singing for everything they asked me to sing for. And I was thinking, you’re not going to help me out? You basically took me out of class to tell me that … I don’t have enough money to complete [my degree],” she said.

Ball felt as though the university had forgotten to tell her about these issues earlier and was never given notice to fill out the financial aid forms that would have allowed her “a chance to redeem” herself in college. So she left.

Although she didn’t complete her degree, she felt the experience was still valuable.

“College gave me what I was supposed to have, which was confidence to perform. It gave me some of my best friends and … my manager,” she said. “So I think [college] did for me what it was supposed to do.”

Ball explained that she found her people in college by chance. 

“I happened to walk into the nurse’s office and there were some students in there doing poetry. ‘Oh, I’m a poet too,’” she said.

Ball advised WashU students to similarly connect with their peers in college.

“Be social and … trust that if you make yourself friendly, you can make friends and can make your own community in college and you can be whoever you want to be. That’s the coolest part,” she said.

 For students specifically thinking about a career in the arts, she recommends that they put themselves out there and pay attention to events in their community.

“Explore the community inside of college and outside of it. The open mic nights, finding that sense of community, even starting something. Looking around always to see what’s going on on-campus,” she said.

Ball is also a renowned poet, and has released a book on poetry. Since much of Tank and the Bangas’ music involves spoken word, there is overlap in their material. 

“I think just mostly being spirit led because it’s not like I just make all these poems … and it just feels right where those things should go, where those puzzle pieces should go,” she said.

Ball states that there is a poem from her first book that is now a song. 

“My songs are my poems and my poems are my songs. Whatever I choose for them to be at that moment, that’s just what they are,” she said.

“The Heart, The Mind,The Soul” is streaming right now and can be purchased at your local record store, Vintage Vinyl, with bonus content.