NEW ORLEANS (AP) 鈥 Seven years ago, New Orleans band Tank and the Bangas squeezed into the corner of a classroom and recorded themselves performing their song 鈥淨uick,鈥 for National Public Radio鈥檚 Tiny Desk contest, the nonprofit's annual search for the 鈥渘ext great undiscovered artist.鈥
Their video 鈥 a lively mix of funk, soul, hip-hop and spoken word 鈥 wowed NPR's judges and won them an appearance on NPR's , helping grow their loyal fanbase. A 2020 Grammy nomination for 鈥淏est New Artist,鈥 followed, as did 2023 and 2024 Grammy nominations for 鈥淏est Progressive R&B Album鈥 and 鈥淏est Global Music Performance,鈥 respectively.
On Sunday, Tank and the Bangas will return to their home city for one of their biggest performances yet: the main stage of the Essence Festival of Culture, the world鈥檚 largest celebration of
The group has performed at Essence before, but those were miniconcerts in 鈥渟uper lounges,鈥 created inside the Superdome鈥檚 massive corridors, not the mammoth stage on the Superdome's floor.
The fact that the group will get to play on the main stage this year is 鈥渟cary鈥 and 鈥渆xciting,鈥 lead singer Tarriona 鈥淭ank鈥 Ball told The Associated Press.
鈥淭hose are big shoes to fill, opening up on the festival鈥檚 main stage," Ball said. "We played in the super lounges in the past but I鈥檓 proud to step up. I鈥檓 just doing it scared. But don鈥檛 get me wrong, I鈥檓 always nervous for the special ones. I鈥檓 excited about doing this because it鈥檚 home. That鈥檚 a big deal.鈥
The set also will infuse flavor from other artists with ties to New Orleans, including Teedra Moses, Dawn Richard and HaSizzle.
鈥淚t's going to be beautiful,鈥 Ball said of the performance. 鈥淪oulful. Poetic. We're tailoring it for that. We've got HaSizzle, Teedra Moses, Dawn Richard. We're bringing all these aspects to the stage all of whom have helped bring the city back to musical life.鈥
Ball describes their sound as 鈥渨hen Disney meets the ghetto.鈥
鈥淲e're flavorful,鈥 she said. 鈥淲e can go anywhere. Our influences are from go-go music to the old-school vibes of Stevie Wonder. I like to say we're genre-fluid. We flow between genres,鈥 she said.
Ball hopes the experience will draw new fans into their world.
鈥淓ssence is that platform for us to connect with our people,鈥 she said. 鈥淚 hope we leave them with a wow and a feeling of 鈥業 need to follow this,鈥欌 she said.
Norman Spence, the band's musical director, said the group is grateful for the opportunity to participate in the long-running festival experience but notes they're not entirely new to such a space.
鈥淲e've seen some of those types of crowds, at amphitheaters, other large festivals, at Coachella. We get around a little bit,鈥 he said, laughing. 鈥淲e have a sound that inspires people and makes people self-reflect. To see us have the opportunity to do something so monumental though ... there's a lot of gratitude there. I just can't wait to get it done. Meanwhile, I'm just going to embrace it all and just shine.鈥
Ball said she's hoping the performance will 鈥渂e impactful鈥 for attendees.
鈥淚 hope they find something that they've been listening for,鈥 she said. 鈥淚 hope they hear something and say 鈥楾hey changed my world.鈥欌
The band starts a new tour later this month that will take them across the U.S., as well as to England, Poland and Japan. Ball said they're also working on a poetry project that should drop in October.
鈥淲e're gearing up for an amazing year,鈥 she said.
