Tank and the Bangas is an American musical group based in New Orleans, Louisiana. The band won the 2017 NPR Tiny Desk Contest and in November 2019, they were nominated in the Best New Artist category for the 2020 Grammy Awards. They have released three studio albums, Thinktank (2013), Green Balloon (2019), and Red Balloon (2022). In 2025, they won their first Grammy for the 2024 album, The Heart, The Mind, The Soul for Best Spoken Word Poetry Album.
Members of Tank and the Bangas met at a New Orleans open mic show called Liberation Lounge at now-closed Blackstar Cafe and Books in the Algiers section of New Orleans and formed the group in 2011.
Writing in The Washingtonian, Heather Rudow described the group's work as "lively fusion of funk, soul, hip hop, rock, and spoken word." Speaking to the Times-Picayune, the musicians in the group mentioned a variety of genres they identify with, including rock, folk, gospel and Anjelika "Jelly" Joseph's invention "Soulful Disney". In addition to Disney, the group has also mentioned anime as influence on the group's "childlike" and "magical" sensibility, in Ball's words. In the Financial Times, Joshua David Stein said, "Tank and the Bangas donâÂÂt conform to the jazz stereotypes trotted out in the lobbies of convention hotels or milked on Frenchman Street. ItâÂÂs New Orleans but itâÂÂs New Orleans now."
In The Village Voice, Rajul Punjabi described the group's debut album ThinkTank as "sincere and eclectic. BallâÂÂs vocals are strong and versatileâÂÂevidence of her childhood in churchâÂÂand she coasts through sweet melodies and wide-ranging vocal undulations reminiscent of Nicki MinajâÂÂs character voices. She throws gentle shade when reminded of this â 'IâÂÂve been doing that before she came out,' she says."
Their song, Oh Heart, was featured in the BoJack Horseman season 4 episode Ruthie.
Naming Tank and the Bangas the 2017 winner of NPR's Tiny Desk Contest for their song "Quick", NPR co-host of All Songs Considered Bob Boilen said, "What won me over about the band's performance of 'Quick' were the interactions among lead singer Tarriona 'Tank' Ball and her bandmates, and the way they seemed to surprise one another. It all felt so organic and on-the-spot." Juror Trey Anastasio of Phish said, "I immediately loved this...Tank is a force of nature, just full of joyâÂÂand her band is killing in the background." The story of the evolution of Tank's voice was covered in an episode of NPR's World Cafe show for essential and emerging artists.
Performers that while not core members of the band, play with the band at live performances and on some album tracks.