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The Evolution Of Tank And The Bangas' Unique Voice

Tank and the Bangas inside the World Cafe Performance Studio
Makena Duffy
/
WXPN
Tank and the Bangas inside the World Cafe Performance Studio

I'll never forget the thrill of watching Tank and the Bangas' submission to NPR Music's 2017 Tiny Desk Contest for the first time. The band leapt off the screen as joy and creativity personified and won as a unanimous favorite and it's been a joy to watch their star rise ever since.

Tank and the Bangas recently made its TV debut on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, an experience Tank told me she manifested years ago when she was performing on that same stage as a backup singer for Norah Jones. Tank told me about growing up on Music St. in the 8th Ward of New Orleans, and how an affinity for playing with dolls helped hone the unique roster of character voices she uses in her music. She also talked about her early days in the slam poetry scene, and shared a moving piece of a reading about the generational effects of sexual abuse. And, the whole band performed songs from its latest album, Green Balloon. Listen in the player.

Copyright 2021 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.

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Talia Schlanger hosts World Cafe, which is distributed by NPR and produced by WXPN, the public radio service of the University of Pennsylvania. She got her start in broadcasting at the CBC, Canada's national public broadcaster. She hosted CBC Radio 2 Weekend Mornings on radio and was the on-camera host for two seasons of the television series CBC Music: Backstage, as well as several prime-time music TV specials for CBC, including the Quietest Concert Ever: On Fundy's Ocean Floor. Schlanger also guest hosted various flagship shows on CBC Radio One, including As It Happens, Day 6 and Because News. Schlanger also won a Canadian Screen Award as a producer for CBC Music Presents: The Beetle Roadtrip Sessions, a cross-country rock 'n' roll road trip.
Kim Junod