Tarriona “Tank” Ball

“People around me need to feel good, and I want to entertain them so they feel those good spirits. I go to Germany, Japan, anywhere, and I feel like I bring New Orleans with me,” Tank Ball, the spirited frontwoman of Tank and the Bangas, told us proudly. Ball’s mesmerizing, warm, and kind words are directly representative of the way she makes her audiences around the world feel. As evidenced by a Grammy nomination as well as numerous other awards, Ball’s ability to connect with her audience on such a personal level through her craft is a rare gift, one that is only granted to the best artists. Even more inspiring to us, however, was the story of her come-up, the story of how a New Orleans girl grew up to become a confident, influential award-winning artist.

Tarriona “Tank” Ball was born and raised in New Orleans and lived most of her childhood in the 8th Ward. As a child, Ball was considerate, artistic, and friendly as well as shy and self-conscious, she told us. When describing her time living on Music Street, Ball emphasized how lively her neighborhood was—how everyone knew each other, there were plenty of adorable pets, and she’d bike around with her friends. Though her childhood in the 8th Ward was impactful and very fun for her, it wasn’t the safest neighborhood. Ball’s family eventually moved to New Orleans East for a more sheltered life, including a better school for Ball and her sisters.

As for growing into her artistic ability, vocal talent flowed in Ball’s blood as her father and sisters all sang. She describes singing as an “organic” experience. However, in the beginning, Ball was not confident in her singing abilities and used to mimic her sisters. But she was tenacious, kept trying, and continued believing in herself because she knew musical talent was in her genes. She disclosed to us that she always wrote better than she sang, was a writer growing up, and liked to participate in slam poetry contests. If Ball wouldn’t have become a singer, she would have been a teacher, she told us. She even went to college to realize her dream of being an educator, but life, of course, had different plans for her.

What do you wish you had known when you were 13?

“I was on the path I was supposed to be on and tried everything I wanted to do so I was good, but my advice to girls would be to believe. Believe, believe, believe. Don’t take so long to believe that everything and anything is possible for you—it really is.”

When asked about the most defining moments of her life so far, Ball quipped that “being born” sure was one of them before taking on a more serious tone and sharing that her dad passed away early and that her sisters took on a big role in her life. She sometimes wonders how she, and her life, may have turned out differently if her dad had been around for longer, but she also acknowledged the tremendous positive influence her sisters had on her.

When reflecting on how being based in New Orleans has influenced her personal musical style, Ball described herself as being shaped by New Orleans and that above all else, as an artist in New Orleans “you have to entertain,” you’re there to make people feel good. She went on to explain that in New Orleans there is a lot of struggle and poverty, but the “richest person can have a good time and the poorest person can have a good time because that’s how our city is made up.” Ball added that while there are clubs that charge a cover fee, there are also so many bands and street artists playing for anyone’s enjoyment out in our community. She knows that the culture of New Orleans plays a part in the personality of everyone who has ever lived here—whether “they claim it or not.”

TANK’S TOP 5 FAVORITE SONGS

“For All We Know” by Donny Hathaway • “Someday We’ll All Be Free” by Donny Hathaway • “Everlasting Love” by Tony Terry • “I Never Dreamed You’d Leave in Summer” by Stevie Wonder • “Keep Our Love Alive” by Stevie Wonder

There are women in the music industry who don’t fit a certain aesthetic, and because of this, they face a multitude of challenges. Maintaining self-confidence in such a harsh climate can be hard. Ball pointed out that it can be easy to forget how beautiful you are, no matter your skin color or body shape. You need to know you are worth it, she said, and that “you are meant to be here.” To thrive in the music industry as a female artist of color, you have to unapologetically be your creative self, Tank believes. Her tips: Remember to remind yourself of the beautiful qualities you possess, maintain a positive, self-loving and caring attitude towards yourself. And hey, as Ball put it, “If they won’t carve out the place for you, you carve it out yourself.”

Ball is a woman in the spotlight, which means that she is helping shape an ever-evolving female image. She hopes to actively contribute to a broader representation of female talent while sharing her happiness and spirit with her fans. She wants women to feel pretty, sexy, and to be completely comfortable in their own skin. Through her music, her presence, and stunning photographs of her, she is showing, not just telling. She is making women who don’t fit a common aesthetic and have a unique style feel represented, seen, and elevated. As a young female teen, it is special to grow up consuming positive media that show other people who don’t fit into a box of physical expectation and to see them in all their glory.

To state the blatantly obvious, Tarriona “Tank” Ball is a shero. She grew into the strong and wonderful woman she is today by devoting herself to her art and work, surrounding herself with loved ones and inspiring people who aid her and lift her up, by always learning along the journey and believing in herself. Perhaps surprisingly, another key element to her growth as a person, musician, and shero has been her vulnerability. Expressing one’s inner thoughts and feelings for everyone to hear and see the way Tank Ball does is nothing short of courageous.

What do you do when you’re feeling down and discouraged?

“Sometimes I go on someone’s Instagram page that’s full of positive quotes, and other times I just put my phone down. Your feed can affect you. Ask yourself: What are you feeding yourself? What are you internalizing? Your diet is so many things. It’s not just what you’re eating; it’s what you’re watching, what you’re listening to, the conversations you’re having, it’s all of that.”

Kayla Andrus, 18, a recent graduate of Mount Carmel Academy, Anisha Mohapatra, 17, of Benjamin Franklin High School, and Samarah Bentley, 15, of Lycée Français de la Nouvelle-Orléans are members of Geaux Girl!’s Teen Advisory Council and interviewed Ms. Ball via Zoom (of course) for this profile story.