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Tarriona 'Tank' Ball: Tiny Desk (Home) Concert

The Tiny Desk is working from home for the foreseeable future. Introducing NPR Music's Tiny Desk (home) concerts, bringing you performances from across the country and the world. It's the same spirit — stripped-down sets, an intimate setting — just a different space.


"I'm very excited to do this, I'm very scared to do this, but I'm obviously practicing social distancing cause my group is not here." And so Tarriona "Tank" Ball of Tank and the Bangas is on the floor of her living room in New Orleans, showing us just how much fun you can have being alone. Surrounded by percussive instruments that include a suitcase, a jar of cocoa butter, a cassette box, a pen and a version of Korg's music software called iKaossilator, Tank practices her social distancing singing, "It's OK to be alone by yourself, eat by yourself, chill by yourself, read by yourself."

Just over three years ago, this band from New Orleans won our Tiny Desk Contest. Since then, they've traveled the world, put out a major label album, and like all of us, are now taking care and being careful, with Tank spreading love from her living room.

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

In 1988, a determined Bob Boilen started showing up on NPR's doorstep every day, looking for a way to contribute his skills in music and broadcasting to the network. His persistence paid off, and within a few weeks he was hired, on a temporary basis, to work for All Things Considered. Less than a year later, Boilen was directing the show and continued to do so for the next 18 years.