Tank is one of the most talented, yet underrated contemporary R&B singer-songwriters still around. With over 15 years of experience under his belt, Tank has supplied R&B music lovers with timeless music.
His most recent album, Stronger, was released last summer and debuted at No. 1 on Billboard’s R&B Albums Chart. Despite the album’s success, the actual sales weren’t very pleasing. Earlier this year, Tank went on Instagram to vent about his frustrations about music.
Album Review: Tank – “Stronger”
“I’m deeply saddened and disappoint that “Stronger” will not get a video or the continued promotion it deserves,” he wrote. “I’d love to blame @atlanticrecords but that would be a lie! It’s tough for record companies to continue to fund music that people don’t support! I pride myself on giving you real musicianship, real singing, real lyrical content and being true to the music that inspired my very existence.”
Although he expressed his opinion, he made it clear that he’s not angry, he’s just tired. After Tank made his remarks, fans began to assume to believe that Tank was quitting the music industry, but that proved to be false.
On Valentine’s Day, the 39-year-old singer released an EP titled If You Were Mine. The critically acclaimed project included Tank’s rendition of popular songs from artists like Sam Smith, Adele, Justin Timberlake and Robin Thicke.
The EP will surely hold fans over while Tank crafts new music. Although he’s just getting started with his next album, Tank chatted with Rated R&B about the project. He also talked about his role in the upcoming sitcom Born Again Virgin (co-starring Danielle Nicolet and Eva Marcille), his thoughts on fan’s lack of financial support for R&B albums, his involvement with rising group 12Til and more.
Read our interview with Tank below.
You recently released your If You Were Mine EP, which featured covers of popular artists like Sam Smith, Adele and Robin Thicke. What was your thought process behind covering songs by those particular artists?
It was my manager’s idea to do some music that a lot of people are familiar with as it pertains to mainstream and the pop/R&B side of things. We wanted to tap into the [mainstream] spaces because that audience isn’t too familiar with Tank. The other part of it is a lot of these songs are just great songs, songs I wish I had written or performed originally.
Are you working on your next album?
Yes, I am currently working on the next project. It’s going very, very well. That’s really all I can say about it because I got a couple of surprises that I think are going to make this project really special. So, everybody just know that it’s in the works.
What do you believe is the reason a lot of today’s R&B albums don’t get as much financial support from fans?
I’ve kind of always eluded to the fact that love isn’t in style as it was back in my original R&B days. Love isn’t mainstream anymore. Now everything is microwave and happening so fast. Nothing really has any passion or any soul added to it. So the music kind of plays right into it. You don’t really hear a lot of passion in songs on the radio or songs that encourage the relationship or encourage forgiveness. It’s just really a sign of the times. The time dictates which music will move and not move. I just feel like we’re not in a lovefest era where R&B music can really dominate and be the soundtrack to what’s going on in people’s lives. Now, do people still want love? They do. It’s just kind of buried underground because we don’t get the mainstream support or financial backing to put us in a space where we can at least be available to be found. It’s a tough space all away around. I guess our job is to keep on doing it and keep it alive as long as possible so when people finally do need it, it’s available for them.
You’re in the upcoming show Born Again Virgin, which will premiere on TVOne this summer. Tell us about the character you play.
I play kind of like the guy next door. The temptation so-to-speak. [The main character] is trying to keep her newfound virginity intact and I’m kind of the guy who kind of opposes that. It’s kind of funny at the same time. It’s not super serious. It’s got some very fun and comedic moments as well, which makes it really cool. I’m a lawyer, well-dressed and well-spoken, and all these things.
How did you prepare yourself for this role?
When they called me about it, they were like “Hey! We got this role. We think it’ll fit you well.” I could kind of see myself in some of these roles. Outside of me not being a lawyer, kind of putting the pieces together and trying to be the temptation, I kind of do that with my music and on stage so to speak. It was just more of being true to who I am musically and not overdoing it. I think that’s the most important part when it comes to trying to define a character that already has similar characteristics…just live in the words, in the moments in the scenes.
What was your experience like filming the show?
We had fun. I’m the class clown so I had everybody crackin’ up laughing. Russ [Parr], he’s the director, he’s a full out comedian as well — full stand up and everything. We had a really good time. It was awesome.
Tell us how you got involved with rising R&B group 12Til.
One of my guys told me I needed to hear this group on YouTube. He was like, “They’re singing TGT songs better than TGT.” I said, “Man! I’ve got to go see this.” When I saw it, it was such a throwback moment to when I used to be in a group — when we used to sing the harmonies and everybody in the group could sing lead. It was one of those moments where I haven’t seen it in so long. It almost felt like it was extinct to see these young kids doing it like the way I know. It was amazing. I said “We’ve got to have them.” They could be the new voice of the generation. They could be what Jodeci or what Boyz II Men was to us to these new kids. We snatched them up and have been working ever since.
As we discussed earlier, the thought of love isn’t really a priority to the mainstream. Are you taking that into consideration as you develop this group and their music?
Absolutely. One thing about me is that I do a lot of the current music but I’m also a classic artist as well. I understand the times and I understand these guys are still kids and so the moment they want to live in, we’re going to allow them to live in those moments. We’re going to allow them to make music for those moments but they’re also kind of throwback as well. So, we’re not going to alienate the fact that they’re actually talented and they can really sing. We’re going to give them all the moments — all those young moments and then the all of those moments as real singers.
What do you believe makes a great R&B group?
Sonically for an R&B group there has to be cohesion. These guys just sound amazing together. They sound like they belong together, like they know where each voice belongs. They know who does what. You have to be more than people who trying to sing together, you have to be a family. That’s a key ingredient to being in a group — to truly want that other person in the group to win.
“Born Again Virgin” will premiere this summer on TVOne. Be sure to follow Tank on Twitter/IG at @TheRealTank.