The Biz With D: Interview w/ Tank + Melanie Amaro + 12 Til

Strength can often be found in the midst of struggle. It's in those moments of hardship that we fully understand who we are and what we're really capable of. Grammy Award-nominated R&B singer, songwriter, and producer Tank realized that in late 2012. While working on the TGT super group album, Three Kings, with Ginuwine and Tyrese, he simultaneously endured a string of revelatory personal shakeups.

"Those were some trying times from a relationship standpoint," he admits. "We were finally getting TGT together, and I was going through it personally. Everything was happening all at once, and it was a lot to face. I went through this headache and heartbreak, but I emerged in a better place. That's when music started coming to me. I was initially trying to hide everything behind this heavy and intense 808 vibe, and I leaned towards my strengths instead. I started playing piano and drums again as well as adding live instruments. In the past, I've only made music in the middle of a storm or on my way into one. This was the first time I made music under sunshine. I've been blessed to have a great story and testimony now."

Tank came out on the other side with that "story"—his sixth full-length solo album, Stronger [Atlantic Records]. In between releasing Three Kings and touring, he spent the better part of 2013 building his latest body of work. Whether he was on a plane, in hotel rooms, or at home in Los Angeles, he completely submersed himself in the creative process. Tank also found an inspiring collaborator in the iconic Jerry "Wonder" Duplessis [The Fugees, Shakira, Miguel]. While in Jerry's NYC studio one night, the pair simply clicked.