Black Pumas

A collaboration between producer and multi-instrumentalist Adrian Quesada and singer/songwriter Eric Burton, Black Pumas fuse cinematic neo-soul, light psychedelia, and a touch of urban grit. Rising from their studio origins to become a hard-hitting live act, the group released their debut album in 2019.
Through a mutual friend, Quesada — a Grammy-winning Austin-based producer known for his work with Grupo Fantasma and Brownout — connected with Burton, who’d been making the rounds in Austin’s singer/songwriter scene since busking his way from Los Angeles in 2015. Burton’s dynamic and soulful vocals were a perfect match for the retro-funk- and R&B-flavored tracks Quesada had been working on, and the two joined forces in 2018 as Black Pumas. Working out their material both in the studio and on-stage during a weekly residency at Austin’s C-Boys Heart & Soul Bar, they signed a deal with ATO Records and released a pair of singles, “Black Moon Rising” and “Fire” in early 2019. Their acclaimed debut LP followed in June of that year, topping Billboard’s U.S. Heatseekers chart and helping to earn the duo a Grammy nomination for best new artist. A deluxe version of their debut appeared in 2020 containing a second disc full of outtakes, live cuts, and new material. ~ Timothy Monger