Austin's Black Pumas blend cinematic neo-soul with light psychedelia and a measure of urban grit. The ensemble built a reputation for intense live shows while issuing their acclaimed 2019 debut Black Pumas, which earned multiple Grammy nominations that included Record of the Year and Best American Roots Performance. After the Grammy-nominated Capitol Cuts (Live from Studio A), the band issued their second studio album, 2023's Chronicles of a Diamond.
Black Pumas originated in 2018 as a partnership between producer and multi-instrumentalist Adrian Quesada and singer/songwriter Eric Burton. Before the alliance, Quesada had already established himself as a Grammy-winning Austin-based producer through projects with Grupo Fantasma and Brownout. Burton, for his part, had performed regularly across Austin's singer/songwriter circuit after arriving from Los Angeles via busking in 2015. A mutual acquaintance brought them together, revealing that Burton's dynamic and soulful vocals aligned seamlessly with the retro-funk- and R&B-flavored tracks Quesada had developed. They refined their songs through both studio sessions and weekly performances during a residency at Austin's C-Boys Heart & Soul Bar, then secured a contract with ATO Records that yielded the early 2019 singles "Black Moon Rising" and "Fire." Their self-titled debut Black Pumas arrived that June, ascended to the top of Billboard's U.S. Heatseekers chart, and secured several Grammy nominations for the duo, among them Best New Artist, Record of the Year, and Best American Roots Performance. A deluxe edition of the debut surfaced in 2020, adding a second disc of outtakes, live recordings, and fresh material.
Additional Grammy nominations arrived with 2021's Capitol Cuts (Live from Studio A), recognized in the categories of Best Rock Performance and Best Rock Album. The group reemerged in 2023 with their second full-length studio release, Chronicles of a Diamond. Quesada handled production while Shawn Everett managed mixing, and the record broadened their robust psych-soul rock through symphonic touches. It peaked at number 69 on the Billboard 200, number 14 on both the Top Rock Albums and Independent Albums charts, and earned a Grammy nomination for Best Rock Performance for the track "More Than a Love Song."
