Search / NPR Tiny Desk Concerts / Season 12 Episodes E01 Miguel Zenón feat. Spektral Quartet
2019-01-04
The saxophonist is a big thinker whose mesmerizing compositions chronicle the music of his native Puerto Rico with the help of an adventurous jazz quartet.
E02 Buddy
2019-01-09
The preacher's son from Compton brought his flair for the dramatic, and an air of rebellion, to the Tiny Desk.
E03 Carolina Eyck and Clarice Jensen
2019-01-11
Carolina Eyck, the first artist to bring a theremin to the Tiny Desk, plays the air with the kind of lyrical phrasing and "fingered" articulation that takes a special kind of virtuosity.
E04 Aaron Lee Tasjan
2019-01-15
Aaron Lee Tasjan arrived in an ascot and mustard-colored shirt, sporting red, round sunglasses and mutton chops. It was a fashionable nod to the psych-pop and rock sound he brought to the Tiny Desk.
E05 Nate Wood - fOUR
2019-01-16
The multi-instrumentalist says he only wishes he had more limbs; but Wood still manages to simultaneously play a bass guitar, keys and drums, all while singing into a wearable microphone.
E06 Stella Donnelly
2019-01-22
Watch the Australian singer-songwriter perform three new songs from her upcoming full-length debut, Beware of the Dogs.
E07 Blood Orange
2019-01-29
This Blood Orange Tiny Desk is a beautifully conceived concert showing off the craft and care that has made Devonté Hynes a groundbreaking producer and songwriter.
E08 Cat Power
2019-02-04
Chan Marshall and her band perform a brisk and beautifully orchestrated medley of Cat Power songs: "Wanderer," "Woman" and 2006's "The Moon."
E09 Kurt Vile
2019-02-06
Kurt Vile and his musical mate, Rob Laakso casually lose themselves in complex guitar lines that are effortlessly beautiful and lyrical.
E10 Lau Noah
2019-02-11
There's a magical aura that surrounds Lau Noah as she sits behind the Tiny Desk and unspools thought-provoking story-songs.
E11 Mountain Man
2019-02-13
The voices of Amelia Meath, Molly Erin Sarlé and Alexandra Sauser-Monnig come together behind the Tiny Desk, with songs that conjure a simpler life: dogs, friends, moonlight or skinny dipping.
E12 Scott Mulvahill
2019-02-18
Scott Mulvahill has been trying to win the Tiny Desk Contest for each of its four years. And while he's never won, we all loved him so much we had to invite him to play.
E13 The Pedrito Martinez Group
2019-02-20
The Afro-Cuban percussionist mesmerizes with his almost otherworldly talent on congas.
E14 Natalie Prass
2019-02-25
Decked out in matching, cobalt blue outfits, the singer and her band had a clear vision: If you want to overcome the times, find strength in numbers.
E15 Zaytoven
2019-02-28
The Atlanta trap super-producer and son of a preacher man saved the day with a soulful Tiny Desk.
E16 Phony Ppl
2019-03-04
The Brooklynites stand out for their inventive and seamless blend of jazz, R&B and hip-hop.
E17 Meg Myers
2019-03-06
Myers replaces her album's roaring electric guitars and electronics with a pulsing string quartet, piano and brushed drums — and uncorks a cover of Kate Bush's "Running Up That Hill."
E18 Leikeli47
2019-03-11
The artist came to the Tiny Desk masked up, as always, the better to catch a glimpse of her soul.
E19 Kaia Kater
2019-03-13
Multi-hyphenate artist Kaia Kater uses the architecture of roots music, which she studied in West Virginia, to establish a simultaneous dialogue with both the present moment and her own past.
E20 Nao
2019-03-18
The U.K.-based singer-songwriter takes the Tiny Desk on a cosmic journey through her Saturn return.
E21 Alejandro Escovedo
2019-03-20
The veteran rocker and a backup band from Italy play songs from their album The Crossing, chronicling an American Dream of rock and roll and Beat poetry.
E22 &More (Chill Moody & Donn T)
2019-03-25
Philadelphia Rapper Chill Moody and singer Donn T, along with their crew known as &More, were one of the standout entrants in last year's Tiny Desk Contest. They bring a message of hope and love.
E23 Andrea Cruz
2019-03-27
The singer from Puerto Rico is part of a movement on the island that emphasizes largely acoustic instruments and a folk-based approach to interpreting life before and after the hurricane of 2017.
E24 Weezer
2019-04-01
Performing unplugged, the band forgoes its usual meticulousness in favor of a shaggy, entirely acoustic mix of new songs and '90s-era deep cuts.
E25 Courtney Marie Andrews
2019-04-03
It was a day when sunlight drenched the office and the songs of heart from Courtney Marie Andrews felt right at home.
E26 Georgia Anne Muldrow
2019-04-08
The R&B singer from Los Angeles is all about showing and spreading love.
E27 Karine Polwart Trio
2019-04-10
Scottish singer, songwriter and essayist Karine Polwart seldom comes stateside, eschewing air travel to reduce her carbon footprint. But on a rare, recent visit, she stopped in D.C. for a Tiny Desk.
E28 Gary Clark Jr.
2019-04-16
These three songs, from Clark's incendiary new album This Land, roar with the assurance and force of a showman at the top of his game.
E29 Theodore
2019-04-17
The music of Theodore is dark and transformative, with the kind of spare elegance you can hear in Sigur Rós or Pink Floyd.
E30 The Calidore String Quartet
2019-04-22
The Calidore String Quartet confirms that the centuries-old formula — two violins, a viola and a cello — is still very much alive and evolving.
E31 Better Oblivion Community Center
2019-04-24
Tiny Desk alums Conor Oberst and Phoebe Bridgers surprised us all with their stunning collaboration this year as Better Oblivion Community Center. Together they radiate joy at the desk.
E32 Toro Y Moi
2019-04-29
Toro y Moi loses the voice processing, synths and other heavy effects for a stripped-down acoustic set at the Tiny Desk.
E33 Laraaji
2019-05-02
Laraaji is best known to some for his ambient work with Brian Eno in the late '70s. He brings his meditative calm to the Tiny Desk in this hypnotic performance.
E34 Thou
2019-05-06
This is probably the quietest you'll ever hear the first metal band to play the Tiny Desk.
E35 Ohmme
2019-05-09
These classically trained artists fill the NPR Music offices with shrieking, rhythmic noise that redefines what an electric guitar can do.
E36 Magos Herrera and Brooklyn Rider
2019-05-15
Watch what happens when the smoky-voiced jazz singer from Mexico conspires with an adventuresome string quartet for songs steeped in Latin American traditions.
E37 Ensemble Signal Plays Jonny Greenwood
2019-05-20
Watch members of the New York-based group give the world premiere video performances of two recent pieces by Radiohead guitarist and composer Jonny Greenwood.
E38 Jeremy Dutcher
2019-05-22
There is no one making music like this 27-year-old, classically trained opera tenor and pianist. Watch and see why.
E39 Lucky Daye
2019-05-28
Hailing from New Orleans with a love of sticky, bass-bumping funk, Lucky brought along a 10-person band, including a quartet of horns, to capture the full flavor of his debut album Painted.
E40 LADAMA
2019-05-30
The group unites sounds from Brazil, Colombia and Venezuela, with a dash of New York City thrown in.
E41 Quinn Christopherson
2019-06-03
Quinn and his musical partner, guitarist and singer Nick Carpenter, arrived from the cool of Anchorage to the swelter of D.C. and performed with remarkable confidence and grace.
E42 Tomberlin
2019-06-06
Tomberlin is the daughter of a Baptist pastor, grew up singing in the church and, since her teens, has questioned her own beliefs in God and faith. Her songs are delicate and vulnerable.
E43 Sesame Street
2019-06-10
Big Bird, Bert and Ernie, Elmo, Grover, Rosita, Count von Count, Abby Cadabby, Cookie Monster and other surprise guests gather at NPR's headquarters to celebrate 50 years of love, learning and joy.
E44 Foxing
2019-06-12
Foxing is at the forefront of an emo revival, heavily influenced by late-'90s and early 2000s groups like Sunny Day Real Estate and American Football.
E45 IDLES
2019-06-18
The British madmen brought fury, cathartic rage and deep thoughts to the Tiny Desk for one of the loudest, most raucous performances in memory.
E46 Imogen Heap
2019-06-20
Imogen Heap takes us through her many musical talents, from her Frou Frou musical partner, Guy Sigsworth — and their first new song in 17 years — to an extraordinary performance with musical gloves.
E47 Tasha Cobbs Leonard
2019-06-24
Tasha Cobbs Leonard is widely regarded as one of the best gospel singers performing today. Her set at the Tiny Desk moved many at the NPR offices to tears.
E48 Betty Who
2019-06-26
Betty Who brings Roséwave, sun's-out pop to the Tiny Desk with all the usual studio production stripped away.
E49 Be More Chill
2019-07-01
On Broadway, Be More Chill is a playful burst of frenetic energy and silly, stealthy sweetness. At the Tiny Desk, it holds onto that rowdy, generous spirit while stripping down the arrangements.
E50 Saint Sister
2019-07-03
The group from Ireland makes music that mixes the organic with the electronic, starting with a large, 34-string lever harp.
E51 Miya Folick
2019-07-05
Miya Folick was raised a Buddhist in Santa Ana, Calif., and is of Ukrainian and Japanese descent. She sings of conviction, not fiction.
E52 American Football
2019-07-08
Who would've thought that American Football's fruitful reunion would not only include some of the emo band's best songs, but also a children's choir at the Tiny Desk?
E53 Sting And Shaggy
2019-07-10
The two musical legends brought plenty of joy to the Tiny Desk, with an unexpected collaboration that works surprisingly well.
E54 Erin Rae
2019-07-12
Every time she performs live, Erin Rae transforms her quiet storms into different hues of squalling introspection.
E55 Priests
2019-07-19
The punk-infused art band from Washington, D.C. brings a kinder, gentler and sparer version of the group's music to the Tiny Desk.
E56 Jacob Collier
2019-07-22
As the NPR staff gathered to watch his performance, Jacob Collier sprinted full bore down the hallway for his set, hardly able to contain his creative energy or enthusiasm.
E57 Masego
2019-07-24
The spirit of Cab Calloway lives on in Masego, the singer, producer and multi-instrumentalist who surprised NPR's Tiny Desk audience with a zany sense of showmanship.
E58 Tamino
2019-07-26
Tamino possesses one of the most remarkable and memorable voices to ever grace the Tiny Desk.
E59 Lizzo
2019-07-29
Backed by a band assembled just for this occasion, the breakthrough pop icon performs three joyfully showy songs from Cuz I Love You.
E60 Calexico And Iron & Wine
2019-08-01
The two bands just released Years to Burn, their first album together since 2005. Now, they've performed three songs — two new, one old — for Calexico's Tiny Desk debut.
E61 iLe
2019-08-03
The Calle 13 veteran, fresh off her appearance at demonstrations in Puerto Rico, performs three songs that rage with revolutionary intensity.
E62 Bas
2019-08-05
Bas came to the Tiny Desk to get it, and — in a breathless four-song set — he did exactly that.
E63 David Crosby & The Lighthouse Band
2019-08-07
David Crosby, Becca Stevens, Michelle Willis and Michael League are The Lighthouse Band, and together they harmonized the heck out of the Tiny Desk.
E64 Among Authors
2019-08-09
Among Authors' music isn't casual; there are songs within these songs, and they're not always catchy. They'll take you on a journey worth following.
E65 half•alive
2019-08-12
How does half•alive, known for funky earworms and synchronized dancing, translate to such a cozy space? Have the dancers sit.
E66 Kian Soltani
2019-08-16
Watch a young cellist on the rise, offering music of virtuosity, sweet lyricism and a little fire from his Persian roots.
E67 Tobe Nwigwe
2019-08-19
The Houston-based rapper's mindful words are like a life hack for anyone seeking guidance, with pleas to look past inherent hardships and evil and to stay focused on life's ultimate prizes.
E68 Nicole Bus
2019-08-21
Nicole Bus' sound is reminiscent of vintage R&B, yet still feels current and capable of transcending age and demographics.
E69 Mandolin Orange
2019-08-23
Andrew Marlin and Emily Frantz made everything seem so easy, with just a few acoustic instruments and a single microphone behind the Tiny Desk, performing songs full of joy and thoughtfulness.
E70 47SOUL
2019-08-26
47SOUL's message of equality is meant for the world. It's music without borders, mixing old and new, acoustic and electronic from a band formed in Amman Jordan, singing in Arabic and English.
E71 Dan Tepfer
2019-08-29
The pianist and programmer has transformed the acoustic piano into his duet partner.
E72 The-Dream
2019-08-30
The singer and mega-hit songwriter showcases three of his own tracks, including "I Luv Your Girl" and two songs from Ménage à Trois: Sextape Vol. 1, 2, 3.
E73 A-WA
2019-09-03
The three Israeli sisters in A-WA mix Yemenite and Arabic traditions with splashes of reggae and hip-hop.
E74 The Tallest Man On Earth (2019)
2019-09-06
The Tallest Man On Earth's second appearance at the Tiny Desk comes almost 10 years to the day after his first. He returns with a touch of grey and a beard, but no less intense or moving.
E75 Damian 'Jr. Gong' Marley
2019-09-09
With eyes shut, Marley dug deep into the healing power of music with songs from his 2017 album Stony Hill.
E76 Come From Away
2019-09-11
Sixteen performers from the Broadway cast crammed behind the Tiny Desk to sing songs and share stories about thousands of airline passengers who were stranded in Newfoundland after 9/11.
E77 Rhiannon Giddens
2019-09-16
Giddens shares songs from her latest album, There is No Other, in an emotional and transfixing performance at the Tiny Desk.
E78 Nilüfer Yanya
2019-09-18
There's a hush to the music of Nilüfer Yanya that made the Tiny Desk the perfect stage for her sound.
E79 Y La Bamba
2019-09-20
Y La Bamba returns for its second Tiny Desk performance with a revised musical vision.
E80 Rosanne Cash
2019-09-23
Roseanne Cash has been making great records for forty years, but she's never played or written better music than she's doing right now.
E81 Ari Lennox
2019-09-25
The R&B singer performed songs from her debut full-length, Shea Butter Baby.
E82 Josh Ritter With Amanda Shires And Jason Isbell
2019-09-27
In his second visit to the Tiny Desk, Josh Ritter had America on his mind. "We all have to fight against this notion that we're not all human beings."
E83 Jonas Brothers
2019-09-30
The brothers and their backing band gave a playful performance of three tracks from their latest album, Happiness Begins.
E84 Molly Sarlé
2019-10-04
After performing at the Tiny Desk as one third of the group Mountain Man, Molly Sarlé returns for a soul-stirring solo performance.
E85 Sharon Van Etten
2019-10-07
Nearly a decade after her first appearance at the Tiny Desk, Sharon Van Etten returns with a full band and a bigger, bolder sound.
E86 Charly Bliss
2019-10-09
The vibrancy of the band can feel childlike and candy-coated. But the group's songs are more about the pain of entering adulthood and leaving some of that sweetness behind.
E87 Brittany Howard
2019-10-15
The Alabama Shakes singer and guitarist brought an eight-piece backing band to the Tiny Desk for a set of deeply personal and affecting songs.
E88 Taylor Swift
2019-10-16
As she settled in for this stripped-down set, Taylor Swift looked out over the office. "I just decided to take this as an opportunity to show you guys how the songs sounded when I first wrote them."
E89 Summer Walker
2019-10-18
One week after releasing a record-shattering studio debut, the Atlanta native brings a glowing R&B set to the Tiny Desk.
E90 Jovino Santos Neto Trio
2019-10-21
Along with his trio, the pianist, multi-instrumentalist and composer cast a spell over the NPR Music offices in this joyful turn behind the Tiny Desk.
E91 CHAI
2019-10-23
The group from Japan is on a mission to expand the conventional meaning of "cute." Their performance included synchronized dancing, pom-poms and matching pink uniforms, with a heavy, angular sound.
E92 Rio Mira
2019-10-25
Rio Mira's music celebrates life along the river that separates Ecuador and Colombia: soft breezes, loving friends, the embrace of Africa and lots of festejando!
E93 BJ The Chicago Kid
2019-11-06
The 34-year old R&B mainstay used his moment at the desk to fit in as many of his most cherished songs as possible — Nine songs in 17 minutes to be exact.
E94 Dave
2019-11-08
The British rapper made a trip all the way from the UK just for this Tiny Desk performance and powered through a set that made the personal political.
E95 Leslie Odom Jr.
2019-11-12
The Tony- and Grammy-winning singer, actor, author and Hamilton star performs three songs from Mr, his genre-bending new solo album.
E96 Sunny War
2019-11-13
Sunny War has been homeless, busked on city streets and Venice Beach, left home feeling she was a burden to her mother, battled addiction and still found a way to bring joy to others thru her music.
E97 KOKOKO!
2019-11-15
KOKOKO! are sonic warriors. They seized control of the Tiny Desk, shouting their arrival through a megaphone, while electronic sirens begin to blare.
E98 Burna Boy
2019-11-18
The Nigerian singer and songwriter is one of the biggest African artists in the world and a pioneer of Afro-fusion, an inescapable sound this year.
E99 Snarky Puppy
2019-11-20
The jazz, funk and gospel improv group brought jams and joy to the Tiny Desk.
E100 Igor Levit
2019-11-22
The insightful pianist offers a Beethoven bonanza, ranging from the mesmerizing pulse of the popular "Moonlight" Sonata to flashes of wry humor and tender beauty.
E101 Carly Rae Jepsen
2019-11-25
The singer brought a sparkling pop-disco vibe and a lot of swagger to the sun-filled Tiny Desk.
E102 Mereba
2019-11-27
A nomadic storyteller with a cross-genre style ranging from folk to rap, Mereba slays the devil in her solo set behind the Desk.
E103 Black Uhuru
2019-11-29
The influential reggae group, whose name means "black freedom," brought songs of solidarity and love to the Tiny Desk.
E104 Freddie Gibbs And Madlib
2019-12-06
The enigmatic and reclusive producer Madlib joins hard-hitting emcee Freddie Gibbs for one of the most memorable Tiny Desks of the year.
E105 Raveena
2019-12-09
"I just want you to know," Raveena told the NPR office, "that in this space that we're in, you're extremely, extremely loved."
E106 Weyes Blood
2019-12-11
Watch the band perform a blissed-out, gently sweeping set featuring three songs from its latest album, Titanic Rising.
E107 The Comet Is Coming
2019-12-13
The Comet is Coming is a force of nature. The British trio makes the kind of instrumental jazz that takes music lovers out of their comfort zone and into a musical realm they may never have explored.
E108 Moonchild
2019-12-16
The LA-based trio makes an intricate blend of jazz, R&B and hip-hop. For their Tiny Desk set, they pulled out all the stops: flutes, flugelhorns, saxophones, keyboards, ukuleles and more.
E109 Los Lobos
2019-12-18
When Los Lobos gathered behind the Tiny Desk, it felt like they were cramped in the back room of a family Christmas party, calling up tunes from the Latin holiday song book.
E110 Balún
2019-12-20
It's impossible to not be drawn in by the visual specter of Balún as the band mixes traditional instruments and electronics, set against a rich tapestry of voices.
E111 Spanglish Fly
2019-12-31
Spanglish Fly is one of the pioneers of the boogaloo revival scene happening on the East Coast. For about sixteen minutes, they turned the NPR Music offices into the hottest Latin dance club in D.C.
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