If you have yet to hear of NPR Music or Tiny Desk Concerts, you are in for a treat in this read!
Tiny Desk Concerts are exactly what they sound like; a live concert at a tiny desk. These concerts are a way to get to know each artist and their music in a more personal and intimate setting. There are no stages, no flashy lights, just a band, an audience of staff members, and an artist shoved in a tiny corner of a room. The concerts are filmed during a regular workday at NPR’s Washington D.C. headquarters. It was co-created by Bob Boilen, whose desk the concerts are filmed at, and Stephen Thompson in 2008.
Tiny Desk Concert has something for everyone. With musicians from all genres, you can watch some of your favorite artists perform stripped-down versions of their songs, or discover new artists and genres you wouldn’t normally listen to. It was during my exploration of these concerts that I discovered some of my new favorite artists!
MUNA
First up on my list of favorites is MUNA. Members Katie Gavin (she/they), Jo Maskin (she/they), and Naomi McPherson (they/them) bring such great energy to Tiny Desk Concert as they perform some of their top hits, “Loose Garment”, “Stayaway”, and “Silk Chiffon”. While the studio versions of these songs feature upbeat background instrumentals, the Tiny Desk Concert allows the darker lyrics and harmonizations to shine through. I can honestly say that I liked the stripped-down version of these songs more in this live edition.
The Japanese house
Next up is a brand-new video featuring The Japanese House, released on January 18th, 2024. While I have been a fan of this artist for several years, this Tiny Desk Concert allowed me to dive back into her music and artistry. While being compared to artists such as Bleachers and The 1975, Amber Bain’s lyricism, dreamy voice, and production style while singing about self-discovery, desire, and fear in her music make her truly unique. This concert allows for a short showcase of Amber’s massive talent in songwriting and vocalization and I urge you to listen to more of her music if you enjoy this video!
dodie
If you are, like me, a fan of Laufey and/or Madison Beer, I strongly urge you to listen to this Tiny Desk Concert of dodie. Her music has elements of jazz and beautiful harmonies and runs, reminding me of the aforementioned artists. Accompanied by a beautiful string quartet, dodie’s emotional expressions and lyrics shine in her songs, “Hot Mess,” “Special Girl,” “When,” and “Lonely Bones”.
Ludovico Einaudi
Catering to my fellow classical music lovers, this artist has hits you may recognize from your favorite study mix, such as “Experience” and “Low Mist”. I love this Tiny Desk Concert because it allows you to see the different instruments that contribute to Einaudi’s euphonious sound. It is also so interesting to see the emotion on his face as he plays. Put this on in the background while studying or reading and you will be able to “lock in” so so fast (speaking from experience).
Alisa Amador
Alisa Amador’s song titled “Milonga accidental” was the 2022 Tiny Desk Concert Winner, for good reason! The song, which she opened with in this concert, was the first song in Spanish to win this contest, and even if you don’t speak the language, it is easy to understand the emotion and passion behind the lyrics as she sings. Her sound is so unique and you can practically hear her smiling while she’s singing. This kind soul’s music genre is a mix of jazz, funk, alternative, folk, and indie, but she embraces elements of the Latin music she grew up with. Her music is so wide-ranging, making you want to smile, cry, laugh, and dance in the span of a short twenty-minute concert.
Jhené Aiko
Filmed during the Pandemic, this Tiny Desk (Home) Concert is truly amazing at highlighting Jhené Aiko’s beautiful stage presence and diaphanous voice. Her use of sound bowls and the band’s instrumentation support her dreamy, ethereal voice. Comments on this video praise her for this performance for its healing and relaxing qualities. One person even referred to it as “sound therapy,” which I love so much. It is safe to say that I will definitely be listening to more of Jhené Aiko in the future because of this performance.
yebba
I had to save my absolute favorite for last. This performance by Yebba changed my life. I have been listening to this nonstop since I first heard it. Also filmed during the pandemic, this Tiny Desk (Home) Concert highlights Yebba’s incredible and unique voice. If you watch one video from my large list in this article, please let it be this one. Yebba’s incredible musical ability never fails to leave me astounded. She makes it seem easy. The raspiness of her voice, incredible riffs and runs, and melodic chord progressions are only some of the reasons why she is one of my top artists right now. My favorite out of this setlist is “All I Ever Wanted,” so please give it and the rest of her set a listen!
Of course, it was extremely difficult to narrow down my favorites, so here’s a list of honorable mentions:
Harry Styles
What kind of person would I be if I didn’t include this ICONIC video of Harry Styles? Seriously.
Taylor Swift
Being the huge Swiftie I am, how could I possibly exclude this performance by Taylor Swift from my list of favorites?
Saint Sister
Saint Sister is an Irish duo that features electronic beats, synths, and harp. I love the acoustic version of their songs. If you are a fan of The Cranberries, check out this video!
AURORA
My Norse roots are SCREAMING for me to include this artist in the list! AURORA’s angelic voice is highlighted through her complex runs and vocal range (and she was only 19 here!).
Brandee Younger
Listening to this Tiny Desk Concert for the first time was truly a wonderful experience. This unique style of music featuring the harp, while also showcasing genres in jazz, hip-hop, and R&B, was so special to listen to. Check it out!
boygenius
boygenius is a group consisting of Julien Baker, Lucy Dacus, and Phoebe Bridgers. Their voices blend so perfectly together and I simply cannot get enough of them. I think I am among a large group that believes we need a new Tiny Desk Concert from boygenius, with songs from their new album, “the record”.
Little Moon
I could only explain this artist as having a “Disney-esque” sound to them. The main vocalist sounds like a literal Disney princess mixed with Kate Bush. Check them out!
Madison Cunningham
To fans of Faye Webster and Fiona Apple: PLEASE LISTEN! This artist has such a beautiful voice and such a unique sound.
Rina Sawayama
Of course, I had to include Rina Sawayama in this list. Her “stage” presence during this video is incredible and she is so entertaining to watch. During this performance, Rina sings some of her most popular songs, “Dynasty,” “XS,” and “Chosen Family”. If you like pop, R&B, nu-metal, and classic rock, check her out!
As always, thank you so much for reading! I hope you enjoyed hearing about this program and found some new artists to listen to! You can find many many more videos by NPR’s Music and Tiny Desk Concert here.