Tag: NPR Music

Mitra I. Arthur | February 27, 2026 Buddy Guy displays a youthful spirit during his Tiny Desk that makes you question if he really turns 90 this year. Once the music starts, his subtle speaking voice transforms into a mighty instrument, demanding your attention. Guy wails on his polka dot Stratocaster, reminding us of his skill and showmanship. The title of his latest album, Ain’t Done with the Blues, is not only apt but defiant. The elder statesman of blues is the last standing among his fellow architects of the genre like B.B. King, Muddy Waters and John Lee Hooker. [See More…]

Suraya Mohamed | February 24, 2026 Always inspirational, the music of saxophonist and composer Immanuel Wilkins is also heavy and thought provoking. In the harmonic tension of his music you can hear sepia tones of the Black experience — an ancient and modern struggle told through melody and overlaid with hope. Complex time signatures swing and sway with spiritual incantations that instill reflection and peace. We’ve had the good fortune to showcase works from across Wilkins’ exceptional catalog. His Tiny Desk (home) concert features selections from his debut album, Omega. Here at the Desk, he opens with “AFTERLIFE RESIDENCE TIME” [See More…]

Alanté Serene | February 20, 2026 British trio FLO crossed the pond for its Tiny Desk debut in Washington, D.C. So we got V.I.P. access to Club FLO courtesy of Stella Quaresma, Reneé Downer and Jorja Douglas, complete with disco balls, martinis, a custom marquee and subtle Easter eggs tucked between the shelves for sharp-eyed fans. Still, none of the glam outshines what matters most: their harmonies. They open with a new take on their debut single, “Cardboard Box,” immediately reminding us of the chemistry that launched them. We witness their sister-like energy as they laugh, banter and dance their [See More…]

Lars Gotrich | February 18, 2026 How do we find beauty in a broken world? This is the question that Ganavya’s music asks, but lets you answer. Raised in the Hindu tradition of the harikatha — where she would sing poems called abhangs (“songs without endings”) along a pilgrimage route — Ganavya has spent a life in contemplation. At the Tiny Desk, she sings the poems of today in the language of today. Set in an aqueous groove by bassist Max Ridley and harpist Charles Overton, Ganavya’s “Land” is a hymn of thanksgiving, with words by the Palestinian American poet [See More…]

Bobby Carter | February 16, 2026 We have finally brought one of our most requested artists to the Tiny Desk: Jill Scott! “I thought about you so much,” Scott tells the audience. “I was, like, ‘One day, Imma be on Tiny Desk!’ ” In celebration of her new album, To Whom This May Concern, her first in just over a decade, the Philadelphia poet shares some new music along with the classics we’ve been yearning for. Most Jill Scott fans know that her albums are gateways to the live show. For over 25 years, the stage has been where she [See More…]

Ann Powers | February 12, 2026 During a Sarah McLachlan performance, the chills come when you least expect them. One of the most expressive singer-songwriters of her generation, McLachlan makes the goosebumps happen with her gloriously gentle, iridescent voice — particularly through her negotiation of the break between its registers. She does just that in the first song of this Tiny Desk, an almost country-fied version of her 1997 hit “Building a Mystery.” With Luke Doucet’s impossibly delicate guitar arpeggios as her guide, McLachlan takes the song beyond its edge at the very last minute, gliding into a high note [See More…]

Dora Levite | February 10, 2026 When Geese stopped by the NPR Music office in December, bassist Dominic DiGesu geeked out with a bag of trinkets to display on the Desk: a small, toy goose gifted to them on tour, a stuffed Snoopy, a figurine of Sonic cradling Jesus, Minecraft sticky notes and a Mets hat. Since the release of 2025’s Getting Killed, the critical and fan reception has been wild and hard to parse — even my colleagues at All Songs Considered dove into the phenomenon. But here, the members of Geese ignore the noise and lean into their [See More…]

Mitra I. Arthur | February 5, 2026 The joining together of voices is a sacred act in the Black Christian church; Pastor John P. Kee’s music is key to understanding that act in gospel music. During this Tiny Desk, the gospel music essentials of call and response, modulation, articulated phrasing, choir section solos and full-throated singing are expertly on display. Whether solo or with a choir, Pastor Kee’s powerful voice and praise-forward songwriting have remained at the forefront of his music ministry for nearly 40 years. Performing here with a four-piece band and a seven-person choir, Pastor Kee’s set journeys [See More…]

Bobby Carter | February 3, 2026 So much has happened in Miguel’s world since we last saw him at NPR headquarters. Back in 2012, he was one of the very few R&B acts — including Raphael Saadiq, Bettye LaVette and Booker T. Jones — to play a Tiny Desk concert. And, much like the trajectory of this series, Miguel’s music has taken some explosive twists and turns. After performing “Sure Thing,” his first song back at the Desk, Miguel says, “That one’s come a long way.” He reflects on that time in his life and what he’s been able to [See More…]

This week, we celebrate the Tiny Desk Contest community with concerts by some of our favorite entrants over the years. Bobby Carter | January 28, 2026 FORAGER’s music takes the scenic route; it’s witty and unpredictable, yet deceptively powerful and unable to fit into any specific genre. Wide-eyed and enamoured with the space, the Brooklyn-based band invited a host of friends and family to watch what feels like a homecoming show. When I’m asked about what I look for in an entry to the Tiny Desk Contest, FORAGER is the band that I think about. All three of its Contest [See More…]