Tag: NPR Music

Bobby Carter | January 16, 2026 For his Tiny Desk, John Fogerty brought what means the most to him. Family was accounted for: his sons, Tyler and Shane, played in the band, while his wife, Julie, was in the audience. There, too, was Fogerty’s distinct brand of patriotism. We filmed this concert on Nov. 11, 2025, which happened to be Veterans Day. Fogerty tells the crowd that he was inspired to write “Proud Mary” on the day he received his honorable discharge from the Army Reserve in 1968. “I opened my discharge [papers] up, and I was really, really, really [See More…]

Alanté Serene | January 12, 2026 Confident. Creative. Cool. Those are three words that describe Destin Conrad as he makes his Tiny Desk debut, transforming our office into his own version of a jazz club. Fresh off his first Grammy nomination, the singer-songwriter arrived ready to prove exactly why it was earned. Conrad weaves songs from his alt-R&B album, LOVE ON DIGITAL, with tracks from his alt-jazz project, wHIMSY, to build an alternative universe rooted entirely in intention. The set takes off with the controlled tension of “wHIP,” giving space for a trumpet solo from Keyon Harrold before effortlessly easing [See More…]

Alanté Serene | January 9, 2026 As soon as Coco Jones stepped behind the Desk, donning a beautiful silver dress and a bright, warm smile, it was apparent that we were about to witness a star shine. The singer-songwriter has received flowers from the likes of Beyoncé, Chaka Khan, Patti LaBelle and Babyface. So expectations were high for Jones to display exactly why she is a standout amongst a new generation of R&B artists — and she does not disappoint. Jones wields her voice to reveal her power, range and control. She sets the tone with the beautiful ballad “You,” [See More…]

Dhanika Pineda | December 19, 2025 From the moment GIVĒON arrived at the Tiny Desk, there was much to celebrate: Beloved had just received a Grammy nomination for best R&B album, and Leon Thomas’ performance of “Mutt” at the Tiny Desk was nominated for best R&B performance. Spirits were high, and GIVĒON brought all of that energy to this concert. GIVĒON treats performance as therapy, pouring out his heart like a bottle of wine. “As much as I love having you guys here, these next couple songs are for me,” he says. Even in his Tiny Desk (home) concert from [See More…]

Lars Gotrich | December 17, 2025 The Tiny Desk hasn’t seen string lights, paper snowflakes and garlands in a while. The holiday show is a tradition we love — and have missed — at NPR Music, so when considering an artist to deck the halls of the office, I kept coming back to Sixpence None the Richer. So much of the holiday season, especially as we grow older, is about finding a balance between bright lights and dark nights. Sixpence None the Richer’s music finds depth in the in-between, with buoyant melodies that twist and twirl, and lyrics underpinned by [See More…]

Alanté Serene | December 15, 2025 The first thing you might notice about Odeal’s Tiny Desk: He’s holding a phone in his hands. “Someone really special couldn’t make it today and it’s my mom,” he explains. “I’ve got her on the phone right now.” The British Nigerian singer and songwriter then props the FaceTime call right in front of him to give his mother a front row seat. Right from the first note, we are instantly transported to the warm, soulful pocket that we never leave. Ever since his debut EP in 2017, Odeal has built a deep catalog of [See More…]

Kara Frame | December 10, 2025 It’s rare these days for an artist to ask for fewer microphones, but after warming up in our space, Billy Strings did just that. Surrounded by his band, the bluegrass virtuoso brings back the spirit of Tiny Desk’s early days. We capture, in his own words, “the way these instruments are meant to sound.” “We’ve been lucky to play a lot of cool venues,” Strings says, pausing to reflect. “But this one’s different. It has that same soul to it because — I’ve seen so many amazing performances that happened right here and I [See More…]

Lars Gotrich | December 5, 2025 There’s nothing easy about the laid-back cool of Air’s music. On record and for film soundtracks, the French electronic duo turns distressed dreams into symphonies plucked from cotton candy clouds — sonically light, but heavy with emotion. Yet to see Air’s members perform live, everything seems so effortless. Nicolas Godin and Jean-Benoît Dunckel have been looking back on Air’s catalog recently, extending the anniversary tour of their debut album. Surrounded by synths and keys bearing Air’s block-letter logo, the band opens this Tiny Desk with “Le Voyage de Pénélope,” the piano-driven, interstellar fantasia from [See More…]

Ann Powers | December 3, 2025 Brandi Carlile has a way of making any performance feel like a tête-à-tête, a deep emotional exchange between friends that just happens to take place in a crowd. Yet the challenge of bringing songs from her gorgeous new album Returning to Myself to the Tiny Desk still shook her. “It’s the kind of thing that really makes your blood run a little cold,” Carlile says, laying down her acoustic guitar after the gentle “A War with Time.” She then turns to the Roland keyboard mounted on the desktop and begins “A Woman Oversees,” a [See More…]