Tag: NPR

Music NPR Music Tiny Desk Concerts

KestheBand: Tiny Desk Concert 0 (0)

Nikki Birch | May 8, 2026 The island has come to Tiny Desk. “Representing for soca music, happy music, love music,” leader Kees “Kes” Dieffenthaller tells us, KestheBand opens with “Hello,” a warm, Caribbean welcome. Founded in Trinidad and Tobago, KestheBand is must-play-music in soca DJ sets and a staple at international carnival celebrations. These are the kind of songs that inspire you to whisper their double entendres to your sweetheart and shout them raucously on the road, grabbing onto the night (or a waist) with both hands. While “Rum & Coca-Cola” (co-written by Michael “Tano” Montano), “Jolene,” and “Cocoa [See More…]

NPR Music Tiny Desk Concerts

Ragtime: Tiny Desk Concert 0 (0)

Mitra I. Arthur | May 6, 2026 Ragtime is a tale of history repeating itself. The musical centers on figures from three communities — Black Americans, immigrants and upper class whites — in New York at the dawn of the 20th century and what the American dream means to them as they intersect and, at times, clash. Company members from the Tony-nominated, Lincoln Center Theater revival stop by the Tiny Desk to share a bit of that American dream. The musical by Terrence McNally, Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty addresses the fraught topics of racial injustice, workers’ rights, immigration, women’s [See More…]

Music NPR Music Tiny Desk Concerts

Milo J: Tiny Desk Concert 0 (0)

Anamaria Sayre | April 30, 2026 Etched with Argentine folklore and fueled by the rap batallas of Buenos Aires, Milo J’s songs call upon the cumulative spirit of the centuries. “Sometimes words come to me that I haven’t heard before,” he told me afterward, as if to summon a life he’s never lived. In arenas and stadiums, the 19-year-old connects with his young peers about the passage of time with great energy and intensity. At the Tiny Desk, he takes a beat: Stripped back, yet deeply fortified, Milo J emerges with a new softness and depth. Behind the Desk, you’ll [See More…]

NPR Music Tiny Desk Concerts

Infinity Song: Tiny Desk Concert 0 (0)

Bobby Carter | April 27, 2026 Infinity Song, a band of siblings, has been on the road to glory for many years. And I can’t think of a better proving ground for the Tiny Desk than busking on the streets and in the subways of New York City. I find it difficult to classify Infinity Song’s music. There’s definitely a rock influence, but with those sweet harmonies, there’s also a soul element that sets them apart from most “soft rock” bands. For this set, the group plays songs from Metamorphosis Complete, including the viral hit “Hater’s Anthem.” They also indicate [See More…]

Music NPR Music Tiny Desk Concerts

Amaia: Tiny Desk Concert 0 (0)

Anamaria Sayre | April 23, 2026 Spanish singer Amaia is walking contradiction. She’s a multi-instrumentalist, easily traipsing between piano, chair flute and — not featured in this Tiny Desk performance — her signature harp. But all of this hardly compares to a voice that dances between ferocity and softness. The opener here, “C’est La Vie,” jumps from charged piano to luxuriant strings — a perfect embodiment of her musical duality. “Zorongo,” a mashup of canon classics “Zorongo Gitano” and “Rumores de la Caleta,” lets loose the tremor of flamenco. Her set leaves Spain for a moment with the bachata-fueled “Auxiliar.” [See More…]

NPR Music Tiny Desk Concerts

Noah Kahan: Tiny Desk Concert 0 (0)

Stephen Thompson | April 21, 2026 It took us long enough. Noah Kahan’s music has been rattling around on the Internet for the better part of a decade — in TikTok and YouTube snippets, as well as on a string of albums that culminated in his 2022 breakthrough Stick Season. The Vermont singer-songwriter became a superstar so gradually, it was easy not to fully notice him until he was selling out stadiums. Only now, in the days leading up to his tremendous fourth album, The Great Divide, is he finally making his Tiny Desk debut. Fortunately, we seemed to grab [See More…]

Music NPR Music Tiny Desk Concerts

Mannequin Pussy: Tiny Desk Concert 0 (0)

Dora Levite | April 13, 2026 When Missy Dabice sings, the words course through her entire body. Just as quickly as she screams about the cyclical nature of lust, she whispers her heartbreak and longing. Mannequin Pussy lives between those two spaces: the raw ferocity of feminine rage and the quiet moments of hopeless vulnerability. “I want to be a danger,” she sighs. “I want to be adored.” When an artist comes to the Tiny Desk, they often seize upon the opportunity to reimagine their music. Here, a string quartet helps to crack these songs wide open, swelling with urgency [See More…]

Music NPR Music Tiny Desk Concerts

Lecrae: Tiny Desk Concert 0 (0)

Bobby Carter | April 9, 2026 Tiny Desk has featured some of the best music across various genres throughout our 18-year history; however, Lecrae is the first Christian rapper to perform at NPR headquarters. I felt guilty when I mentioned this to the Houston-born emcee, only because it’s taken so long. If we’re putting a spotlight on faith-based hip-hop, we had to start with Lecrae. Hip-hop originated in the streets; its growth has been slow and steady, with faith often appearing as a caveat in the music. It felt acceptable to mention God without getting too preachy, but if you [See More…]

Music NPR Music Tiny Desk Concerts

Aterciopelados: Tiny Desk Concert 0 (0)

Isabella Gomez Sarmiento | April 7, 2026 Thirty years since the release of the Colombian band’s pivotal album, La Pipa de La Paz (The Pipe for Peace), Aterciopelados brings its psychedelic universe to the Tiny Desk. The set’s complete with ceramic decorations and a quilted flag handmade by Andrea Echeverri herself. When they splashed onto the rock en español scene in the 1990s, they weren’t just the only major band with a woman at the helm — they made songs with unapologetically feminist and environmentalist messages a core part of their art. In a sea of leather jacket-clad dudes taking [See More…]

Music NPR Music Tiny Desk Concerts

Bush: Tiny Desk Concert 0 (0)

Lars Gotrich | April 2, 2026 Bush always felt like the most stylish version of ’90s rock. Sixteen Stone, now celebrating nearly 32 years since its release, captured a sonic shift in motion, with razor-sharp riffs and an air of mystery propelled by Gavin Rossdale’s distinctively sexy howl. But if you think you know “Machinehead,” prepare to be surprised by this Tiny Desk arrangement. It’s quieter and slower than the revving speed of the original, but thoughtfully weighted — the years of wear and tear give meaning to once nonsensical lyrics like “bleeding through a tourniquet smile.” The same goes [See More…]