tiny desk concert Archives

The Paradox: Tiny Desk Concert 0 (0)

This Black Music Month, Tiny Desk celebrates the undeniable legacy of BET. Like the network that put Black artistry first, these sets reflect the essence of Black music. Alanté Serene | June 12, 2026 “The Paradox is in the business of bringing rock and roll back to the originators,” lead singer Eric Dangerfield says after the band opens its high-energy set with “Get the Message.” The breakthrough anthem made The Paradox the first all-Black band to reach No. 1 on the Billboard Alternative Airplay chart. Yet even amid the band’s rapid rise, the members’ playful spirit remains rooted in humble [See More…]

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Joe: Tiny Desk Concert 0 (0)

This Black Music Month, Tiny Desk celebrates the undeniable legacy of BET. Like the network that put Black artistry first, these sets reflect the essence of Black music. Bobby Carter | June 10, 2026 R&B veteran Joe Thomas earned every chain and stripe on his body as he stepped behind the Tiny Desk. For every Usher, Ne-Yo, and Leon Thomas who has played in our office, fans of one of their archetypes wondered when he would get his shot. We saw the petitions and social media posts, but trust: We chased for years. Before the music started, the singer-songwriter and [See More…]

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Ayra Starr: Tiny Desk Concert 0 (0)

This Black Music Month, Tiny Desk celebrates the undeniable legacy of BET. Like the network that put Black artistry first, these sets reflect the essence of Black music. Alanté Serene | June 8, 2026 Ayra Starr has dreamed of being behind the Desk since she was 14 years old. When that day finally arrived, she wanted the focus to be on her stage presence and distinctively deep-toned vocals. So she traded her signature “Fashion Killer” looks for a simple black sweatsuit, embracing the stripped-down spirit of our platform. Starr and her band arrived with a set that was balanced nearly [See More…]

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Floetry: Tiny Desk Concert 0 (0)

This Black Music Month, Tiny Desk celebrates the undeniable legacy of BET. Like the network that put Black artistry first, these sets reflect the essence of Black music. Mitra I. Arthur | June 2, 2026 Floetry made its way “from London’s SE5 to Philly’s west side just to bring the vibe” to the Tiny Desk. And with the poetic flows of Natalie Stewart (aka The Floacist) and a rich, floating soprano from Marsha Ambrosius (aka The Songstress), the vibe in our space was immaculate. This duo has known and made music with each other since youth — it’s a sisterhood [See More…]

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Cure For Paranoia, 2026 Tiny Desk Contest Winner: Tiny Desk Concert 0 (0)

Elle Mannion | May 28, 2026 Cure For Paranoia wants you to believe in yourself. Perseverance, plus a whole lot of talent, is what got the Dallas hip-hop collective to our space after submitting to the Tiny Desk Contest four years in a row. Here, between laying down clever verses alongside his ten-piece band, frontperson Cameron McCloud introduces the group and their mission. “Ten years ago, I was placed on medication for bipolar depression and paranoid schizophrenia — but it turned out that music was way more therapeutic than medication was, so I created this band, this brand, this movement, [See More…]

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Annahstasia: Tiny Desk Concert 0 (0)

Elle Mannion | May 26, 2026 Take a deep breath. This is what songwriter Annahstasia tenderly instructs her band to do between songs; it’s also an apt description of what listening to her music can feel like. Annahstasia’s voice is soothing, strong, textured and grounded. At the Tiny Desk, it’s exquisitely attuned with the band’s varied instrumentation. Like deep breaths, each song rises and falls as the group starts softly, builds to a crescendo, then lands in a gentle place. For the finale, Annahstasia offers a twist on “Villain,” a standout track from her debut album Tether. What begins as [See More…]

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Laurie Anderson: Tiny Desk Concert 0 (0)

Tom Huizenga | May 22, 2026 Laurie Anderson has a way of holding our lives up to a mirror, reintroducing us to ourselves, in all our ridiculousness and splendor. Now in her late 70s, the curious-minded visionary maintains her impish smile; her incantations — on everything from the American Dream to Amelia Earhart in this Tiny Desk set — seem more sage-like than ever. The idea of playing music behind an office desk struck Anderson as just another off-beat idea. She’s had hundreds of her own. No one can boast being NASA’s first artist in residence and performing a concert [See More…]

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RaiNao: Tiny Desk Concert 0 (0)

Anamaria Sayre | May 20, 2026 What will Caribbean waters and Puerto Rican percussion sound like in the years to come? Hija de la isla RaiNao’s Tiny Desk is here to show us. “Soy hija — especialmente, hija del Mar Caribe y de la hermosa tierra que me había nacer, Puerto Rico,” the artist explained, introducing herself: “I am a daughter — above all, a daughter of the Caribbean Sea and of the beautiful land where I was born, Puerto Rico.” In her recordings, RaiNao leans into reggaeton and electronic beats, sounds viewed widely as the backbone of the current [See More…]

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Vince Gill: Tiny Desk Concert 0 (0)

Lars Gotrich | May 18, 2026 Once you’re inside of a Vince Gill song, you enter an entire world. In power ballads and two-steppers, he crafts intimate songs about how we treat each other: a relationship that has weathered the decades, one that’s broken and another fighting to revive the spark. Some are silly, most are tearjerkers, but in these three-minute songs, you always come away with a full shape of humanity. For 50 years, that tender storytelling — paired with the voice of an angel and guitar licks that playfully dance on the fretboard — has taken Gill to [See More…]

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Don Was and the Pan-Detroit Ensemble: Tiny Desk Concert 0 (0)

Felix Contreras | May 15, 2026 Is it possible to be ubiquitous and behind-the-scenes at the same time? That pretty much sums up Don Was and his long career in the music business. After co-leading the funky pop-rock band Was (Not Was) in the 1980s, Was went on to win an armful of Grammy awards as a producer. He’s worked with Bonnie Raitt, Bob Dylan, The Rolling Stones, Willie Nelson, Elton John, Ringo Starr and Bob Weir, to name just a few. Since 2012, he has been president of the legendary Blue Note Records. Was is also a son of [See More…]