Tiny Desk, what a concept: 15 performances that will ignite your love of music

Billie Eilish, Waxahatchee, and Sabrina Carpenter, three of today’s biggest pop stars, closed the year at a little project known as Tiny Desk that has become the music industry’s secret weapon. “This is so cool. I’ve wanted to do this like, my whole life. So, I’m a little shaky,” said Eilish, and her subsequent set tells you everything you need to know about these concerts, which first started in 2008, but only began to take on real significance in recent years. Tiny Desk was created by broadcaster Bob Boilen and the series features concerts that take place within the Washington office of NPR. It’s guided by a set of rules, but many have shifted over the seasons.

At the beginning, Tiny Desk sets were exclusively acoustic and lasted for 20 minutes. Nowadays, they can hit up to a half-hour and bands often offer electric spectaculars that make the shelves shake. Many a fledgling group’s career has taken off after performing at Tiny Desk, and established stars who rarely make appearances outside of stadiums appreciate the format’s realness. Its concerts can be so influential that some musicians prepare special performances, premiere work, bring back songs from another era, and even create segments specific for their big day on the desks. These are raw, no-frills performances in which musicians work without a safety net, with staging that seems removed from the elaborate spreads normally seen on their tours. This explains why viewers love the series. Its videos (about three are released every week) are posted on YouTube and many have received upwards of 120 million views, with numbers rising steadily since the height of the Covid pandemic.

Tiny Desk has a considerable international audience. Spain is among the top 10 countries in terms of viewership, and several Spanish artists have passed through: Sílvia Pérez Cruz, Diego El Cigala, C. Tangana (who notably performed from Madrid, during Covid lockdown) and María José Llergo. The live audience, who can often be heard in the background, is made up of the radio station’s editorial staff and other workers, about 30 individuals in all. The thin, elongated microphone is legendary, as is a game viewers can play, discovering items on the surrounding desks and shelves: an Elvis doll, a Bowie book, a photo of Ringo Starr, a bottle of beer, a sock from who knows where.

Here’s a selection of the 15 best Tiny Desk concerts.

Doechii

Who is she? The performer is a 26-year-old singer from Tampa, Florida who became a revelation on the hip-hop scene in 2024 thanks to her mixtape Alligator Bites Never Heal. She appeared on December 6, 2024.

What happened at her Tiny Desk? Ten young Black women musicians play, from bassist to drummer to guitar player to those who blew wind instruments, their hair uniformly braided. In front of them was Doechii, whose voice is as equally at home singing sensual soul as fast-paced rap. There are a lot of genres at play: jazz, hip-hop, rock, R&B, all performed with humor, passion and an impressive technical vocal display by the artist herself. The concert closes with a brief speech from its protagonist: “I wrote this song specifically for Black women. I feel like as a dark-skinned woman, there’s a very unique experience that I’m trying to internalize. So I dedicate this to all the beautiful Black women in the room,” Doechii says, before performing Black Girl Memoir off her 2020 EP Oh, The Places You’ll Go.

Gary Clark Jr.

Who is he? Since 2001, Clark has been producing albums in which his musical fusion of soul, blues and funk shines. His concerts are scorching, and the Texan performer is 40 years old. He appeared on April 23, 2019.

What happened at his Tiny Desk? It had already been a well-known fact that Clark is a sensational guitarist and singer, but less widely recognized before his Tiny Desk set was his sense of humor. Despite the heat, he wears a woolly hat and leather jacket, and delivers zingers worthy of a stand-up comedian. At some point, Tiny Desk’s lowkey acoustic requirement made space for drums and electric instruments, leading to booming sets that can make the surrounding bookshelves quiver. Such is the case here. Listen for Clark’s falsetto on his closer, Pearl Cadillac.

Ca7riel and Paco Amoroso

Who are they? Argentine artists Catriel Guerrero (Ca7riel, 30 years old) and Ulises Guerriero (Paco Amoroso, 31 years old) met each other at school when they were six. They started their first band in 2011, and later formed a duo. They appeared on October 4, 2024.

What happened at their Tiny Desk? One can learn everything they need to know about the significance of Tiny Desk during these 17 minutes. Well-acquainted with the format, Ca7riel and Paco Amoroso put together a special performance for the program, with staging meant to maximize revelry and special twists on their album’s songs. It is an absolute triumph. The episode racked up 17 million views and most importantly, won over new audiences for trap music, even among those in the urban music hater brigade. It blew up to the point that Amoroso’s Russian-style fur hat and Ca7riel’s vest made from plushie hearts have become viral fashion sensations. Their set delivers riotous rhythms and good vibes, perfect for these gloomy days.

Yusuf / Cat Stevens

Who is he? In addition to facilitating the discovery of young talent, the Tiny Desk format is also appealing to veterans. Many have passed through, like Graham Nash, Pat Benatar, Neil Rodgers and Jackson Browne — but perhaps the most profound Tiny Desk concert has been that of Cat Stevens (or Yusuf, as he is now known after converting to Islam). His concert took place December 15, 2014.

What happened at his Tiny Desk? The recording opens with an emotional introduction from the creator of Tiny Desk, Bob Boilen, in which he talks about how, as a teenager, he bought a guitar and tried to recreate the chords on Father and Son from Stevens’ album Tea for the Tillerman (1970). Many years later, the composer of that song was dedicating the track to him on Boilen’s actual desk. (Try to watch this segment with dry eyes, we dare you.) Steven performs two songs of his then-recent album (Tell ‘Em I’m Gone, 2014), and dives into two of his classics: the aforementioned Father and Son and The First Cut Is the Deepest. The experienced musician sings with an admirable mixture of vulnerability and depth.

María José Llergo

Who is she? “I’m María José Lergo, from Andalucía, Spain.” So begins the Cordoban singer-songwriter’s Tiny Desk, during which she performs songs from her album Ultrabelleza. Along with Rita Payés’ show, it’s the best appearance from a Spanish artist in the series. Her performance aired on July 8, 2024.

What happened at her Tiny Desk? It’s 20 minutes of pure enjoyment of Llergo’s melismatic singing. The Virgin Mary sticker on the microphone, her wide-shouldered blazer, those hip-hop-inspired hand movements, the nose ring, her sudden leaps … and at the same time, it’s all deeply heart-felt, modern flamenco with a sense of experimentation. Keyboards, drums, bass and electric guitar — but strangely, no sign of traditional Spanish strings. A euphoric Llergo shares how the traditional music of her homeland is evolving with the times.

IDLES

Who are they? A British band that sounds more punk than punk itself. Lyrics rail against systemic injustice. The group appeared on June 26, 2019.

What happened at their Tiny Desk? The highest volumes the series has ever heard: 13 minutes of guts and flailing, with singer Joe Talbot roaring right along, red-faced and soaked in sweat. No one could have imagined when this format was created that it would one day celebrate something so savage.

Hiromi

Who is she? A virtuoso on the keys, Hiromi was born in Japan in 1999 and studied at Boston’s Berklee College of Music before launching her musical career. She appeared on September 8, 2023.

What happened at her Tiny Desk? Aside from demonstrating her dexterity as an instrumentalist, Hiromi avoids exhibitionism and uses music to have fun. Accompanied by a bassist, a trumpeter and a drummer, the musician moves from jazz to funk and then to a fusion of the two. She runs the party on a grand piano and two synths, sometimes playing a combination at the same time, one instrument with her right hand and the other with her left. It’s like Nacho Cano, but actually good. Don’t even try to follow along with her fingers as she whips across the keys — Hiromi’s fluency makes such a mission impossible.

Billie Eilish

Who is she? Tiny Desk went hard to end the year with a pop star of the magnitude of Eilish. She appeared on December 12, 2024.

What happened at her Tiny Desk? There’s no other young singer capable of transmitting so much with a sigh. Eilish shuts her eyes, stretches out on her stool and lets the feeling wash over her. It’s amazing that a 22-year-old woman is able to speak so deeply to the mysteries of love and loss. With her collaborator, brother Finneas, on guitar and backing vocals, Eilish thrills with this 20-minute performance. She’s never appeared so fragile, or delivered a more intimate set. She also brings back I Love You, a 2019 song off her first studio album. “We’re gonna do an old one,” Eilish says before launching into the track. “This is one of our favorite songs that we’ve written… The first time I fell in love, it was very scary, and it’s funny how that fear never goes away, the feeling of falling or whatever.” Be warned, this set can hurt.

Anderson .Paak & The Free Nationals

Who is he? Dr. Dre, a hip-hop institution, gave .Paak an early career boost after recruiting the latter for Dre’s 2015 album Compton. From that moment on, the sky’s been the limit for the 38-year-old Californian talent. .Paak appeared on August 22, 2016.

What happened at his Tiny Desk? One of the series’ charms is how it helps audiences to discover artists a second before their star takes off. Such is the case with .Paak. Before forming his duo with Bruno Mars, Silk Sonic, and cleaning up at the Grammys, he made his Tiny Desk appearance as a suggestive drummer-crooner. His raspy voice is sensational, as is his way of handling the drumsticks and putting out indisputably good vibes. The video has risen to 111 million views, and deserves every one.

Mucca Pazza

Who are they? A very fun Chicago instrumental band that can lead a street parade or deliver Morricone-inspired melodies. Their sound seems less planned as it is inspired by the way the wind’s blowing, with trombones, saxophones, trumpets — they even bring their own hypepeople. The group appeared on February 10, 2015.

What happened at their Tiny Desk? There’s never been so many folks around the desks: 23 musicians, all perched on tables, chairs, leaning against shelves. It was one of the wildest concerts in the series, and impossible to watch without starting to move one’s feet. Despite how packed-in members appear, their synchronization is undeniable.

The Cranberries

Who are they? The Cranberries had gone silent for 10 long years when they appeared on Tiny Desk in 2012. They wanted to share their new song Tomorrow, but also their classics. The group appeared on March 3, 3012.

What happened at her Tiny Desk? A long necklace falling across her chest, neck veins surging as she performs her trademark incredible and unmistakable vocal acrobatics, the group’s singer Dolores O’Riordan delivers a performance that could not have been more moving. Linger, the beautiful Ode To My Family, Zombie… this may well be the most emotive concert of the series.

The Jayhawks

Who are they? In action since 1985, this band has always occupied the margins of the music industry, its slow sales paired with an unnegotiable pact of good taste. The Jayhawks have survived it all, from desertions to crisis and Gary Louris. The group appeared on August 8, 2016.

What happened at their Tiny Desk? An impressive lesson in vocal harmonies of up to four singers. The Jayhawks performed four penetrating and beautiful melodies from their 2016 album, Paging Mr. Proust, that traverse the borderlands of country, rock and folk. Perhaps longtime followers of the Minneapolis band were expecting 1990s hits like Waiting for the Sun and Blue, but the group wants to show that it’s still making relevant new music. Listening to the set eight years later, many of those four tracks already belong in the pantheon of the group’s classic repertoire.

Tyler, the Creator

Who is he? A huge U.S. hip-hop talent, perhaps one of the biggest rappers today alongside Kendrick Lamar. He appeared on December 17, 2017.

What happened at his Tiny Desk? Tyler asked to do his set at night (they’re usually filmed during daytime hours) to be able to better control the lighting. The effect is quite suggestive, with blue tones taking over for one song, red for another, and pink for yet another, as six musicians shine with an entirely different kind of illumination. Thanks to two sensational singers and the rapper’s relaxed tone, Tyler’s typically harsh Californian rap takes on nearly an erotic tone. On the set’s first track, he announces that he’s going to “go Spanish on ‘em,” heading straight into a Latin beat. “Spanish” vs. Latin? Well, the important thing is that it sounds amazing.

Julien Baker

Who is she? When Julien Baker performed in the NPR office at just 20 years of age, she was still years away from forming Boygenius, one of the best indie rock bands in recent years, with Phoebe Bridgers and Lucy Dacus. She appeared on March 7, 2016.

What happened at her Tiny Desk? A diminutive young woman gets out her crushing feelings of helplessness. Baker’s voice leads us along the uncertain pathways of grief, never knowing if she will eventually break through to redemption. This ambiguity does not prevent her from joking about her own mental state. Her song Funeral Pyre, which at the time of the performance was still unnamed, is introduced here as Sad Song Number 12. This is 13 minutes of a heart being worn on an artist’s sleeve.

Nile Rodgers and Chic

Who is he? One of the disco greats and so much more, given that Rodgers worked with and lent his shine to David Bowie, Madonna, Daft Punk and a long list of other collaborators. He was born in New York and has quite successfully lived for 72 years. He appeared on October 25, 2023.

What happened at his Tiny Desk? It’s one of the longest in the series’ history at 30 minutes, and likely among the most-viewed of its sets. Listen for the songs that Rodgers composed or produced for other artists, like I’m Coming Out for Diana Ross, Let’s Dance for David Bowie, We Are Family for Sister Sledge and Le Freak and Good Times (with an on-point excerpt of Rapper’s Delight, which samples the latter song) for his own group, Chic. Enjoy Rodger’s wrist movements against the guitar, and the voices of Adrey Martells and Kimberly Davis. It might just kick off a dance party in front of your device of choice.

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