Season 2019
111 episodes · Jan 4, 2019
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S12E1Miguel Zenón feat. Spektral Quartet
Jan 4, 2019The saxophonist is a big thinker whose mesmerizing compositions chronicle the music of his native Puerto Rico with the help of an adventurous jazz quartet.
S12E2Buddy
Jan 9, 2019The preacher's son from Compton brought his flair for the dramatic, and an air of rebellion, to the Tiny Desk.
S12E3Carolina Eyck and Clarice Jensen
Jan 11, 2019Carolina Eyck, the first artist to bring a theremin to the Tiny Desk, plays the air with the kind of lyrical phrasing and "fingered" articulation that takes a special kind of virtuosity.
S12E4Aaron Lee Tasjan
Jan 15, 2019Aaron Lee Tasjan arrived in an ascot and mustard-colored shirt, sporting red, round sunglasses and mutton chops. It was a fashionable nod to the psych-pop and rock sound he brought to the Tiny Desk.
S12E5Nate Wood - fOUR
Jan 16, 2019The multi-instrumentalist says he only wishes he had more limbs; but Wood still manages to simultaneously play a bass guitar, keys and drums, all while singing into a wearable microphone.
S12E6Stella Donnelly
Jan 22, 2019Watch the Australian singer-songwriter perform three new songs from her upcoming full-length debut, Beware of the Dogs.
S12E7Blood Orange
Jan 29, 2019This Blood Orange Tiny Desk is a beautifully conceived concert showing off the craft and care that has made Devonté Hynes a groundbreaking producer and songwriter.
S12E8Cat Power
Feb 4, 2019Chan Marshall and her band perform a brisk and beautifully orchestrated medley of Cat Power songs: "Wanderer," "Woman" and 2006's "The Moon."
S12E9Kurt Vile
Feb 6, 2019Kurt Vile and his musical mate, Rob Laakso casually lose themselves in complex guitar lines that are effortlessly beautiful and lyrical.
S12E10Lau Noah
Feb 11, 2019There's a magical aura that surrounds Lau Noah as she sits behind the Tiny Desk and unspools thought-provoking story-songs.
S12E11Mountain Man
Feb 13, 2019The voices of Amelia Meath, Molly Erin Sarlé and Alexandra Sauser-Monnig come together behind the Tiny Desk, with songs that conjure a simpler life: dogs, friends, moonlight or skinny dipping.
S12E12Scott Mulvahill
Feb 18, 2019Scott Mulvahill has been trying to win the Tiny Desk Contest for each of its four years. And while he's never won, we all loved him so much we had to invite him to play.
S12E13The Pedrito Martinez Group
Feb 20, 2019The Afro-Cuban percussionist mesmerizes with his almost otherworldly talent on congas.
S12E14Natalie Prass
Feb 25, 2019Decked out in matching, cobalt blue outfits, the singer and her band had a clear vision: If you want to overcome the times, find strength in numbers.
S12E15Zaytoven
Feb 28, 2019The Atlanta trap super-producer and son of a preacher man saved the day with a soulful Tiny Desk.
S12E16Phony Ppl
Mar 4, 2019The Brooklynites stand out for their inventive and seamless blend of jazz, R&B and hip-hop.
S12E17Meg Myers
Mar 6, 2019Myers replaces her album's roaring electric guitars and electronics with a pulsing string quartet, piano and brushed drums — and uncorks a cover of Kate Bush's "Running Up That Hill."
S12E18Leikeli47
Mar 11, 2019The artist came to the Tiny Desk masked up, as always, the better to catch a glimpse of her soul.
S12E19Kaia Kater
Mar 13, 2019Multi-hyphenate artist Kaia Kater uses the architecture of roots music, which she studied in West Virginia, to establish a simultaneous dialogue with both the present moment and her own past.
S12E20Nao
Mar 18, 2019The U.K.-based singer-songwriter takes the Tiny Desk on a cosmic journey through her Saturn return.
S12E21Alejandro Escovedo
Mar 20, 2019The veteran rocker and a backup band from Italy play songs from their album The Crossing, chronicling an American Dream of rock and roll and Beat poetry.
S12E22&More (Chill Moody & Donn T)
Mar 25, 2019Philadelphia Rapper Chill Moody and singer Donn T, along with their crew known as &More, were one of the standout entrants in last year's Tiny Desk Contest. They bring a message of hope and love.
S12E23Andrea Cruz
Mar 27, 2019The singer from Puerto Rico is part of a movement on the island that emphasizes largely acoustic instruments and a folk-based approach to interpreting life before and after the hurricane of 2017.
S12E24Weezer
Apr 1, 2019Performing unplugged, the band forgoes its usual meticulousness in favor of a shaggy, entirely acoustic mix of new songs and '90s-era deep cuts.
S12E25Courtney Marie Andrews
Apr 3, 2019It was a day when sunlight drenched the office and the songs of heart from Courtney Marie Andrews felt right at home.
S12E26Georgia Anne Muldrow
Apr 8, 2019The R&B singer from Los Angeles is all about showing and spreading love.
S12E27Karine Polwart Trio
Apr 10, 2019Scottish singer, songwriter and essayist Karine Polwart seldom comes stateside, eschewing air travel to reduce her carbon footprint. But on a rare, recent visit, she stopped in D.C. for a Tiny Desk.
S12E28Gary Clark Jr.
Apr 16, 2019These three songs, from Clark's incendiary new album This Land, roar with the assurance and force of a showman at the top of his game.
S12E29Theodore
Apr 17, 2019The music of Theodore is dark and transformative, with the kind of spare elegance you can hear in Sigur Rós or Pink Floyd.
S12E30The Calidore String Quartet
Apr 22, 2019The Calidore String Quartet confirms that the centuries-old formula — two violins, a viola and a cello — is still very much alive and evolving.
S12E31Better Oblivion Community Center
Apr 24, 2019Tiny Desk alums Conor Oberst and Phoebe Bridgers surprised us all with their stunning collaboration this year as Better Oblivion Community Center. Together they radiate joy at the desk.
S12E32Toro Y Moi
Apr 29, 2019Toro y Moi loses the voice processing, synths and other heavy effects for a stripped-down acoustic set at the Tiny Desk.
S12E33Laraaji
May 2, 2019Laraaji is best known to some for his ambient work with Brian Eno in the late '70s. He brings his meditative calm to the Tiny Desk in this hypnotic performance.
S12E34Thou
May 6, 2019This is probably the quietest you'll ever hear the first metal band to play the Tiny Desk.
S12E35Ohmme
May 9, 2019These classically trained artists fill the NPR Music offices with shrieking, rhythmic noise that redefines what an electric guitar can do.
S12E36Magos Herrera and Brooklyn Rider
May 15, 2019Watch what happens when the smoky-voiced jazz singer from Mexico conspires with an adventuresome string quartet for songs steeped in Latin American traditions.
S12E37Ensemble Signal Plays Jonny Greenwood
May 20, 2019Watch members of the New York-based group give the world premiere video performances of two recent pieces by Radiohead guitarist and composer Jonny Greenwood.
S12E38Jeremy Dutcher
May 22, 2019There is no one making music like this 27-year-old, classically trained opera tenor and pianist. Watch and see why.
S12E39Lucky Daye
May 28, 2019Hailing from New Orleans with a love of sticky, bass-bumping funk, Lucky brought along a 10-person band, including a quartet of horns, to capture the full flavor of his debut album Painted.
S12E40LADAMA
May 30, 2019The group unites sounds from Brazil, Colombia and Venezuela, with a dash of New York City thrown in.
S12E41Quinn Christopherson
Jun 3, 2019Quinn and his musical partner, guitarist and singer Nick Carpenter, arrived from the cool of Anchorage to the swelter of D.C. and performed with remarkable confidence and grace.
S12E42Tomberlin
Jun 6, 2019Tomberlin is the daughter of a Baptist pastor, grew up singing in the church and, since her teens, has questioned her own beliefs in God and faith. Her songs are delicate and vulnerable.
S12E43Sesame Street
Jun 10, 2019Big Bird, Bert and Ernie, Elmo, Grover, Rosita, Count von Count, Abby Cadabby, Cookie Monster and other surprise guests gather at NPR's headquarters to celebrate 50 years of love, learning and joy.
S12E44Foxing
Jun 12, 2019Foxing is at the forefront of an emo revival, heavily influenced by late-'90s and early 2000s groups like Sunny Day Real Estate and American Football.
S12E45IDLES
Jun 18, 201913mThe British madmen brought fury, cathartic rage and deep thoughts to the Tiny Desk for one of the loudest, most raucous performances in memory.
S12E46Imogen Heap
Jun 20, 2019Imogen Heap takes us through her many musical talents, from her Frou Frou musical partner, Guy Sigsworth — and their first new song in 17 years — to an extraordinary performance with musical gloves.
S12E47Tasha Cobbs Leonard
Jun 24, 2019Tasha Cobbs Leonard is widely regarded as one of the best gospel singers performing today. Her set at the Tiny Desk moved many at the NPR offices to tears.
S12E48Betty Who
Jun 26, 2019Betty Who brings Roséwave, sun's-out pop to the Tiny Desk with all the usual studio production stripped away.
S12E49Be More Chill
Jul 1, 2019On Broadway, Be More Chill is a playful burst of frenetic energy and silly, stealthy sweetness. At the Tiny Desk, it holds onto that rowdy, generous spirit while stripping down the arrangements.
S12E50Saint Sister
Jul 3, 2019The group from Ireland makes music that mixes the organic with the electronic, starting with a large, 34-string lever harp.
S12E51Miya Folick
Jul 5, 2019Miya Folick was raised a Buddhist in Santa Ana, Calif., and is of Ukrainian and Japanese descent. She sings of conviction, not fiction.
S12E52American Football
Jul 8, 2019Who would've thought that American Football's fruitful reunion would not only include some of the emo band's best songs, but also a children's choir at the Tiny Desk?
S12E53Sting And Shaggy
Jul 10, 2019The two musical legends brought plenty of joy to the Tiny Desk, with an unexpected collaboration that works surprisingly well.
S12E54Erin Rae
Jul 12, 2019Every time she performs live, Erin Rae transforms her quiet storms into different hues of squalling introspection.
S12E55Priests
Jul 19, 2019The punk-infused art band from Washington, D.C. brings a kinder, gentler and sparer version of the group's music to the Tiny Desk.
S12E56Jacob Collier
Jul 22, 2019As the NPR staff gathered to watch his performance, Jacob Collier sprinted full bore down the hallway for his set, hardly able to contain his creative energy or enthusiasm.
S12E57Masego
Jul 24, 2019The spirit of Cab Calloway lives on in Masego, the singer, producer and multi-instrumentalist who surprised NPR's Tiny Desk audience with a zany sense of showmanship.
S12E58Tamino
Jul 26, 2019Tamino possesses one of the most remarkable and memorable voices to ever grace the Tiny Desk.
S12E59Lizzo
Jul 29, 2019Backed by a band assembled just for this occasion, the breakthrough pop icon performs three joyfully showy songs from Cuz I Love You.
S12E60Calexico And Iron & Wine
Aug 1, 2019The two bands just released Years to Burn, their first album together since 2005. Now, they've performed three songs — two new, one old — for Calexico's Tiny Desk debut.
S12E61iLe
Aug 3, 2019The Calle 13 veteran, fresh off her appearance at demonstrations in Puerto Rico, performs three songs that rage with revolutionary intensity.
S12E62Bas
Aug 5, 2019Bas came to the Tiny Desk to get it, and — in a breathless four-song set — he did exactly that.
S12E63David Crosby & The Lighthouse Band
Aug 7, 2019David Crosby, Becca Stevens, Michelle Willis and Michael League are The Lighthouse Band, and together they harmonized the heck out of the Tiny Desk.
S12E64Among Authors
Aug 9, 2019Among Authors' music isn't casual; there are songs within these songs, and they're not always catchy. They'll take you on a journey worth following.
S12E65half•alive
Aug 12, 2019How does half•alive, known for funky earworms and synchronized dancing, translate to such a cozy space? Have the dancers sit.
S12E66Kian Soltani
Aug 16, 2019Watch a young cellist on the rise, offering music of virtuosity, sweet lyricism and a little fire from his Persian roots.
S12E67Tobe Nwigwe
Aug 19, 2019The Houston-based rapper's mindful words are like a life hack for anyone seeking guidance, with pleas to look past inherent hardships and evil and to stay focused on life's ultimate prizes.
S12E68Nicole Bus
Aug 21, 2019Nicole Bus' sound is reminiscent of vintage R&B, yet still feels current and capable of transcending age and demographics.
S12E69Mandolin Orange
Aug 23, 2019Andrew Marlin and Emily Frantz made everything seem so easy, with just a few acoustic instruments and a single microphone behind the Tiny Desk, performing songs full of joy and thoughtfulness.
S12E7047SOUL
Aug 26, 201947SOUL's message of equality is meant for the world. It's music without borders, mixing old and new, acoustic and electronic from a band formed in Amman Jordan, singing in Arabic and English.
S12E71Dan Tepfer
Aug 29, 2019The pianist and programmer has transformed the acoustic piano into his duet partner.
S12E72The-Dream
Aug 30, 2019The singer and mega-hit songwriter showcases three of his own tracks, including "I Luv Your Girl" and two songs from Ménage à Trois: Sextape Vol. 1, 2, 3.
S12E73A-WA
Sep 3, 2019The three Israeli sisters in A-WA mix Yemenite and Arabic traditions with splashes of reggae and hip-hop.
S12E74The Tallest Man On Earth (2019)
Sep 6, 2019The Tallest Man On Earth's second appearance at the Tiny Desk comes almost 10 years to the day after his first. He returns with a touch of grey and a beard, but no less intense or moving.
S12E75Damian 'Jr. Gong' Marley
Sep 9, 2019With eyes shut, Marley dug deep into the healing power of music with songs from his 2017 album Stony Hill.
S12E76Come From Away
Sep 11, 2019Sixteen performers from the Broadway cast crammed behind the Tiny Desk to sing songs and share stories about thousands of airline passengers who were stranded in Newfoundland after 9/11.
S12E77Rhiannon Giddens
Sep 16, 2019Giddens shares songs from her latest album, There is No Other, in an emotional and transfixing performance at the Tiny Desk.
S12E78Nilüfer Yanya
Sep 18, 2019There's a hush to the music of Nilüfer Yanya that made the Tiny Desk the perfect stage for her sound.
S12E79Y La Bamba
Sep 20, 2019Y La Bamba returns for its second Tiny Desk performance with a revised musical vision.
S12E80Rosanne Cash
Sep 23, 2019Roseanne Cash has been making great records for forty years, but she's never played or written better music than she's doing right now.
S12E81Ari Lennox
Sep 25, 2019The R&B singer performed songs from her debut full-length, Shea Butter Baby.
S12E82Josh Ritter With Amanda Shires And Jason Isbell
Sep 27, 2019In his second visit to the Tiny Desk, Josh Ritter had America on his mind. "We all have to fight against this notion that we're not all human beings."
S12E83Jonas Brothers
Sep 30, 2019The brothers and their backing band gave a playful performance of three tracks from their latest album, Happiness Begins.
S12E84Molly Sarlé
Oct 4, 2019After performing at the Tiny Desk as one third of the group Mountain Man, Molly Sarlé returns for a soul-stirring solo performance.
S12E85Sharon Van Etten
Oct 7, 2019Nearly a decade after her first appearance at the Tiny Desk, Sharon Van Etten returns with a full band and a bigger, bolder sound.
S12E86Charly Bliss
Oct 9, 2019The vibrancy of the band can feel childlike and candy-coated. But the group's songs are more about the pain of entering adulthood and leaving some of that sweetness behind.
S12E87Brittany Howard
Oct 15, 2019The Alabama Shakes singer and guitarist brought an eight-piece backing band to the Tiny Desk for a set of deeply personal and affecting songs.
S12E88Taylor Swift
Oct 16, 201929mAs she settled in for this stripped-down set, Taylor Swift looked out over the office. "I just decided to take this as an opportunity to show you guys how the songs sounded when I first wrote them."
S12E89Summer Walker
Oct 18, 2019One week after releasing a record-shattering studio debut, the Atlanta native brings a glowing R&B set to the Tiny Desk.
S12E90Jovino Santos Neto Trio
Oct 21, 2019Along with his trio, the pianist, multi-instrumentalist and composer cast a spell over the NPR Music offices in this joyful turn behind the Tiny Desk.
S12E91CHAI
Oct 23, 2019The group from Japan is on a mission to expand the conventional meaning of "cute." Their performance included synchronized dancing, pom-poms and matching pink uniforms, with a heavy, angular sound.
S12E92Rio Mira
Oct 25, 2019Rio Mira's music celebrates life along the river that separates Ecuador and Colombia: soft breezes, loving friends, the embrace of Africa and lots of festejando!
S12E93BJ The Chicago Kid
Nov 6, 2019The 34-year old R&B mainstay used his moment at the desk to fit in as many of his most cherished songs as possible — Nine songs in 17 minutes to be exact.
S12E94Dave
Nov 8, 2019The British rapper made a trip all the way from the UK just for this Tiny Desk performance and powered through a set that made the personal political.
S12E95Leslie Odom Jr.
Nov 12, 2019The Tony- and Grammy-winning singer, actor, author and Hamilton star performs three songs from Mr, his genre-bending new solo album.
S12E96Sunny War
Nov 13, 2019Sunny War has been homeless, busked on city streets and Venice Beach, left home feeling she was a burden to her mother, battled addiction and still found a way to bring joy to others thru her music.
S12E97KOKOKO!
Nov 15, 2019KOKOKO! are sonic warriors. They seized control of the Tiny Desk, shouting their arrival through a megaphone, while electronic sirens begin to blare.
S12E98Burna Boy
Nov 18, 2019The Nigerian singer and songwriter is one of the biggest African artists in the world and a pioneer of Afro-fusion, an inescapable sound this year.
S12E99Snarky Puppy
Nov 20, 2019The jazz, funk and gospel improv group brought jams and joy to the Tiny Desk.
S12E100Igor Levit
Nov 22, 2019The insightful pianist offers a Beethoven bonanza, ranging from the mesmerizing pulse of the popular "Moonlight" Sonata to flashes of wry humor and tender beauty.
S12E101Carly Rae Jepsen
Nov 25, 2019The singer brought a sparkling pop-disco vibe and a lot of swagger to the sun-filled Tiny Desk.
S12E102Mereba
Nov 27, 2019A nomadic storyteller with a cross-genre style ranging from folk to rap, Mereba slays the devil in her solo set behind the Desk.
S12E103Black Uhuru
Nov 29, 2019The influential reggae group, whose name means "black freedom," brought songs of solidarity and love to the Tiny Desk.
S12E104Freddie Gibbs And Madlib
Dec 6, 2019The enigmatic and reclusive producer Madlib joins hard-hitting emcee Freddie Gibbs for one of the most memorable Tiny Desks of the year.
S12E105Raveena
Dec 9, 2019"I just want you to know," Raveena told the NPR office, "that in this space that we're in, you're extremely, extremely loved."
S12E106Weyes Blood
Dec 11, 2019Watch the band perform a blissed-out, gently sweeping set featuring three songs from its latest album, Titanic Rising.
S12E107The Comet Is Coming
Dec 13, 2019The Comet is Coming is a force of nature. The British trio makes the kind of instrumental jazz that takes music lovers out of their comfort zone and into a musical realm they may never have explored.
S12E108Moonchild
Dec 16, 2019The LA-based trio makes an intricate blend of jazz, R&B and hip-hop. For their Tiny Desk set, they pulled out all the stops: flutes, flugelhorns, saxophones, keyboards, ukuleles and more.
S12E109Los Lobos
Dec 18, 2019When Los Lobos gathered behind the Tiny Desk, it felt like they were cramped in the back room of a family Christmas party, calling up tunes from the Latin holiday song book.
S12E110Balún
Dec 20, 2019It's impossible to not be drawn in by the visual specter of Balún as the band mixes traditional instruments and electronics, set against a rich tapestry of voices.
S12E111Spanglish Fly
Dec 31, 2019Spanglish Fly is one of the pioneers of the boogaloo revival scene happening on the East Coast. For about sixteen minutes, they turned the NPR Music offices into the hottest Latin dance club in D.C.