Season 2019
(2019)
Cast
Episodes
Miguel Zenón feat. Spektral Quartet 0.0
January 4, 2019
The saxophonist is a big thinker whose mesmerizing compositions chronicle the music of his native Puerto Rico with the …
Buddy 0.0
January 9, 2019
The preacher's son from Compton brought his flair for the dramatic, and an air of rebellion, to the Tiny Desk.
Carolina Eyck and Clarice Jensen 0.0
January 11, 2019
Carolina Eyck, the first artist to bring a theremin to the Tiny Desk, plays the air with the kind of lyrical phrasing a…
Aaron Lee Tasjan 0.0
January 15, 2019
Aaron Lee Tasjan arrived in an ascot and mustard-colored shirt, sporting red, round sunglasses and mutton chops. It was…
Nate Wood - fOUR 0.0
January 16, 2019
The multi-instrumentalist says he only wishes he had more limbs; but Wood still manages to simultaneously play a bass g…
Stella Donnelly 0.0
January 22, 2019
Watch the Australian singer-songwriter perform three new songs from her upcoming full-length debut, Beware of the Dogs.
Blood Orange 0.0
January 29, 2019
This Blood Orange Tiny Desk is a beautifully conceived concert showing off the craft and care that has made Devonté Hyn…
Cat Power 0.0
February 4, 2019
Chan Marshall and her band perform a brisk and beautifully orchestrated medley of Cat Power songs: "Wanderer," "Woman" …
Kurt Vile 0.0
February 6, 2019
Kurt Vile and his musical mate, Rob Laakso casually lose themselves in complex guitar lines that are effortlessly beaut…
Lau Noah 0.0
February 11, 2019
There's a magical aura that surrounds Lau Noah as she sits behind the Tiny Desk and unspools thought-provoking story-so…
Mountain Man 0.0
February 13, 2019
The voices of Amelia Meath, Molly Erin Sarlé and Alexandra Sauser-Monnig come together behind the Tiny Desk, with songs…
Scott Mulvahill 0.0
February 18, 2019
Scott Mulvahill has been trying to win the Tiny Desk Contest for each of its four years. And while he's never won, we a…
The Pedrito Martinez Group 0.0
February 20, 2019
The Afro-Cuban percussionist mesmerizes with his almost otherworldly talent on congas.
Natalie Prass 0.0
February 25, 2019
Decked out in matching, cobalt blue outfits, the singer and her band had a clear vision: If you want to overcome the ti…
Zaytoven 0.0
February 28, 2019
The Atlanta trap super-producer and son of a preacher man saved the day with a soulful Tiny Desk.
Phony Ppl 0.0
March 4, 2019
The Brooklynites stand out for their inventive and seamless blend of jazz, R&B and hip-hop.
Meg Myers 0.0
March 6, 2019
Myers replaces her album's roaring electric guitars and electronics with a pulsing string quartet, piano and brushed dr…
Leikeli47 0.0
March 11, 2019
The artist came to the Tiny Desk masked up, as always, the better to catch a glimpse of her soul.
Kaia Kater 0.0
March 13, 2019
Multi-hyphenate artist Kaia Kater uses the architecture of roots music, which she studied in West Virginia, to establis…
Nao 0.0
March 18, 2019
The U.K.-based singer-songwriter takes the Tiny Desk on a cosmic journey through her Saturn return.
Alejandro Escovedo 0.0
March 20, 2019
The veteran rocker and a backup band from Italy play songs from their album The Crossing, chronicling an American Dream…
&More (Chill Moody & Donn T) 0.0
March 25, 2019
Philadelphia Rapper Chill Moody and singer Donn T, along with their crew known as &More, were one of the standout entra…
Andrea Cruz 0.0
March 27, 2019
The singer from Puerto Rico is part of a movement on the island that emphasizes largely acoustic instruments and a folk…
Weezer 0.0
April 1, 2019
Performing unplugged, the band forgoes its usual meticulousness in favor of a shaggy, entirely acoustic mix of new song…
Courtney Marie Andrews 0.0
April 3, 2019
It was a day when sunlight drenched the office and the songs of heart from Courtney Marie Andrews felt right at home.
Georgia Anne Muldrow 0.0
April 8, 2019
The R&B singer from Los Angeles is all about showing and spreading love.
Karine Polwart Trio 0.0
April 10, 2019
Scottish singer, songwriter and essayist Karine Polwart seldom comes stateside, eschewing air travel to reduce her carb…
Gary Clark Jr. 0.0
April 16, 2019
These three songs, from Clark's incendiary new album This Land, roar with the assurance and force of a showman at the t…
Theodore 0.0
April 17, 2019
The music of Theodore is dark and transformative, with the kind of spare elegance you can hear in Sigur Rós or Pink Flo…
The Calidore String Quartet 0.0
April 22, 2019
The Calidore String Quartet confirms that the centuries-old formula — two violins, a viola and a cello — is still very …
Better Oblivion Community Center 0.0
April 24, 2019
Tiny Desk alums Conor Oberst and Phoebe Bridgers surprised us all with their stunning collaboration this year as Better…
Toro Y Moi 0.0
April 29, 2019
Toro y Moi loses the voice processing, synths and other heavy effects for a stripped-down acoustic set at the Tiny Desk.
Laraaji 0.0
May 2, 2019
Laraaji is best known to some for his ambient work with Brian Eno in the late '70s. He brings his meditative calm to th…
Thou 0.0
May 6, 2019
This is probably the quietest you'll ever hear the first metal band to play the Tiny Desk.
Ohmme 0.0
May 9, 2019
These classically trained artists fill the NPR Music offices with shrieking, rhythmic noise that redefines what an elec…
Magos Herrera and Brooklyn Rider 0.0
May 15, 2019
Watch what happens when the smoky-voiced jazz singer from Mexico conspires with an adventuresome string quartet for son…
Ensemble Signal Plays Jonny Greenwood 0.0
May 20, 2019
Watch members of the New York-based group give the world premiere video performances of two recent pieces by Radiohead …
Jeremy Dutcher 0.0
May 22, 2019
There is no one making music like this 27-year-old, classically trained opera tenor and pianist. Watch and see why.
Lucky Daye 0.0
May 28, 2019
Hailing from New Orleans with a love of sticky, bass-bumping funk, Lucky brought along a 10-person band, including a qu…
LADAMA 0.0
May 30, 2019
The group unites sounds from Brazil, Colombia and Venezuela, with a dash of New York City thrown in.
Quinn Christopherson 0.0
June 3, 2019
Quinn and his musical partner, guitarist and singer Nick Carpenter, arrived from the cool of Anchorage to the swelter o…
Tomberlin 0.0
June 6, 2019
Tomberlin is the daughter of a Baptist pastor, grew up singing in the church and, since her teens, has questioned her o…
Sesame Street 0.0
June 10, 2019
Big Bird, Bert and Ernie, Elmo, Grover, Rosita, Count von Count, Abby Cadabby, Cookie Monster and other surprise guests…
Foxing 0.0
June 12, 2019
Foxing is at the forefront of an emo revival, heavily influenced by late-'90s and early 2000s groups like Sunny Day Rea…
IDLES 0.0
June 18, 2019
The British madmen brought fury, cathartic rage and deep thoughts to the Tiny Desk for one of the loudest, most raucous…
Imogen Heap 0.0
June 20, 2019
Imogen Heap takes us through her many musical talents, from her Frou Frou musical partner, Guy Sigsworth — and their fi…
Tasha Cobbs Leonard 0.0
June 24, 2019
Tasha Cobbs Leonard is widely regarded as one of the best gospel singers performing today. Her set at the Tiny Desk mov…
Betty Who 0.0
June 26, 2019
Betty Who brings Roséwave, sun's-out pop to the Tiny Desk with all the usual studio production stripped away.
Be More Chill 0.0
July 1, 2019
On Broadway, Be More Chill is a playful burst of frenetic energy and silly, stealthy sweetness. At the Tiny Desk, it ho…
Saint Sister 0.0
July 3, 2019
The group from Ireland makes music that mixes the organic with the electronic, starting with a large, 34-string lever h…
Miya Folick 0.0
July 5, 2019
Miya Folick was raised a Buddhist in Santa Ana, Calif., and is of Ukrainian and Japanese descent. She sings of convicti…
American Football 0.0
July 8, 2019
Who would've thought that American Football's fruitful reunion would not only include some of the emo band's best songs…
Sting And Shaggy 0.0
July 10, 2019
The two musical legends brought plenty of joy to the Tiny Desk, with an unexpected collaboration that works surprisingl…
Erin Rae 0.0
July 12, 2019
Every time she performs live, Erin Rae transforms her quiet storms into different hues of squalling introspection.
Priests 0.0
July 19, 2019
The punk-infused art band from Washington, D.C. brings a kinder, gentler and sparer version of the group's music to the…
Jacob Collier 0.0
July 22, 2019
As the NPR staff gathered to watch his performance, Jacob Collier sprinted full bore down the hallway for his set, hard…
Masego 0.0
July 24, 2019
The spirit of Cab Calloway lives on in Masego, the singer, producer and multi-instrumentalist who surprised NPR's Tiny …
Tamino 0.0
July 26, 2019
Tamino possesses one of the most remarkable and memorable voices to ever grace the Tiny Desk.
Lizzo 0.0
July 29, 2019
Backed by a band assembled just for this occasion, the breakthrough pop icon performs three joyfully showy songs from C…
Calexico And Iron & Wine 0.0
August 1, 2019
The two bands just released Years to Burn, their first album together since 2005. Now, they've performed three songs — …
iLe 0.0
August 3, 2019
The Calle 13 veteran, fresh off her appearance at demonstrations in Puerto Rico, performs three songs that rage with re…
Bas 0.0
August 5, 2019
Bas came to the Tiny Desk to get it, and — in a breathless four-song set — he did exactly that.
David Crosby & The Lighthouse Band 0.0
August 7, 2019
David Crosby, Becca Stevens, Michelle Willis and Michael League are The Lighthouse Band, and together they harmonized t…
Among Authors 0.0
August 9, 2019
Among Authors' music isn't casual; there are songs within these songs, and they're not always catchy. They'll take you …
half•alive 0.0
August 12, 2019
How does half•alive, known for funky earworms and synchronized dancing, translate to such a cozy space? Have the dancer…
Kian Soltani 0.0
August 16, 2019
Watch a young cellist on the rise, offering music of virtuosity, sweet lyricism and a little fire from his Persian root…
Tobe Nwigwe 0.0
August 19, 2019
The Houston-based rapper's mindful words are like a life hack for anyone seeking guidance, with pleas to look past inhe…
Nicole Bus 0.0
August 21, 2019
Nicole Bus' sound is reminiscent of vintage R&B, yet still feels current and capable of transcending age and demographi…
Mandolin Orange 0.0
August 23, 2019
Andrew Marlin and Emily Frantz made everything seem so easy, with just a few acoustic instruments and a single micropho…
47SOUL 0.0
August 26, 2019
47SOUL's message of equality is meant for the world. It's music without borders, mixing old and new, acoustic and elect…
Dan Tepfer 0.0
August 29, 2019
The pianist and programmer has transformed the acoustic piano into his duet partner.
The-Dream 0.0
August 30, 2019
The singer and mega-hit songwriter showcases three of his own tracks, including "I Luv Your Girl" and two songs from Mé…
A-WA 0.0
September 3, 2019
The three Israeli sisters in A-WA mix Yemenite and Arabic traditions with splashes of reggae and hip-hop.
The Tallest Man On Earth (2019) 0.0
September 6, 2019
The Tallest Man On Earth's second appearance at the Tiny Desk comes almost 10 years to the day after his first. He retu…
Damian 'Jr. Gong' Marley 0.0
September 9, 2019
With eyes shut, Marley dug deep into the healing power of music with songs from his 2017 album Stony Hill.
Come From Away 0.0
September 11, 2019
Sixteen performers from the Broadway cast crammed behind the Tiny Desk to sing songs and share stories about thousands …
Rhiannon Giddens 0.0
September 16, 2019
Giddens shares songs from her latest album, There is No Other, in an emotional and transfixing performance at the Tiny …
Nilüfer Yanya 0.0
September 18, 2019
There's a hush to the music of Nilüfer Yanya that made the Tiny Desk the perfect stage for her sound.
Y La Bamba 0.0
September 20, 2019
Y La Bamba returns for its second Tiny Desk performance with a revised musical vision.
Rosanne Cash 0.0
September 23, 2019
Roseanne Cash has been making great records for forty years, but she's never played or written better music than she's …
Ari Lennox 0.0
September 25, 2019
The R&B singer performed songs from her debut full-length, Shea Butter Baby.
Josh Ritter With Amanda Shires And Jason Isbell 0.0
September 27, 2019
In his second visit to the Tiny Desk, Josh Ritter had America on his mind. "We all have to fight against this notion th…
Jonas Brothers 0.0
September 30, 2019
The brothers and their backing band gave a playful performance of three tracks from their latest album, Happiness Begin…
Molly Sarlé 0.0
October 4, 2019
After performing at the Tiny Desk as one third of the group Mountain Man, Molly Sarlé returns for a soul-stirring solo …
Sharon Van Etten 0.0
October 7, 2019
Nearly a decade after her first appearance at the Tiny Desk, Sharon Van Etten returns with a full band and a bigger, bo…
Charly Bliss 0.0
October 9, 2019
The vibrancy of the band can feel childlike and candy-coated. But the group's songs are more about the pain of entering…
Brittany Howard 0.0
October 15, 2019
The Alabama Shakes singer and guitarist brought an eight-piece backing band to the Tiny Desk for a set of deeply person…
Taylor Swift 0.0
October 16, 2019
As she settled in for this stripped-down set, Taylor Swift looked out over the office. "I just decided to take this as …
Summer Walker 0.0
October 18, 2019
One week after releasing a record-shattering studio debut, the Atlanta native brings a glowing R&B set to the Tiny Desk.
Jovino Santos Neto Trio 0.0
October 21, 2019
Along with his trio, the pianist, multi-instrumentalist and composer cast a spell over the NPR Music offices in this jo…
CHAI 0.0
October 23, 2019
The group from Japan is on a mission to expand the conventional meaning of "cute." Their performance included synchroni…
Rio Mira 0.0
October 25, 2019
Rio Mira's music celebrates life along the river that separates Ecuador and Colombia: soft breezes, loving friends, the…
BJ The Chicago Kid 0.0
November 6, 2019
The 34-year old R&B mainstay used his moment at the desk to fit in as many of his most cherished songs as possible — Ni…
Dave 0.0
November 8, 2019
The British rapper made a trip all the way from the UK just for this Tiny Desk performance and powered through a set th…
Leslie Odom Jr. 0.0
November 12, 2019
The Tony- and Grammy-winning singer, actor, author and Hamilton star performs three songs from Mr, his genre-bending ne…
Sunny War 0.0
November 13, 2019
Sunny War has been homeless, busked on city streets and Venice Beach, left home feeling she was a burden to her mother,…
KOKOKO! 0.0
November 15, 2019
KOKOKO! are sonic warriors. They seized control of the Tiny Desk, shouting their arrival through a megaphone, while ele…
Burna Boy 0.0
November 18, 2019
The Nigerian singer and songwriter is one of the biggest African artists in the world and a pioneer of Afro-fusion, an …
Snarky Puppy 0.0
November 20, 2019
The jazz, funk and gospel improv group brought jams and joy to the Tiny Desk.
Igor Levit 0.0
November 22, 2019
The insightful pianist offers a Beethoven bonanza, ranging from the mesmerizing pulse of the popular "Moonlight" Sonata…
Carly Rae Jepsen 0.0
November 25, 2019
The singer brought a sparkling pop-disco vibe and a lot of swagger to the sun-filled Tiny Desk.
Mereba 0.0
November 27, 2019
A nomadic storyteller with a cross-genre style ranging from folk to rap, Mereba slays the devil in her solo set behind …
Black Uhuru 0.0
November 29, 2019
The influential reggae group, whose name means "black freedom," brought songs of solidarity and love to the Tiny Desk.
Freddie Gibbs And Madlib 0.0
December 6, 2019
The enigmatic and reclusive producer Madlib joins hard-hitting emcee Freddie Gibbs for one of the most memorable Tiny D…
Raveena 0.0
December 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 …
Weyes Blood 0.0
December 11, 2019
Watch the band perform a blissed-out, gently sweeping set featuring three songs from its latest album, Titanic Rising.
The Comet Is Coming 0.0
December 13, 2019
The Comet is Coming is a force of nature. The British trio makes the kind of instrumental jazz that takes music lovers …
Moonchild 0.0
December 16, 2019
The LA-based trio makes an intricate blend of jazz, R&B and hip-hop. For their Tiny Desk set, they pulled out all the s…
Los Lobos 0.0
December 18, 2019
When Los Lobos gathered behind the Tiny Desk, it felt like they were cramped in the back room of a family Christmas par…
Balún 0.0
December 20, 2019
It's impossible to not be drawn in by the visual specter of Balún as the band mixes traditional instruments and electro…
Spanglish Fly 0.0
December 31, 2019
Spanglish Fly is one of the pioneers of the boogaloo revival scene happening on the East Coast. For about sixteen minut…