Jensen McRae : NPR

Jesse Welles, Jensen McRae and Mon Rovîa are three artists whose plainspoken protest music has resonated online. Hannah Gray Hall; Bao Ngo; Zayne Isom hide caption

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Hannah Gray Hall; Bao Ngo; Zayne Isom

Music

There's a new generation of folk protest singers on TikTok

November 11, 2025 • Amid a 24-hour news cycle and personalized algorithms, a wave of young artists are reviving bold, plainspoken protest music that cuts through the noise.

Jensen McRae Bao Ngo/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Bao Ngo/Courtesy of the artist

World Cafe

For Jensen McRae, songwriting is alchemy and her latest album is gold

WXPN

July 15, 2025 • The Southern California-raised musician talks about her stunning sophomore album, I Don't Know How But They Found Me!

Jensen McRae on World Cafe

34:38

NPR Music's 36 Favorite Songs of 2022 (So Far)

Saba (left), Lizzo (center) and Rosalía have released some of our favorite songs of the year so far. Collage by Estefanía Mitre / NPR/Photos courtesy of the artists hide caption

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Collage by Estefanía Mitre / NPR/Photos courtesy of the artists

Best Music of 2022

NPR Music's 36 Favorite Songs of 2022 (So Far)

June 27, 2022 • The songs we love from the first half of the year span a wide emotional and musical range, from wild percussive romps to raw pleas for empathy to Beyoncé's command to leave it all on the dance floor.

Jensen McRae. Caity Krone/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Caity Krone/Courtesy of the artist

#NowPlaying

Jensen McRae, 'Adam's Ribs'

April 1, 2022 • Jensen McRae gives voice to the painful brutality of the creation story.

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Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images for Disney

The Best Music Of 2021: NPR Staff Picks

NPR Music 2021 Staff Picks: Cat Sposato

December 16, 2021 • Our Alt.Latino intern shares her favorite albums and songs of 2021.

World Cafe 30th Anniversary: 30 Under 30

Marcus King (by Jamie Stow), Molly Tuttle (by Emily DeHart), Ondara (by Galea McGregor) WXPN hide caption

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WXPN

World Cafe

World Cafe 30th Anniversary: 30 Under 30

WXPN

October 15, 2021 • We've chosen 30 artists who are 30 years old or younger that we believe are poised to be the next generation of World Cafe stars. Each week, we'll reveal one of the artists on that list.

Jensen McRae Reintroduces Herself On 'Who Hurt You?'

Jensen McRae Jeannie Sui Wonders/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Jeannie Sui Wonders/Courtesy of the artist

World Cafe Words and Music Podcast

Jensen McRae Reintroduces Herself On 'Who Hurt You?'

WXPN

June 22, 2021 • More than her viral hit and Phoebe Bridgers parody "Immune," McRae has a unique, perceptive ear and a way with words.

Jensen McRae on World Cafe

37:06

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Heavy Rotation: 16 Songs Public Radio Can't Stop Playing

Jensen McRae's "Starting to Get to You" is featured in March's edition of Heavy Rotation. Joe Robles/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Joe Robles/Courtesy of the artist

World Cafe

Heavy Rotation: 16 Songs Public Radio Can't Stop Playing

March 31, 2021 • NPR member stations share a mix of the most popular songs on their airwaves this month, including music from CHAI, Joe Chambers, serpentwithfeet and more.

Alto saxophonist and composer Immanuel Wilkins is one of our Slingshot artists to watch in 2021. Dana Scruggs hide caption

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Dana Scruggs

Slingshot

17 Emerging Musicians To Watch In 2021

January 6, 2021 • It's a new year, which means new opportunities for emerging artists to rise above the noise. Here are public radio's 17 artists to watch this year.