Accessibility links
World Cafe WXPN in Philadelphia and host Raina Douris present interviews and performances with today's essential and emerging artists.

World Cafe

Essential and Emerging Artists
Hear a live mini-concert from Lido Pimienta

Lido Pimienta performing live for World Cafe John Vettese/WXPN hide caption

toggle caption
John Vettese/WXPN

Latin Roots

Hear a live mini-concert from Lido Pimienta

XPN

What adds to Lido's Polaris Prize and Grammy award-winning resume is her ability to command the stage as a live performer.

Lido Pimienta on World Cafe

  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/1108193084/1108194657" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
Berlin indie-pop band Von Wegen Lisbeth shares new music on 'World Cafe'

Von Wegen Lisbeth performs live for World Cafe Kimberly Junod/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

toggle caption
Kimberly Junod/Courtesy of the artist

World Cafe Words and Music from WXPN

Berlin indie-pop band Von Wegen Lisbeth shares new music on 'World Cafe'

XPN

While you've maybe never heard of them here in America, in the German-language indie rock world, Von Wegen Lisbeth are a pretty big deal.

Von Wegen Lisbeth on World Cafe

  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/1107297502/1107305883" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
Mattiel performs an ode to the delightfully unique Jeff Goldblum

Mattiel Courtesy of the artist hide caption

toggle caption
Courtesy of the artist

Studio Sessions

Mattiel performs an ode to the delightfully unique Jeff Goldblum

XPN

What happens when you write an album — Mattiel's latest, Georgia Gothic — in seclusion? Where does it lead? To Jeff Goldblum, of course! Hear a live mini-concert in this session of World Cafe.

Mattiel Mini Concert on World Cafe

  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/1107026858/1107030747" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
Post-punk garage rock band Shybits packs Berlin's 8MM Bar

Shybits performing live at 8MM Bar in Berlin. Kimberly Junod/WXPN hide caption

toggle caption
Kimberly Junod/WXPN

Sense Of Place

Post-punk garage rock band Shybits packs Berlin's 8MM Bar

XPN

World Cafe kicks off its Sense of Place: Berlin series with a session with local trio Shybits, featuring a live performance and interview from local rock club 8MM Bar.

Shybits on World Cafe Sense of Place Berlin

  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/1106735276/1106745196" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
The Culture Corner: What makes Bob Marley's 'Exodus' so special

Bob MARLEY; performing live on stage, 1976 Andrew Putler / Redferns/Getty Images hide caption

toggle caption
Andrew Putler / Redferns/Getty Images

Studio Sessions

The Culture Corner: What makes Bob Marley's 'Exodus' so special

XPN

It might surprise you to know that when Bob Marley was making the internationally beloved album, things weren't very relaxing at all.

The Culture Corner: Bob Marley on World Cafe

  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/1105887510/1105888234" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
For Fontaines D.C., a move to London reaffirmed the band's Irish identity

Fontaines D.C. Paige Walter/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

toggle caption
Paige Walter/Courtesy of the artist

World Cafe Words and Music from WXPN

For Fontaines D.C., a move to London reaffirmed the band's Irish identity

XPN

A major change for the band taken during the pandemic showed the group's willingness to make concessions to their aspirations.

Fontaines D.C. on World Cafe

  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/1103509657/1103516703" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
Hear a live mini-concert performed by Combo Chimbita

Combo Chimbita performs at World Cafe Live in Philadelphia. Recorded live for World Cafe. John Vettese/WXPN hide caption

toggle caption
John Vettese/WXPN

Studio Sessions

Hear a live mini-concert performed by Combo Chimbita

XPN

Their latest album, Iré, was released in January and features a rhythmic foundation rooted in Afro-Caribbean transcendence, bewildering chants, booming drums and psychedelic distortion.

Combo Chimbita on World Cafe

  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/1103495454/1103498572" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
Does Sharon Van Etten have an alter ego?

Sharon Van Etten Paige Walter/WXPN hide caption

toggle caption
Paige Walter/WXPN

Studio Sessions

Does Sharon Van Etten have an alter ego?

XPN

Written during the pandemic, Van Etten's latest album, We've Been Going About This All Wrong, is an intimate and moving collection of songs that are stronger because of how they all fit together.

Sharon Van Etten on World Cafe

  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/1102715143/1102721051" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
Arooj Aftab's life is in a bit of a whirlwind

Arooj Aftab Blythe Thomas/Courtest of the artist hide caption

toggle caption
Blythe Thomas/Courtest of the artist

Studio Sessions

Arooj Aftab's life is in a bit of a whirlwind

XPN

Aftab is the first Pakistani woman not only to win a Grammy, but to even be nominated for one. Hear about her life and how music brought her to America in this episode of World Cafe.

Arooj Aftab on World Cafe

  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/1102468413/1102471507" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
Live from the National Museum of African American Music: Keb' Mo'

Keb' Mo' Jeremy Cowart/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

toggle caption
Jeremy Cowart/Courtesy of the artist

Nashville Sessions

Live from the National Museum of African American Music: Keb' Mo'

XPN

For 50 years, Keb's made music that's resonated deeply with people — and he's nowhere close to calling it a career. His latest album is Good to Be.

Keb' Mo' on World Cafe

  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/1102132976/1102133063" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
Lizzie No has a way of writing songs that are tender, incisive, gentle — but intense

Lizzie No Courtesy of the artist hide caption

toggle caption
Courtesy of the artist

Nashville Sessions

Lizzie No has a way of writing songs that are tender, incisive, gentle — but intense

XPN

Lizzie No is a magnetic performer and a rising star in the folk world — and when you hear her, you'll understand why.

Lizzie No on World Cafe

  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/1100684558/1100691291" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
The Dip pulls from soul, R&B, pop and rock to make a sound that's all its own

The Dip perform live at NON-COMM 2022, recorded live for World Cafe Paige Walter/WXPN hide caption

toggle caption
Paige Walter/WXPN

Studio Sessions

The Dip pulls from soul, R&B, pop and rock to make a sound that's all its own

XPN

In this session of World Cafe, The Dip talks about its journey from playing house parties to having a million Spotify listeners a month.

The Dip on World Cafe

  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/1100680704/1100681299" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
Del McCoury was there at the beginning of the bluegrass movement

Del McCoury Emma Delevante/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

toggle caption
Emma Delevante/Courtesy of the artist

Nashville Sessions

Del McCoury was there at the beginning of the bluegrass movement

XPN

For this new album, Almost Proud, quarantine gave Del McCoury the time and space to dig through a box of collected music to find some gems to record.

Del McCoury on World Cafe

  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/1100276149/1100278592" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
alt-J has always had a knack for making the unconventional sound appealing

alt-J performs live for World Cafe Galea McGregor/WXPN hide caption

toggle caption
Galea McGregor/WXPN

Studio Sessions

alt-J has always had a knack for making the unconventional sound appealing

XPN

A well-deserved break — and building their own studio — was the spark the group needed to make 'The Dream,' their most adventurous album yet.

alt-J on World Cafe

  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/1098810153/1098814800" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
Live from the National Museum of African American Music: Amythyst Kiah

Amythyst Kiah Sandlin Gaither/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

toggle caption
Sandlin Gaither/Courtesy of the artist

WC30

Live from the National Museum of African American Music: Amythyst Kiah

XPN

Amythyst Kiah's debut solo album, Wary + Strange, with its unusual combination of roots influences and alternative sounds, features the Grammy-nominated song, "Black Myself."

OLD

  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/1098528360/1098534515" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
Beach House's latest album embraces maximalism in both size and sound

Beach House David Belisle/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

toggle caption
David Belisle/Courtesy of the artist

Studio Sessions

Beach House's latest album embraces maximalism in both size and sound

XPN

Once Twice Melody was released in four chapters over the course of several months and embraces maximalism in both size and sound.

Beach House on World Cafe

  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/1097899762/1097936691" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
Browse archive or search npr.org