Tiny Desk : NPR

Better Oblivion Community Center: Tiny Desk Concert

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Better Oblivion Community Center performs a Tiny Desk Concert on April 3, 2019 (Amr Alfky/NPR). Amr Alfiky/NPR hide caption

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Better Oblivion Community Center

April 24, 2019 • Tiny 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.

The Calidore String Quartet: Tiny Desk Concert

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The Calidore String Quartet performs a Tiny Desk Concert on April 5, 2019 (Amr Alfiky/NPR). Amr Alfiky/NPR hide caption

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The Calidore String Quartet

April 22, 2019 • The Calidore String Quartet confirms that the centuries-old formula — two violins, a viola and a cello — is still very much alive and evolving.

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Theodore performs a Tiny Desk Concert on March 27, 2019 (Amr Alfiky/NPR). Amr Alfiky/NPR hide caption

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Theodore

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 Floyd.

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15:19

Gary Clark Jr. performs a Tiny Desk Concert on April 1, 2019 (Amr Alfiky/NPR). Amr Alfiky/NPR hide caption

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Gary Clark Jr.

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 top of his game.

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17:49

Karine Polwart Trio performs a Tiny Desk Concert on March 22, 2019 (Amr Alfiky/NPR). Amr Alfiky/NPR hide caption

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Karine Polwart Trio

April 10, 2019 • Scottish 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.

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Georgia Anne Muldrow performs a Tiny Desk Concert on Feb. 26, 2019 (Amr Alfiky/NPR). Amr Alfiky/NPR hide caption

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Georgia Anne Muldrow

April 8, 2019 • The R&B singer from Los Angeles is all about showing and spreading love.

Courtney Marie Andrews: Tiny Desk Concert

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Courtney Marie Andrews performs a Tiny Desk Concert on Feb. 2, 2019 (NPR). NPR hide caption

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Courtney Marie Andrews

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.

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15:52

Weezer performs a Tiny Desk Concert on Feb. 27, 2019 (Amr Alfiky/NPR). Amr Alfiky/NPR hide caption

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Weezer

April 1, 2019 • Performing unplugged, the band forgoes its usual meticulousness in favor of a shaggy, entirely acoustic mix of new songs and '90s-era deep cuts.

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15:10

Andrea Cruz performs a Tiny Desk Concert on Feb. 4, 2019 (Claire Harbage/NPR). Claire Harbage/NPR hide caption

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Andrea Cruz

March 27, 2019 • The 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.

&More (Chill Moody & Donn T): Tiny Desk Concert

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&More performs a Tiny Desk Concert on March 4, 2019 (Amr Alfiky/NPR). Amr Alfiky/NPR hide caption

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&More (Chill Moody & Donn T)

March 25, 2019 • Philadelphia 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.

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Tiny Desk Family Hour: Leikeli47

March 22, 2019 • The charismatic, genre-smashing masked rapper closes NPR Music's big night with intensity, joy and free-wheeling fervor.

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SXSW 2019

Tiny Desk Family Hour: Amanda Palmer

March 21, 2019 • The intense singer-songwriter performed "The Ride" on a grand piano.

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SXSW 2019

Tiny Desk Family Hour: Fragile Rock

March 20, 2019 • Fragile Rock's rowdy emo songs are performed by bickering puppets. Onstage at a church in Austin, the band savages the patriarchy in "Smile More."

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SXSW 2019

Tiny Desk Family Hour: Gina Chavez

March 20, 2019 • In this performance of "The Sweet Sound Of Your Name," a song of devotion from 2014, the Austin singer-songwriter finds magic in the intimacy of a communal setting.

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Alejandro Escovedo performs a Tiny Desk Concert on Jan. 16, 2019 (Claire Harbage/NPR). Claire Harbage/NPR hide caption

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Alejandro Escovedo

March 20, 2019 • The 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.

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SXSW 2019

Tiny Desk Family Hour: Wyclef Jean

March 18, 2019 • The former Fugees star brought an electric guitar and a young protégé.

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Nao performs a Tiny Desk Concert on Feb. 11, 2019 (Amr Alfiky/NPR). Amr Alfiky/NPR hide caption

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Nao

March 18, 2019 • The U.K.-based singer-songwriter takes the Tiny Desk on a cosmic journey through her Saturn return.

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SXSW 2019

Tiny Desk Family Hour: Mountain Man

March 16, 2019 • We couldn't pick just one song from the trio's appearance at the Tiny Desk Family hour. So we went with three.

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John Paul White performs at the Tiny Desk Family Hour at Central Presbyterian Church in Austin, Texas, during the SXSW 2019 music festival. Aaron Rogosin/NPR hide caption

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SXSW 2019

Tiny Desk Family Hour: John Paul White

March 15, 2019 • The former Civil Wars star performed a new song that even makes his kids cry.

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4:23

Cautious Clay performs at the Tiny Desk Family Hour at Central Presbyterian Church in Austin, Texas, during the SXSW 2019 music festival. Adam Kissick/Courtesy of SXSW hide caption

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SXSW 2019

Tiny Desk Family Hour: Cautious Clay

March 14, 2019 • The Brooklyn-based artist, in addition to offering up an impeccable vocal performance, brought perhaps the only flute solo of SXSW 2019 to NPR Music's Tiny Desk Family Hour.

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Gaelynn Lea performs at the Tiny Desk Family Hour at Central Presbyterian Church in Austin, TX during the SXSW 2019 music festival. Adam Kissick/Courtesy of the photographer hide caption

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SXSW 2019

Tiny Desk Family Hour: Gaelynn Lea

March 13, 2019 • The former Tiny Desk Contest winner brought the crowd to its collective feet.

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Leikeli47 performs a Tiny Desk Concert on Feb. 8, 2019 (Amr Alfiky/NPR). Amr Alfiky/NPR hide caption

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Leikeli47

March 11, 2019 • The artist came to the Tiny Desk masked up, as always, the better to catch a glimpse of her soul.

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14:26

Meg Myers performs a Tiny Desk Concert on Dec. 5, 2018 (Cameron Pollack/NPR). Cameron Pollack/NPR hide caption

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Meg Myers

March 6, 2019 • Myers 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."