Tiny Desk Concerts: ten performance not to be missed

Tiny Desk Concerts, the NPR web video format, the American public radio based in Washington, is based on a simple and effective idea: to play bands and artists within a space used as an office. The engagement rules are simple and rigorous: equipment that amplify the sound or voice are not allowedas vocal or auto-tone monitors, the expenses are borne by the artists who are not rewarded for performance or reimbursed for the trip, Only one general test is planned and the performance lasts about 20 minutes.

The strength of the format lies precisely in these restrictions and in the fact that In that run space the artists are all the same, regardless of the records sold or the grammy won. It is a challenging format, for this he tickles the names involved and pushes them to get involved. Tiny Desk is in the 10s and 20s as the MTV UNPLugged was in the 90s. Just as we are writing these lines, Beth Gibbons’s Tiny Desk has just come out, an artist who is not exactly “the most available” in the contemporary scene. And at the first listening it seems an excellent performance. The magic of Tiny Desk Concerts continues. We have selected them ten: They are among the best, they deserve to be seen and listened to.

Tyler, The Creator (2018)

The hip-hop world creator managed to create his imagination also in the offices of Washington in NPR. Meanwhile, he recorded his performance at night (unique case) to have a particular atmosphere and gave birth to a singular light design according to the songs, first blue and Magenta, then red and finally Rosa to stand out the white outfit of the musicians. His performance, which involved the public a lot, came out following the publication of the album “Flower Boy”. To report the close -knit band and the two extraordinary choristers/soloists.

Doechii (2024)

In August 2024, Daechii public “Alligator Bites Never Heal”, a 19 track project that makes the jaw fall to fans, and not only. Celebrated for its sound diversity and the depth of its texts, the disc explores intimate themes such as sobriety, identity and pressure of fame. On the wave of this jewel, the Tampa artist, complete with traditional braids and an all -female band, stages his tiny desk, which literally makes the bang becoming viral. He closes with “Black Girl Memoir”, dedicated to all black women in the world.

Mac Miller (2018)

A few days after the release of his fifth album “Swimming”, Mac Miller honored the world with his performance Tiny Desk. He brought with him his collaborator and usual friend Thundarcat and several other members of the band to perform “Small Worlds”, “What’s the Use?” and “2009”. One of the most interesting aspects of Tiny Desk is to see rapper such as Mac bringing their musical creativity to a higher level, which he would then bring on tour. Unfortunately, however, he disappeared at 26 a few weeks after this performance. Since then Mac’s Tiny Desk has scored over 105 million views on YouTube.

Coldplay (2020)

Tiny Desk is also an opportunity for noble artists and bands to bring out a different part of them, without too many superstructures and gigantisms. The Coldplay then show up in the NPR offices in Duo formation – Chris Martin at the keyboards and the item together with the guitarist Jonny Buckland – and a magnificent gospel chorus of nine elements. Their set of five songs included successes such as “Cry Cry Cry”, hymns like “Viva la Vida” and a Grovy cover of “1999” of Prince. A nice surprise and an extraordinary performance.

Stromae (2022)

Difficult if not impossible, in an ideal Best of, do not mention Stromae, who in his Tiny Desk performed four songs taken from the “Mulità” album, as well as classic of his repertoire, “Alors on Danse”. The peculiarity? The artist was accompanied by the women’s Bulgarian choir Yasna Voices. All embellished with the effort of off-screen musicians who with PC, synthesizers and mixers have engraved on the live. Something that, reads the Tiny Desk website, was not possible 15 years ago, when Tiny Desk’s concerts made their debut. The musical test therefore requested many hours of evidence.

Ca7riel & Paco Amoroso (2024)

If you are good musicians, Tiny Desk represents the perfect stage to demonstrate her talent to the world, especially if you don’t live in a country with a great limelight. This was understood by the two Argentine Ca7riel & Paco Amoroso who has put together a special quality performance with a super -Rodata band that brings together Latin, progressive trap, jazz orchestractions, funk, elegant R&B, and a great sense of groove. And after a week the whole world knew who they were. And in fact this year was one of the best sets of the coachella.

Anderson .Paak & The Free Nationals (2016)

There is little to say: the performance was so magical and acclaimed that it becomes a limited edition vinyl literally stolen and now extremely rare. With the Free Nationals, the performance includes four of Anderson’s best known songs: “Come down”, “Heart Don’t Stand A Chance”, “Put Me Thru” and “Suede”, all four pieces distributed on one side A and a side B. Crusing play, means entering a warm and refined sound world.

Erykah Badu (2019)

The live performance of Erykah Badu are never the same, but every time reserve surprises that make them unique events. At the base there is always an extraordinary fusion of Neo-Soul, Jazz and Hip-Hop. Her voice, her presence and the ability to show showing her always an aura of ethereal magic. At Tiny Desk he could have been on the safe side and sing the songs that fans expected from her. Instead, it opts for two contrasting songs: the “Rimshot” swagger and the melancholic break song divided into three “Green Eyes” suite, whose vocal grandeur is enhanced by Badu’s deep and intense interpretation. The result is that the NPR Music Office turns into the Jazz Club of dreams.

Idles (2019)

A mix of love and indignation. A space in which the furious anger of the Bristol band seems to be fenced, but not for this reason unable to convey emotions. Joe Talbot said that their opening song for Tiny Desk, “Never Fight a Man with A Perm”, taken from the album “Joy as an act of Resistance”, is an “exploration of the most horrible corners of my past”. It took only a few seconds for Joe’s face to become blood red, while groping, and remained so for the next 13 minutes, even while he was bowing at the end of the first song.

Billie Eilish (2024)

Four years earlier Billie Eilish and his brother Finneas, during the pandemic, had “recreated” Bob Bolen’s desk for a “domestic” edition of the Tiny Desk of NPR. In 2024 the two brothers went from imitation, forced by circumstances, to reality. Their first Tiny Desk Concert was presented with an intimate performance of songs taken from “Hit Me Hard and Soft”. “Tiny desk! I have always dreamed of him,” he said between one song and another.