Author: Paige Wilson
Tiny Desk is a show hosted by NPR Music, it is an opportunity to promote well-established and up-and-coming music artists. NPR describes it as “intimate video performances, recorded live at the desk of Bob Boilen.” Bob Boilen is the host and the creator of Tiny Desk Concerts. Now, you’ll read about some of my favorite Tiny Desk Concerts, in no specific order.
Dodie: Watch Here
Dodie is an English singer-songwriter known for her start on Youtube, soft voice, and indie-pop music style. She, alongside a very talented team of singers and musicians, appeared on Tiny Desk on January 10th, 2023. Although this is recent, the energy, harmony, and personality put into this performance are notable. For each song, the group took on a different vibe. She starts with “Hot Mess,” a playful, yet soft song with relatable lyrics. For this song, she integrates lots of string instruments and has powerful background vocals. Next, Dodie and her crew put on spiffy sunglasses and perform “Special Girl,” a fun take on a song about generational trauma. This song highlights Dodie’s vocals and has a more “talking” vibe, with unique percussions, clapping, and violins softly in the background. The third is a more intimate group, with Dodie sitting at the piano and string musicians behind it, playing along to her soft, emotional song, “When.” Her gorgeous vocals and heartfelt lyrics alongside the instrumental integration are pure perfection. Lastly, with Dodie sitting at the piano again, the performers finish with “Lonely Bones,” a simple, soft, sweet song that compliments Dodie’s voice so incredibly well. I enjoyed this eclectic collection of songs, and each one’s unique performance and harmonies.
The Lion King Cast: Watch Here
Performing chilling, powerful, energized childhood classics, The Lion King cast comes to the Tiny Desk stage to perform music from The Lion King musical. Immediately, you can tell everyone at that desk is so happy to be there, and the positive energy is radiating off the performers. It is impossible to not get chills as Tshidi Manye (Rafiki) belts the classic, “Circle of Life” and Pearl Khwezi and Brandon A. McCall lead the touching performance of “Can You Feel the Love Tonight.” The chemistry between all the performers is admirable and elevates the whole concert so much more. The actors who play Nala and Simba have a prominent chemistry that adds so much emotion and mutual compassion to the performance, similarly, the parallel between the smile beaming on the drummer’s face and the singers giving that same energy back. There is also a mutual appreciation and immense gratitude filling the air of the studio that is prevalent and gives me chills. Overall, the humans behind these characters are authentic, incredibly talented, and gracious.
Mac Miller: Watch Here
The immediate groove and chills his first performance “Small Worlds” gives me are unbeatable. The lyricism and vibe of this song are impeccable, but it is alongside the nostalgia of Mac Miller’s bubbly persona and the entirety of his “Swimming” album. In the close-up clips, the realness and emotion in his eyes amplify how sad we are to see him gone. Between “Small Worlds” and “What’s the Use?” we see his raw personality, one that seems to live by the phrase “it is never that serious” as we watch him laugh over the uncomfortability of the talking times, duck under the desk, and express gratitude for the instrumentalists behind him. His following performance of “What’s the Use?” has to be my favorite, and I can’t help but bop my head alongside Miller. The chemistry and unfiltered friendship he has with Stephen Lee Bruner, otherwise known as Thundercat, is unmatched and sends a wave of mixed emotions through my system because I want to be smiling alongside them but I can’t help but feel emotionally impaled. In his final performance of the three, “2009,” reality seems to smack you right in the face. While running through the lyrics, Bobby Carter explains Miller’s demeanor as “looking like a young man who’s beginning to crack the code…reflect[ing] on his journey’s peaks and valleys thus far.” This is a stunning performance that will never, ever get old.
Lizzy McAlpine: Watch Here
Showcasing her brilliant talent, pastel voice, unreleased tunes, and new album five seconds flat, Lizzy McAlpine takes the tiny desk stage in November of 2022. Lizzy McAlpine is somewhat new to fame, with her 2020 album Give Me a Minute catching a new, larger audience. The duality between the electronic components in five seconds flat and the simple, harmonious performance at Tiny Desk surprised Boilen. McAlpine starts with “ceilings,” a fan favorite, and rightfully so. “Ceilings” is for the dreamer, the lover, the sad teenager, and for anyone who needs a good cry. The music video just came out and it is stunning; the chemistry, the scenery, and the storyline is encapsulating. However, in this performance, the uncomplicated, truly beautiful nature of one guitar and 4 voices makes this whole episode chilling. “All my ghosts” has a similar lovey-Dovey, room-for-imagination vibe and encapsulates McAlpine’s vocal range and gorgeous lyricism. Throughout the whole performance, McAlpine has no intent to overpower the voices of her background singers, a group called Tiny Habits, and they are an amazing addition to her goal to “recontextualize the songs…with just vocals and guitar.” Next is “Emma,” again, a soft harmonious song, but about a different kind of love this time, this time for her sister and their unbreakable bond. Lastly, McAlpine performs yet another soft and kind-of seductive song, “weird,” which features solo verses from the Tiny Habits members. According to a commenter, “you can really feel their breath,” a note I completely agree with.
Anderson .Paak & The Free Nationals: Watch Here
Entering a groovy, euphoric state, .Paak bounces right into “Come Down” in his Tiny Desk Concert in August of 2016. The collection of instruments played by The Free Nationals, “talking” lyrics, and engagement with the audience is an immediate mood-booster. Imagine walking down a street where no one’s around and your hips bounce with every beat, that is this song, alongside almost the entirety of .Paak’s discography. Next he plays a fan favorite, “Heart Don’t Stand a Chance.” This simple yet groovy classic is the modern-day Bob Marley, “Could You Be Loved” people have been craving. His personality is able to prevail through this whole performance and in addition to delightful songs, it makes the performance so enjoyable. Thirdly, .Paak performs “Put Me Thru,” a more upbeat tune compared to the last two, but just as impressive. There is a sense of passion in this specific song, presumably because of the romantic break-up that influenced it. It takes an insane amount of talent to put on such a show not only with vocals but while simultaneously playing the drums. The group finishes the show off with “Suede,” a request from the audience, a song with a little more profanity and rap verses, but the same funk. Overall, an outstanding concert that will always be a classic in my book.
Let me know your favorite tiny desk concerts, email me at pwilson1@seattleu.edu.
PAIGE WILSON | KXSU DJ