NPR Music Tiny Desk Concerts

J Balvin Performs His Scenic Tiny Desk Concert From New York’s East River

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While NPR’s Tiny Desk Concerts have switched to an “at-home” format over the course of the last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, many of the guests have branched out, stretching the concept to incorporate diners, nail salons, and rental spaces to perform their fan-favorite hits. Reggaeton star J Balvin takes it a step further in his scenic Tiny Desk Concert, performing his set from at atop a barge floating on New York’s East River, with the Brooklyn Bridge hanging over the gorgeous backdrop.

The set, which opens with “Vestido” and closes with his latest hit “In Da Getto,” also includes emphatic performances of “Que Locura,” “OTRO FILI,” and “F40,” all of which appear on his newly released album, Jose, released September 10 via Universal Latin.

In addition to releasing his new album and performing on Tiny Desk, J Balvin’s busy 2021 has included a performance at Governor’s Ball, a feature on “Nirvana” from Skepta’s new EP All In, a remix of Eladio Carrion’s “Tata” featuring Bobby Shmurda and Daddy Yankee, and an appearance on Metallica’s covers album, turning the band’s “Wherever I Roam” into a reggaeton anthem. Balvin also teamed up with UPS to support Latinx small businesses.

Watch J Balvin’s Tiny Desk Concert performance above.

Rico Nasty Rocks Out With An All-Girl Band In Her Fiery Tiny Desk Concert

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Rico Nasty is on a roll lately, dropping the singles “Magic” and “Buss” over the course of the summer and sharing colorful videos for each song in the past few weeks. Today, she incorporated “Magic” and songs from her debut album Nightmare Vacation into a stripped-down set for NPR’s Tiny Desk Concerts, including standout “OHFR?,” as well as her breakout hit, “Smack A Bitch.”

Rico sports one of her signature mullet wigs for the performance, which opens with a relaxed, groovy rendition of “Magic” that offers something a little different from her usual performance style. However, once that’s out of the way, she quickly gets back to rocking out along with her all-girl band (who wear coordinating bright red outfits), launching into a punk-style delivery of “Rage,” “OHFR?,” and “Trust Issues.” The band really brings the harder edges of Rico’s music to the fore, complementing her raspy vocal delivery. Rap-rock hasn’t always worked in the past, but Rico’s an expert at convincingly blending genres, and her band really amplifies the “rock” part while she sticks the shout-raps that tie the whole thing together.

Watch Rico Nasty’s Tiny Desk Concert above.

Rico Nasty is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

Little Simz Delves Into Afropop In A Cozy Tiny Desk Concert

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With NPR’s Tiny Desk Concert series still working from home, for the time being, the show’s latest guest, Little Simz, takes the theme a bit literally, turning her performance space into a replica of a cozy family living room complete with bookcases, plush leather couches, and even a far-out, retro throw rug to make the space pop. Alongside her band, she performs songs from her upcoming album Sometimes I Might Be Introvert, including the premiere of “Point And Kill,” an Afropop-leaning jam featuring Obongjayar.

The Tiny Desk concert is the culmination of Little Simz’s months-long rollout for Sometimes I Might Be Introvert, which drops this Friday, September 3. Earlier this month, she made her US television debut on The Tonight Show to perform the standout single “Woman,” for which she’d previously released an elegant music video. Another track, “I Love You, I Hate You,” finds her penning an open letter to her father about her conflicted feelings toward him, while “Introvert” kicked everything off back in April.

Sometimes I Might Be Introvert is Simz’s first album since 2019’s Grey Area, although she did release the EP Drop 6 to break up the monotony of quarantine boredom last year. Now that live entertainment has returned, you can catch Simz this weekend at the End Of The Road festival in Dorset, England.

Watch Little Simz perform her cozy NPR Tiny Desk Concert above.

Migos Defend Their ‘Greatest Band’ Status With An Exuberant Tiny Desk Concert

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One of the few good things to come out of the 2020 pandemic forcing a near-shutdown of the entertainment industry was NPR’s Tiny Desk Concerts series moving to its “At Home” format, which opened up the concept and allowed more artists who wouldn’t have normally been able to perform due to travel and other commitments to turn in some of the best shows in the series’ history. For instance, Vince Staples and Young Thug both recently put in performances that highlighted new and upcoming releases with utterly magnetic charisma and arrangements.

Migos, the Atlanta-based trio who built their brand with exuberant performances over the past five years, is the latest example, appearing on the latest Tiny Desk Concert from what looks like one of the guys’ living rooms. Playing a three-song set from their new album Culture III including “Avalanche,” “Straightenin,” and “Happy Birthday,” Migos assert their claim for “greatest band in the world,” starting out on the couch and eventually filling the room with palpable, infectious energy.

In addition to a spate of videos for songs like “Roadrunner” and “Why Not,” Migos also have a three-day Las Vegas weekender planned for October to promote the album.

Watch Migos’ Tiny Desk Concert above.

Young Thug Debuts Songs From ‘Punk’ In A Hardcore Tiny Desk Concert With Travis Barker

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Young Thug is on NPR’s Tiny Desk Concerts: A sentence I never thought I’d write but that I am so glad I now can. But wait… there’s more! He plays his set with a very (ahem) punk influence, hinting toward the eventual release of his next full-length album, which he’s been teasing for some time. And listen, if you thought Young Thug rapping to punk instrumentals wouldn’t be awesome, I genuinely do not know what to tell you. It’s great.

With a setlist including both new songs (“Die Slow,” “Droppin Jewels,” “Hate The Game,” and “Tick Tock”) as well as his current fan-favorite “Ski” from the YSL compilation album that dropped earlier this year, Thugger’s Tiny Desk Concert is everything you could want from one of these or from a live Young Thug performance.

Oh yeah, and you know Travis Barker pulls up to play drums because what even is a punk-rap crossover without Travis Barker on it? Thug’s flow also seems… I don’t want to say “improved,” but it’s very polished and clear and that’s obviously on purpose as he slides into his next evolution with all the finesse suggested by those constant “slime” and snake references he makes.

Watch Young Thug’s Tiny Desk (Home) Concert above.

Young Thug is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

Vince Staples Coasts Through A Laid-Back Tiny Desk Concert With Kenny Beats And Foushée

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Vince Staples may have received a polarized response from fans and critics, but Vince Staples himself remains undeterred in promoting his latest project, maintaining his usual cavalier air in a mellow NPR Tiny Desk Concert performance backed by Kenny Beats and featuring Foushée. The Long Beach rapper performs songs from his self-titled third studio album in the Hollywood Hills, where he jokes he’d “never live,” reminiscing with his manager Corey Smyth (who, as always, remains offscreen) about times he was arrested in the affluent area.

While some fans found the relaxed production on Vince Staples to be off-putting, it turns out to be perfect for a Tiny Desk performance. Vince, as laid-back as ever, coasts through album standouts “Law Of Averages,” “Sundown Town,” “The Shining,” and “Take Me Home,” with Foushée joining him on the last song and Kenny Beats playing bass throughout. Fellow South LA rapper 03 Greedo gets a shout-out, while Vince reflects on the release of his first album Summertime 06 and dedicates his performance to “all the bad b*tches worldwide… whether you have two legs or no legs.”

Watch Vince Staples’ Tiny Desk Concert above.

Vince Staples is out now on Blacksmyth Recordings/Motown Records. You can get it here

Rod Wave Covers A Drake Classic In His Outdoor Tiny Desk Concert

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Question: Can a gazebo be a desk? Answer: Technically, I guess. Rod Wave sure makes a strong argument for a “yes” with his debut on NPR’s Tiny Desk (Home) Concerts. His drummer and bassist occupy a garden gazebo, while Rod, his pianist, and a flautist/saxophonist(!) perform from the grounds just outside. Rod performs songs from his recently released album SoulFly, as well as a quick cover of Drake’s “Over My Dead Body” hook to open the set.

The stripped-down setup allows his voice to get more shine, while he’s able to reflect on the stories behind the songs between each. Singing “Rags2Riches,” “Street Runner,” and “Don’t Forget,” his band adds a fresh dimension to the familiar songs while the addition of saxophone and sweet flute to the arrangements brings out more of the tenderness that has drawn listeners to Rod’s moody trap tunes.

Rod’s shown a preference for outdoor performances that show off the lush Florida environs he came up in; earlier this month, he made his television debut on The Tonight Show performing from a porch overlooking the Everglades. Meanwhile, the overall rollout of SoulFly has been impressively executed, with videos for “Tombstone” and “Street Runner,” as well as a “Street Runner” video game, helped propel his third album to No. 1 on the Billboard 200.

Watch Rod Wave’s Tiny Desk Concert above.

Shelley Debuts A New Song In His Return To NPR’s Tiny Desk Concerts

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In his return to Tiny Desk Concerts, the newly rechristened and slimmed-down Shelley invites viewers into a softly-lit study for a simmering performance of songs from his upcoming album, Shelley FKA DRAM. Thanks to Tiny Desk’s “(At-Home)” designation, the Virginia native gets extra comfy, donning a set of food-patterned PJs that works just as well as an eye-popping suit, packing his band into the smaller confines, and delivering soulful renditions of songs like “Exposure,” “The Lay Down,” “Cooking With Grease,” and the debut of “Rich & Famous.”

The last time Shelley played Tiny Desk — way back in 2017 — he was promoting the lighthearted, melodic hip-hop debut album Big Baby DRAM. He makes note of the change during his return performance, reintroducing himself as Shelley — his government name — and calls the moment “a new beginning. Full circle.”

Shelley first showed glimpses of the shift in 2018 with his That’s A Girl’s Name EP, shifting to groovy but still swaggering R&B. Then, in 2019, he shared “The Lay Down” with HER (who’s now an Oscar and Grammy winner), presaging the new, grown-and-sexy direction he’s adopted for his next project, which releases April 29 in honor of his mom’s birthday.

Watch Shelley’s smooth NPR Tiny Desk return performance above.

Shelley is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

Justin Bieber Previews A New ‘Justice’ Song In A Stripped-Down Tiny Desk Concert

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With anticipation for his new album Justice reaching its peak, Justin Bieber delivers a stripped-down, at-home Tiny Desk Concert to preview one of the most eagerly anticipated songs from the upcoming album. Although Daniel Caesar and Giveon were unable to appear, fans get to hear a version of “Peaches” featuring Justin on keys and some light scratching from his DJ, Jay James. The performance also opens with a Chance The Rapper-less version of “Holy” and features “Hold On” and “Anyone,” also from Justice.

Justin previously revealed the latter two songs during the months-long rollout for his new album, debuting “Anyone” in a livestream concert for Spotify and releasing a neo-noir-styled music video for “Hold On.” He also later released a video for “Anyone,” harkening to classic boxing dramas in a narrative video that required three hours of makeup to hide his tattoos. “Holy” is, of course, the best-known track he performs here, after Justin used the new song and its cinematic music video to usher in a “new era” back in September of 2020. He also performed the song during his October appearance on Saturday Night Live and offered an acoustic remix with an accompanying, bare-bones video. Now, the wait is nearly at its end; Justice drops 3/19 via Def Jam.

Watch Justin Bieber’s Tiny Desk Concert above.

Jack Harlow Delivers A Soulful Tiny Desk Concert From His Living Room

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Jack Harlow’s busy March continues. After the Louisville, Kentucky rapper was announced as the performer on an upcoming episode of Saturday Night Live and promoted his participation in Bleacher Report’s B/R: Open Run NBA All-Star event with 2 Chainz, Lil Baby, and Quavo, it turned out that Jack also had one more ace up his sleeve: An NPR Tiny Desk Concert.

Harlow performs from what appears to be his living room, which gets packed with his band and backup singers as they perform his songs “Rendezvous,” “21C / Delta,” and “Funny Seeing You Here.” Sadly, no one plays the piano that already appears to be part of the room’s decor, but the live band does give Harlow’s familiar songs an even more soulful flair.

The last year has been bad for live shows, but great for Tiny Desk Concerts. Since shifting to the “At Home” format to accommodate COVID-19 safety precautions, the show has been able to bypass the logistical constraints that limited some of the biggest stars from appearing. This has led to not only plenty of bigger guests performing but also to even more memorable performances themselves. 2 Chainz got a pedicure during his, while Polo G took over a local basketball court and Spillage Village went to church and Conway ordered up at Nas’s Sweet Chick restaurant in Queens. While we’re all hoping for a return to live music… NPR should really keep this format, at least part-time. It’s a lot of fun.

Watch Jack Harlow’s Tiny Desk Concert above.

Jack Harlow is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.