Tiny Desk Concert
Ravyn Lenae Delivers Hypnotizing Vocals In Her Emotive NPR Tiny Desk Concert
It has been a strong first half of 2022 for the R&B genre, and one name that has come up a lot in the conversation of best projects is Ravyn Lenae. It’s one thing to listen to her debut album Hypnos and witness the talent audibly, but she took things to another level visually with today’s (June 22) Tiny Desk Concert as part of NPR’s Black Music Month celebrations.
The Chicago talent was glowing as she took attendees and listeners through a multitude of emotions, opening with her track “Venom” before descending further into the feels with “Skin Tight” and the self-love ballad “Inside Out,” then kicking things up a notch with the closer “Sticky.” In a day and age where R&B is labeled too slow, moody, and not fit for upbeat settings, the 23-year-old firmly displayed she can provide all of those sounds and do so in a live setting.
Three of the four songs performed come from Ravyn Lenae’s aforementioned debut album Hypnos, which was released toward the end of May and features Steve Lacy, Mereba, Smino, and Fousheé. Prior to Hypnos, she released EPs Crush, Midnight Moonlight, and Crush in 2016, 2017, and 2018 respectively.
Watch Lenae’s dazzling Tiny Desk performance above.
Rod Wave Covers A Drake Classic In His Outdoor Tiny Desk Concert
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
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.
Duckwrth Debuted New Music In His Groovy NPR Tiny Desk Concert
Back in August, LA-based singer Duckwrth leaned into his funk-forward sound though his anticipated debut album SuperGood, which saw a handful of soulful collaborations with the likes of Earthgang and Jean Deaux. Though its been less than a year since his full length LP, Duckwrth has already been hard at work on new music. Taking his tunes to an NPR Tiny Desk performance, Duckwrth premiered two new upbeat songs.
Backed by a full band and a pair of backup singers, Duckwrth kicked off the set with a rendition of his SuperGood track
“Kiss U Right Now.” He then moved into one of his unreleased song titled “Make U Go,” which he said was written “for the lovers and the freaks.” Next, Duckwrth delivered another new sultry tune, “Birthday Suit,” before closing out the performance with his debut album’s title track “Super Good.”
Ahead of his Tiny Desk concert, Duckwrth sat down with Uproxx to talk about his debut album SuperGood and how rhythm is central to his sound:
“I think that for me, it was proving to myself who I am and what sound I like the most for myself, what space I want to be in, and it’s something about soul and more specifically rhythm. Rhythm is my sh*t. When I perform, I don’t stop moving. Unless it’s just one of those moments I have to sit still, but further than that rhythm is my shit. So I think SuperGood solidified it for me. Like, “N****, this is you, so kick it here for a bit,” but I’m still going to play with different genres.”
Watch Duckwrth’s Tiny Desk concert above.
SuperGood is out now via Republic. Get it here.
Jack Harlow Delivers A Soulful Tiny Desk Concert From His Living Room
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.
Davido Delivers A Breezy Tiny Desk Concert From His Living Room
Nigerian Afropop star Davido is the latest artist to grace the Tiny Desk “stage,” delivering a soulful at-home concert from his living room. Splitting the difference between comfy and fashionable styles, he posts up on a stool with his various awards statues prominently displayed and his band occupying whatever free space they can find. He breezes through a set that includes his 2013 hit single “Gobe,” 2014 Nigeria Entertainment Awards-winning Hottest Single of the Year “Aye,” “Risky,” his Popcaan-featuring 2019 single from A Good Time, and “Jowo,” from his 2020 album A Better Time, giving a crisp chronological run-through of his career and accomplishments.
In recent months, Davido has been bridging the gap between his Afrobeats roots and US hip-hop, collaborating with Lil Baby on “So Crazy” in November last year, adding a Nicki Minaj collaboration to his collection with “Holy Ground,” and working with Megan Thee Stallion on an upcoming collaboration with British star Idris Elba (yes, that Idris Elba, who moonlights as a DJ and producer between movies and shows). And though Davido has put those famous American stars’ names on his resume, he still made sure to highlight his fellow up-and-coming African stars on the album as well; in January, he released the video for “The Best” featuring Mayorkun.
Watch Davido’s Tiny Desk Concert above.