The R&B singer from Inglewood, CA made his performance a family affair, dedicating it to his late godson, with his mother and older brother on backup vocals. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy
The Atlanta-based band came to NPR in a van packed with a bodhrán (Irish drum), an ngoni (West African harp) a huge gourd, a cello, a baritone guitar and more. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy
Jimmy Eat World showed up to the NPR Music office all smiles and no guitars. They borrowed a couple acoustics, a gong and a tambourine for a heartfelt set that included "The Middle." Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy
The fast-rising teenager from Jamaica just won a Grammy for Best Reggae Album, making her the first woman and youngest artist to ever win in the category. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy
After first trying to win our annual Tiny Desk Contest, the singer-songwriter from Nairobi decided to put out a record, got nominated for a Grammy and wound up here anyway. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy
The eclectic composer joins members of the ACME ensemble for some of his most affecting music, which moves the audience to tears. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy
The singer who once sang backup for Massive Attack, Iggy Azalea and The Chemical Brothers, is front-and-center at the Tiny Desk. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy
Watch the celebrated opera star deconstruct old Italian love songs with her signature flair, backed by a crack jazz ensemble. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy
Despite some unexpected gear problems, the soulful R&B artist and his band locked-in and played a phenomenal set behind the Tiny Desk. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy
The Austin, Texas band brought old-school R&B horns, bongos and deep grooves to the Tiny Desk. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy
The irrepressible harpist proves that the instrument can be as tempestuous as a tango, as complex as a Bach fugue and sing as serenely as a church choir. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy
The Swedish singer sways and writhes as he and his band create a dream state calming enough to slow the day's hectic pace to a crawl. Take a seat on a comfy couch and have a listen. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy
Spanglish Fly is one of the pioneers of the boogaloo revival scene happening on the East Coast. For about sixteen minutes, they turned the NPR Music offices into the hottest Latin dance club in D.C. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy
It's impossible to not be drawn in by the visual specter of Balún as the band mixes traditional instruments and electronics, set against a rich tapestry of voices. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy
When Los Lobos gathered behind the Tiny Desk, it felt like they were cramped in the back room of a family Christmas party, calling up tunes from the Latin holiday song book. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy
The LA-based trio makes an intricate blend of jazz, R&B and hip-hop. For their Tiny Desk set, they pulled out all the stops: flutes, flugelhorns, saxophones, keyboards, ukuleles and more. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy
The Comet is Coming is a force of nature. The British trio makes the kind of instrumental jazz that takes music lovers out of their comfort zone and into a musical realm they may never have explored. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy
Watch the band perform a blissed-out, gently sweeping set featuring three songs from its latest album, Titanic Rising. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy
"I just want you to know," Raveena told the NPR office, "that in this space that we're in, you're extremely, extremely loved." Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy
The enigmatic and reclusive producer Madlib joins hard-hitting emcee Freddie Gibbs for one of the most memorable Tiny Desks of the year. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy
The influential reggae group, whose name means "black freedom," brought songs of solidarity and love to the Tiny Desk. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy
A nomadic storyteller with a cross-genre style ranging from folk to rap, Mereba slays the devil in her solo set behind the Desk. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy
The singer brought a sparkling, pop-disco vibe and a lot of swagger to the sun-filled Tiny Desk. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy
The insightful pianist offers a Beethoven bonanza, ranging from the mesmerizing pulse of the popular "Moonlight" Sonata to flashes of wry humor and tender beauty. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy
The jazz, funk and gospel improv group brought jams and joy to the Tiny Desk. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy
The Nigerian singer and songwriter is one of the biggest African artists in the world and a pioneer of Afro-fusion, an inescapable sound this year. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy
KOKOKO! are sonic warriors. They seized control of the Tiny Desk, shouting their arrival through a megaphone, while electronic sirens begin to blare. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy
Sunny War has been homeless, busked on city streets and Venice Beach, left home feeling she was a burden to her mother, battled addiction and still found a way to bring joy to others thru her music. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy
The British rapper made a trip all the way from the UK just for this Tiny Desk performance and powered through a set that made the personal political. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy
The 34-year old R&B mainstay used his moment at the desk to fit in as many of his most cherished songs as possible — Nine songs in 17 minutes to be exact. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy
