Tiny Desk Concerts have HUGE IMPACT
NPR music series has become pop culture phenomenon
As DJ Mannie Fresh’s trademark “ladies and gentlemen” catchphrase ricocheted throughout the office, a giddy Juvenile playfully swayed back and forth to the beat of his musicians. It wasn’t surprising that the New Orleans native felt at home for his Tiny Desk Concert. What is remarkable? Just weeks prior, the legendary rapper had been unaware of the popular, strippeddown, live music series.
An April social media suggestion that he perform for the National Public Radio series — amplified by his “Wtf is a tiny desk” reply — sent the web into a frenzy. Details were ironed out within days, resulting in one of 2023’s most notable live performances just two months later.
“I don’t know if there’s a Tiny Desk award or something like that — maybe I would be the one to get it,” laughed Juvenile, referencing the excitement around his performance that has drawn nearly 7 million views.
NPR’S Tiny Desk Concert series, which began as a niche online platform mainly highlighting rock and folk musicians, has established itself as one of music’s premiere platforms. It now includes performers from across genres, providing countless pop culture moments.
Becky G says her October appearance was a defining moment. “It was such a milestone … some people want to forget certain things in their life so badly,” said the Latina star. “Maybe we’re supposed to remember them, to remember how far we’ve come.”
That sentiment can be applied to the Tiny Desk Concert series itself, which began after its creators attended a performance where an artist was not heard.
THE GENESIS
Folk artist Laura Gibson felt deflated after her 2008 South by Southwest show in Austin, Texas. The Thirsty Nickel bar allowed noisy revelers who didn’t purchase tickets to enter, and they had no interest in listening to the soft-spoken artist.
“Mid-set, I was like, ‘Why did I drive all the way down to Texas ... What am I doing with my life?” Gibson remembered. “I felt like ‘I really just want to go hide somewhere and cry.’ ”
Bob Boilen, director of NPR’S flagship program “All Things Considered,” and NPR Music editor Stephen Thompson were in attendance. Wanting to provide Gibson with an environment they felt she deserved, they invited her to play at their Washington, D.C., headquarters. Her performance was filmed and uploaded to NPR’S website. “Stephen and I stand up at the desk, and we tell that story, and we say: ‘This might be the start of something. Maybe it is, maybe it isn’t.’ We didn’t know,” said Boilen, who retired in October after 35 years at NPR.
Despite positive feedback on the NPR Music blog, creating a series wasn’t a thought. But weeks later, indie rock-folk musician Vic Chesnutt was in town, so they invited him to play. After his set, Boilen and Thompson realized they were on to something special.
THE PROCESS
Tiny Desk producers sort through hundreds of weekly pitch emails regarding artists of all genres, famous and unknown,
international and domestic, while also monitoring social media. Since the appearances are purely promotional, artists aren’t compensated for performance or travel.
The rules are simple: Equipment that amplifies sound or voice, like vocal monitors or Autotune, aren’t allowed. Musicians collaborate with producers on the set list, and all performers — no matter how many — should fit behind what was Boilen’s functioning desk.
With more than 1,100 tapings, Tiny Desk has drawn heavy comparisons to MTV’S “Unplugged” series, but there’s one major difference: It’s a true office space — not a recording studio or soundstage. There’s a run-through for the production team, and performances played to NPR staff average 20 minutes.
THE CHANGE
Boilen felt an increase in intrigue when renowned entertainer Tom Jones expressed interest in performing in 2009. The concerts remained niche, but five years later, it exploded after then-producer Frannie Kelley booked T-pain — the chart-topping rapper-singer — who delivered one of Tiny Desk’s memorable performances by shedding his Auto-tune sound.
“It was the first time we’d ever gone viral,” said series producer Bobby Carter. “It was an initial shock, like, ‘Wow, NPR’S cool!’ which was very new for us.”
It wasn’t only the performance that resonated, but that Tiny Desk included a rapper. In the early days, the Tiny Desk team was composed of a handful of dedicated staffers — with all pitches approved by Boilen — and the artists booked reflected their musical preferences.
Carter says an internal “groundswell” formed as employees noticed culture gaps within NPR Music, as hip-hop, R&B, mainstream pop and Latin music weren’t represented. He and others eventually gained Boilen’s trust, allowing for experimentation as with T-pain.
THE CHALLENGE
The central focal point of the concert series remains providing exposure to rising artists. But Tiny Desk’s audience now also anticipates superstars. Bono, Taylor Swift, Usher, Adele, BTS, Alicia Keys and others have graced the desk.
Boilen believes the primary reason mainstream artists participate is the challenge of performing with restriction. All musicians are equal at the Tiny Desk, regardless of records sold or Grammys won.
“People in the room are hearing that voice naked,” said Boilen,
citing the intimacy of the performances. “I think that’s why artists love it, although it’s nerve-wracking. But it’s also why audiences love it: They get to see their favorite people doing things in ways they had never seen them do it.”
THE DISCOVERY
A relatively unknown artist can receive careerchanging exposure after an appearance. In a musicstreaming era powered by algorithms, the Tiny Desk barometer is simple — the ear test.
“It can be really hard to discover music and not feel like somehow an algorithm is just handing you something,” said Gibson, the inaugural performer. “What’s lovely about the Tiny Desk is there’s a staff of people that just love music and are excited about sharing.”
The series has introduced international musicians and spotlights genres like classical and jazz. Homage is also paid to artists who reached their heyday before many of the online audience members were born.
THE EFFECT
Gaelynn Lea, a folk violinist who won 2016’s Tiny Desk Contest, a competition for unsigned artists launched two years prior, never performed internationally — or outside her state.
“Everything I was doing was based in Minnesota … the Tiny Desk Concert opened me up to a much, much wider audience,” said Lea. She has since performed in England and Europe.
For rising artists like Amaarae, a Tiny Desk Concert can boost confidence. “It means that I’m at a point where people care enough to even want something like that from me,” said the Ghanaian American Afropop singer.
But even a legend like Juvenile, one of the biggest artists of the early 2000s, says he experienced a resurgence. “We (received) that crazy reaction … a lot of great things, a lot of shows, a lot of phone calls,” he said.
THE FUTURE
Carter has picked up many of the leadership responsibilities, but he says not to expect major changes to what was built under Boilen.
“The things that keep me up at night is how do we maintain that while filling the demand?” revealed Carter. “(There’s) a lot of demand from outside sources to change it, to make it bigger … a lot of the challenge is to keep it tiny, keep it intimate, when there’s so much temptation.”
Boilen retired, but he’s still producing Tiny Desk acts he booked before stepping away.
“I hope the series never just goes to getting the big name,” he said. “… If we can turn people on to someone they’ve never heard, that’s always been — in my 35 years at NPR — that has totally been my goal.”
For musicians like Lea, it’s a mission accomplished.
“I can honestly say that I’ve done the same concert series as a lot of my favorite bands … It definitely serves a different purpose for Bono than it does for me, but it’s cool for both of us,” she said. “Aside from meeting my husband, the Tiny Desk is probably the most pivotal moment in my life.”