Alle Folgen

I never expected to see Daniel Caesar at the Tiny Desk again. Caesar's 2018 performance is nearly untouchable: currently in the top 15 most viewed Tiny Desk concerts on YouTube, showcasing his best work at that point in his career. But reflecting on the vulnerability and intimacy of 2025's Son of Spergy, I felt like my arm was twisted, knowing he had to come back. This album, our space, along with the shared vision for how it would unfold, gave the green light for part two. In the eight years since we last saw the Canadian singer-songwriter, he's remained consistently brilliant, yet he seemed to be searching. Throughout that search, spirituality has been a constant — from his debut, Freudian, to the two albums that followed, CASE STUDY 01 and NEVER ENOUGH. Son of Spergy feels like the completion of a pilgrimage and a newfound sense of acceptance.

A trio of amazing young musicians, from ages nine to 18, give jaw-dropping performances that will bolster your faith in the future of great music making.

Surrounded by family in the band and in the audience, John Fogerty bookends solo material with the rock and roll staples of Creedence Clearwater Revival.

So much has happened in Miguel's world since we last saw him at NPR headquarters. Back in 2012, he was one of the very few R&B acts — including Raphael Saadiq, Bettye LaVette and Booker T. Jones — to play a Tiny Desk concert. And, much like the trajectory of this series, Miguel's music has taken some explosive twists and turns. After performing "Sure Thing," his first song back at the Desk, Miguel says, "That one's come a long way." He reflects on that time in his life and what he's been able to do with it: "There's something about being able to wake up and do this every day, and then to come and perform it — to see the lyrics actually become a part of people's time and memories and space in this experience. I have to say I'm tremendously grateful." Miguel's clearly been on a journey of self-discovery, which we see in a medley of his hits backed by a flawless string section. And on the Spanish-sung "CAOS," he revisits his Mexican roots.

When R&B artist Tiana Major9 arrived at our office six years after their Tiny Desk (home) concert, the only thing bigger than their stylish hat was the excitement to perform their own music at the Desk, in-person. With a set featuring ballads from November Scorpio, Tiana Major9 tells the (sometimes very messy) story of a love pursued … by a November Scorpio (IYKYK).

Etched with Argentine folklore and fueled by the rap batallas of Buenos Aires, Milo J’s songs call upon the cumulative spirit of the centuries. “Sometimes words come to me that I haven’t heard before,” he told me afterward, as if to summon a life he’s never lived. In arenas and stadiums, the 19-year-old connects with his young peers about the passage of time with great energy and intensity. At the Tiny Desk, he takes a beat: Stripped back, yet deeply fortified, Milo J emerges with a new softness and depth.