2020’s BEST TINY DESKS

BY: Dante Fresse

A National Public Radio (NPR) live concert series called Tiny Desk Performances takes music to the next level. NPR’s Bob Boilen hosts the series and pre-pandemic, it originated from Boilen’s Washington, DC home. For most of this year, the concerts have continued from remote locations. Despite any setbacks this may have caused, 2020 still gave us some of the best of all time. In fact, we felt it was even more compelling seeing these musicians in their homes. PROVOKR loves these performances and thinks you will too. 

HAYLEY WILLIAMS

Hayley Williams, formerly of Paramore, is a solo artist releasing singles like “Simmer” and albums. Petals for Armor I & II offers beautiful gender-bending music in her Tiny Desk performance. Williams’ work moves from punk and rock to soulful songs like “Pure Love” when the lyrics ask the listener to “open up.” “Dead Horse,” the final track, emphasizes the vitality of life, which shows in her life and music. 

 

 

HAIM

Haim sisters Este, Danielle and Alana may have all been in the same vicinity of Los Angeles, but the trio was self-quarantining in their separate residences when they filmed their Tiny Desk concert. The three-way split screen really highlights the differences between these amazing women as they perform “The Steps,” “I Know Alone” and “Summer Girl.”

 

TAME IMPALA

Tame Impala gave us one of the best records of the year with The Slow Rush. The band’s Tiny Desk performance from August shows off just how innovative a musician has to be in quarantine. It’s fun to watch the group move around its makeshift studio as it performs “Breathe Deeper,” “Is It True” and “Patience.”

 

BILLIE EILISH AND FINNEAS

Billie Eilish was another stand out concert opening with moving, ethereal ballads. With her shifting multi-tonal vocals, Ellish invites other artists to jump into her world. Her setlist consisted of “my future,” and “everything i wanted,” covering a spectrum of human emotion, including dynamics among siblings and family plus typical doubts about the future. Both tracks show Ellish’s star power. Phoebe Bridgers–a soul icon, plays her Tiny Desk in a setting that looks like the White House interior. It’s super awesome and changes settings thanks to a green light screen. 

 

DUA LIPA

Dua Lipa also performed four songs in the quarantine series cast with an orange glow. “Levitating” offers tremendous energy, and “Pretty Please” follows. “Love Again” showed off her vocal talent during an extended solo filled with strength and power. She closed with “Don’t Start Now,” a vibrant song filled with life.

 

ANDERSON .PAAK AND THE FREE NATIONALS

Anderson .Paak and the Free Nationals are a group of legendary artists out together by Anderson .Paak, “Heart Don’t Stand a Chance” is a classic banger with fiery kicks and a nice snare drum section by .Paak himself. Anderson .Paak’s is the most-viewed Tiny Desk concert to date, and for good reason.

 

PHOEBE BRIDGERS

Now we’ve come to one of the artists who has truly come out of 2020 on top: Phoebe Bridgers. Her haunting, folksy vocals contrast the sterile background she chose for her performance. You might recognize it as the Oval Office — or rather a green screen of the President’s domain. Three years after she burst onto the indie scene, she is nominated for Best New Artist at this year’s Grammys. Check out her set of “Kyoto,” “Moon Song’ and “I Know The End” and you’ll see why.