We all have a favorite Tiny Desk concert. We asked NPR photographers to share their favorite pictures (again!) and their thoughts about photographing Tiny Desk concerts in 2024.
Bringing joyful energy
I remember watching Dua Lipa's at-home Tiny Desk in 2020 when Future Nostalgia was the only thing I listened to during the pandemic, and I have been patiently waiting for her to finally come and perform at the desk.
Dua Lipa is no stranger to performing in massive arenas, so it felt like total magic to watch an artist I admire so much reimagine her songs to fit this intimate setting. She and her team brought such a joyful energy and we were radically optimistic to welcome it.
-- Grace Widyatmadja, NPR Visuals Editor and Producer
Seeing the vision
One of the most beautiful things about a photo is that it is able to capture a single moment in time, and that one moment can tell a full story.
To me, this photo of rapper and singer-songwriter, Doechii, tells a story of manifestation, encouragement and perseverance.
It's almost like the 4-time grammy-nominated artist is looking forward to her own abundant future. I can see the vision as well.
-- Alanté Serene, NPR Music Visuals Editor and Producer
My first Tiny Desk Concert
"It was incredible that Ca7riel & Paco Amoroso was both the first Tiny Desk I shot and the first one I got to watch at the office!"
-- Courtney Theophin, NPR Visuals Editor and Producer
Nervous start
Country music singer-songwriter Wyatt Flores captivated the Tiny Desk audience with his heartfelt performance.
Despite a slightly nervous start, Flores quickly found his groove and delivered his raw, genuine lyrics with charisma leaving a lasting impression for all audience members.
-- Sofia Seidel, NPR Visuals Editor and Producer
Gathering of family and friends
Juanes is a legendary household name, and the anticipation in the crowd was palpable. Yet, when he stepped into the space, it felt like a gathering of friends, with him eager to share not only his music but also the personal stories behind the songs.
Photographing this Tiny Desk was a true privilege. Like his music, the visual moments were vibrant and warm.
What made it even more special for me was that, like several others in the crowd, I had brought family to experience this incredible performance. My aunt, in particular, who had seen him at a large concert nearly twenty years prior, was able to experience this intimate rendition.
It was a powerful reminder of how timeless his music is and how it continues to bring people together.
-- Virginia Lozano, NPR Visuals Editor and Producer
Impossible to take a bad photo
A lot of artists say they feel honored to perform Tiny Desk concert, but that never rings more true than when we get to watch the Tiny Desk contest winner.
Each year an unsigned artist is chosen from thousands of entries from around the country for the chance to perform behind the iconic desk. You can see the genuine glee behind every musician, sometimes with their families in the crowd, as they snap selfies with giant grins on their faces.
But what really set this apart was The Philharmonik himself, Christian Gates, who's expressiveness and passion made it impossible for me to take a bad photo. I don't think anybody had a better time behind the Tiny Desk this past year than he did.
Nelly Furtado and I have a long, one-sided relationship. Back in the day, I remember a friend walking in on me as I was screaming the lyrics of "I'm Like A Bird." I won't apologize for that. And in November when I added "Maneater" to our bocce team's weekly playlist, another player walked up to me and said how much of a musical genius she is.
"She's our generation's Beethoven." I was honestly not sure if he was kidding, but how could I not agree? So getting to see her behind the Tiny Desk, looking fantastic in a sculpted faux-wet tank top, was definitely a highlight for me this year. Beethoven could never.
Fun fact: Norah Jones and I both went to the same college, The University of North Texas (Go Mean Green)! While her attendance was brief and she went off to win Grammys, I finished in four and a half years with a minor in music, a minor that my first journalism adviser referred to as "a waste of time."
Capturing a musician that plays piano can sometimes be a challenge. It's all side profiles or the back of an upright. It takes a little patience and the ability to anticipate those moments when the artist will look up or smile at the audience with fingers still perched on the keys.
Throw in the NPR logo and you've got what I thought was a winning image. My journalism professor recently passed away, but something tells me he would see the work I'm doing now and tell me my music minor was definitely a waste of time.
Maybe it was the tequila shots we all took during her performance, but there was a special buzz and energy when Sheila E. got behind the Tiny Desk. The genuine appreciation she exhibited was inspiring.
Holding her hands against her chest as the crowd gave her her flowers for a career spanning decades and multiple musical genres. It felt right. The warmth I felt inside came from more than the tequila, though it certainly helped.
-- Michael Zamora, NPR Visuals Editor and Producer
Tiny details, mosh pit, trampolines and flowers
2024 was a breakout year for Chappell Roan, and I can be counted among the many people who finally started paying attention. I will likely never forget experiencing this performance for the first time — noticing how much thought went into even the tiniest details, while it dawned on me that this person would be my new favorite artist.
For Soul Glo, it's fitting that Tiny Desk's first performance by a hardcore punk band would also feature the first (recorded) NPR office mosh pit. This performance seems to try to escape capture. The mic isn't always in the right place to hear the lyrics. The band moves in and out of frame. Right after the concert, I didn't know what exactly I had on my memory card. The performance forced me to live in the moment, and, yes, it was very fun to be there.
Phish is an iconic band, known for their live performances, improvisation and dedicated fans. I look forward to capturing moments in performances that are emblematic of an artist's legacy. This performance was full of those moments: tiny and slightly larger trampolines, weaving through the crowd to give out high-fives and — notably uncommon to the Tiny Desk — an encore.
Sierra Ferrell blanketed the desk in flowers, a visualization of her album title. The resulting images surround Ferrell in a burst of color that complements her bright vocals.
-- Elizabeth Gillis, NPR Visuals Editor and Producer
Finding inspiration and new meaning
It doesn't matter how big an artist or group is, the Tiny Desk is a challenging setting. It is cramped, they are the same level as the audience, and they clearly can see everyone in the audience.
Both Billie Eilish and Sabrina Carpenter released amazing albums but seeing the care of their craft was inspiring and exciting. I was personally excited to capture the relationship and connection between Billie and her brother Finneas.
Elmiene used the kid's xylophone that Dua Lipa left a few days before, it is just an example of the magic of the Tiny Desk.
Growing up, I listened non-stop to Ana Tijoux's 1977 song. While I probably didn't fully understand all its meaning back then, her performance at the desk reminded me of why I liked her so much back then and gave a new meaning to lyrics I knew from the heart.
With Chaka Khan, you could feel the energy in the crowd. But as soon as she started, she took command of the desk while also having fun. Truly an honor to capture this performance from a legend.
Sometimes my favorite moments to capture are after the show is over. It has become tradition for artists to leave an item on the shelves behind the desk. Devo left one of the iconic red hats, or energy domes, on top of Chappell Roan's wig.
After his performance with Yo Gabba Gabba Land! Thundercat wore a momentary Mac Miller's hat. Thundercat has done multiple performances at the tiny desk including Mac Miller's one which is the second most watched tiny desk ever.
Sabrina Carpenter was one of the last tiny desk of the year. Carpenter was posing for some polaroid that are used to announce the upcoming tiny desks on NPR Music Instagram, I was taking some quick photos behind the senses and she quickly looked up and looked at the camera.
This is probably my favorite photo from the desk this year because it's such a quiet and unexpected moment.
-- Zayrha Rodriguez, NPR Visuals Editor and Producer
'He left his heart at the desk'
Eladio Carrión's Tiny Desk has a special place in my heart. Not only because we share a last name, or because we both come from the same tiny island of Puerto Rico, but because he left his heart at the desk, creating an intimate and personal space to rap about love, fame, success, and most of all, his adoration for his mom – who he had sitting front row.
Carrión, the Puerto Rican rapper, also brought a special guest, Lia Kali, a Spanish vocalist who's voice immediately sent chills through the room. This moment was incredible to photograph – seeing Eladio and his entire team jamming alongside her.
But the highlight had to be at the end of his Tiny Desk set – when he dedicated the last song, "Mama's Boy," to his mom.
"I've sang this song in big concerts, but never in a close space with her," Carrión explains. "So this is going to be a very special moment for me."
He continuously made eye contact with his parents in what felt like a very personal moment that we were all privy to, and I tried my best to capture that love through my camera.
Another highlight for me was Kehlani's Tiny Desk. I've been a fan of hers since my formative years in college, so it was special to see her in such an intimate space – and much shier and vulnerable than she lets on.
She didn't only come to perform, but to also make a political statement and show support and solidarity with Palestinians. From the keffiyeh around her waist, down to the watermelon necklace and the Palestinian flag-themed nails, I tried to capture all the little details she brought to the Tiny Desk.
-- Keren Carrión, NPR Visuals Editor and Producer
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