Latest news with #NPRTinyDesk
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Bloc Party Goes Back to the Beginning on NPR Tiny Desk
Bloc Party appeared on NPR Tiny Desk for the first time with a career-spanning set that goes back to the very beginning. The U.K. rock band's Kele Okereke, Russell Lissack, Louise Bartle, and Harry Deacon kicked off the performance with 'Banquet,' a selection from their 2005 debut album Silent Alarm, which celebrated its 20th anniversary earlier this year. 'Good afternoon, everyone. We're Bloc Party from London, England,' Okereke told the gathered crowd. 'We're very excited to be here today with you for the infamous Tiny D sessions. Let's get into it.' The band followed with 'Signs,' a remnant of 2008's Intimacy. And just in time for Mercury Retrograde to begin later this week, Bloc Party lingered in that album era for a performance of 'Mercury.' More from Rolling Stone See Clipse Go Hard With Six-Song 'Tiny Desk' Concert Wet Leg Bring 'Moisturizer' to NPR Tiny Desk Wiz Khalifa Gets Emotional During NPR Tiny Desk Performance To close out the set, Bloc Party jumped ahead to one of their only recent releases, The High Life EP. The band selected 'Blue' from the four-track project released in 2023. Since then, they've only shared the one-off single 'Flirting Again' and a nostalgic set of B-sides from their 2007 album A Weekend in the City. They plan to release an anniversary edition of Silent Alarm in September. The band's latest full-length LP, Alpha Games, arrived more than three years ago. Bloc Party are currently on the 20 Years of Bloc Party tour. 'Thank you very much. As I was saying earlier, it's a really big deal for us, being here,' Okereke said. 'NPR has introduced me to so much great music. I've done so many great interviews speaking with this system. People all over the world, not just in America, rely on what comes out of this building. So, let's keep it protected and cherished.' Best of Rolling Stone Sly and the Family Stone: 20 Essential Songs The 50 Greatest Eminem Songs All 274 of Taylor Swift's Songs, Ranked
The South African
11-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The South African
How Doechii became hip-hop's most daring new star
Doechii, Florida's self-proclaimed 'Swamp Princess', is rewriting the rules of hip-hop. She's already headlined Glastonbury, scooped a Grammy and a BET Award, and become a chart-topping sensation. Her journey from sneaking out of class to practise piano, to dazzling on the world's biggest stages, is a story of grit, vision, and bold authenticity. This past year, Doechii's star has soared. Her viral NPR Tiny Desk performance showcased her rapid-fire flow and all-female band, according to Vogue . She stunned on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, performing an entire number connected to her dancers by braids. But it was her Grammy appearance that truly cemented her as a global star. After her dancers ripped off her custom suit, she prowled the stage in a jockstrap, exuding confidence and power. 'I was born to do this,' she declared. Her mixtape, Alligator Bites Never Heal , won the Grammy for Best Rap Album. 'I wanted to make a record without the pressure.' The hit single Denial is a River resonated for its raw honesty. 'This is a dark time for me, I'm going through a lot,' she raps, before her therapist persona interrupts: 'By 'a lot,' you mean drugs?' Doechii never shies away from tough conversations. At the BET Awards, she addressed protests in Los Angeles against raids on undocumented immigrants. 'Trump is using military forces to stop a protest. We all deserve to live in hope and not in fear,' she told the crowd. She often uses her platform to highlight issues like reproductive rights. 'Keep abortion safe and legal' tank in her 'Nissan Altima' video. Her stylist, Sam Woolf, says, 'We like to put things on display that people like to hide or cover up.' Doechii's style is as fearless as her music. She's rocked everything from a Louis Vuitton shorts-suit at the Met Gala to a yolk-yellow Valentino Couture gown. 'My look says more about where I am in my life than who I am,' she says. Right now, she's drawn to preppy styles. 'It makes me feel confident, sharp, and like myself.' Doechii is already working on her next project. She wants it to be honest, raw, and vulnerable. 'I know it's going to be a similar theme from my last project, but with new lessons,' she says. She's also proud of her old YouTube vlogs, hoping they inspire young artists: 'Anything is possible. Don't let anyone tell you that you can't be here.' Doechii's story is one of courage, creativity, and conviction. She's not just making music; she's making history. Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1. Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
USA Today
14-03-2025
- Entertainment
- USA Today
T-Pain hilariously acknowledged his Giants lookalike with a perfect tweet
T-Pain hilariously acknowledged his Giants lookalike with a perfect tweet It is free agency time in the NFL, meaning a lot of teams -- not you, Cowboys -- are making moves to improve their rosters in the offseason. The New York Giants added James Hudson III on Thursday, hoping the offensive tackle will serve as a much-needed boost on the offensive line. When the Giants posted the signing graphic featuring the former Cleveland Brown, people online started noticing something. Hudson bears a resemblance to singer/rapper/songwriter T-Pain, made famous for songs like "Buy You a Drank (Shawty Snappin')" and "Bartender," as well as numerous features and his iconic NPR Tiny Desk concert. The replies to the post quoted T-Pain lyrics, but the singer himself got involved. "I'm finna turn this franchise around," T-Pain said in a perfectly hilarious quote tweet. Excited to see where T-Pain takes the Giants next season.
Yahoo
06-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Ca7riel & Paco Amoroso chase Tiny Desk fame with new EP 'Papota'
What happens after a Tiny Desk performance goes viral? If you're the edgy Argentine duo Ca7riel & Paco Amoroso, you simply build on the momentum. A few dates into their "Baño María" world tour, and a month away from their Coachella debut, the eccentric pair have released a new nine-track EP, "Papota." While composed mostly of audio from their acoustic NPR Tiny Desk concert, the album also features four new songs that explore their emotions following the performance — creeping impostor syndrome, fears of all-consuming fame and the pressure to keep up the buzz on social media. 'There was this idea of, 'What happens after Tiny Desk?' Like the fear of success. How do we follow this?' says Amoroso in a Zoom interview, while on tour in Mexico. (In stereotypical Argentine male fashion, he can barely peel his eyes away from an ongoing soccer match on TV.) The Tiny Desk series, which has been around since 2008, presents established artists with the opportunity to flex their raw vocals live. It is also an incubator for up-and-comers edging toward their big break — an opportunity that childhood friends Ca7riel and Amoroso did not take for granted when they were invited to do an "El Tiny Desk" takeover during Latinx heritage month. The 17-minute show, uploaded Oct. 4, 2024, marked the Buenos Aires singers' fast track to fame. With more than 27 million YouTube views to date, it became the No. 1 Tiny Desk video released in 2024. 'What you see there is something authentic. It's not watered down, it's not thought through," says Amoroso. "We simply are who we are with our friends, playing music and having a good time.' Backed by a jazz ensemble, the two trap MCs-turned-rock stars wooed audiences with their spitfire lyrics and catchy tunes from their first joint album, 'Baño María,' released last year. " I told them right when they finished playing: 'That's one of the best ones, if not the best one I've ever seen, and I've never said that before,' says Anamaria Sayre, NPR host and Tiny Desk producer. One of the reasons why Sayre believes the video went viral has a lot to do with Tiny Desk's viewership. Outside the U.S., Argentina has the second-highest viewership of Tiny Desk performances. "Their energy is so dynamic and so specific that it automatically made them magnetic to me," says Sayre. " Anyone's gonna be drawn to [them], no matter who they are, Argentine or otherwise." Now with the EP 'Papota,' which is a colloquial Argentinian term for anabolic steroids, Ca7riel & Paco Amoroso look to humorize the external hullabaloo that has surrounded their rapid ascent to stardom. Tracks like the jazz number 'Impostor' emphasize the high expectations that followed their Tiny Desk performance, with the lyrics satirically condemning it as a curse: 'Ahora que vamos hacer / El Tiny Desk me jodio' ("Now what are we going to do?/Tiny Desk f— me'). 'Tiny [Desk] did not f— us,' admits Ca7riel. 'But within every joke there's a bit of truth,' he adds, noting that the pair have experienced few tranquil moments in the last couple of months, as they are often spotted in public. 'If I were to say I was happy all the time because of the Tiny Desk, it would be like a film without conflicts," says Amoroso. "We always have to share the conflicts.' The album's lead bubblegum pop single, '#Tetas,' pokes fun at trendy buzz words in English: crypto, glow up, vibe check, dab, chad and hashtag. The line 'Si quieres sеr alguien, no puedes ser tú / Tienes que ser alguien que no seas tú' — 'If you want to be somebody, you can't be you / You have to be someone that isn't you' — takes aim at the heavily curated nature of users' social media personalities. This fate seems to befall the singers in the accompanying music video, as they take on polished boy-band personas. 'We have our cellphones with us all the time," says Ca7riel. "We are receiving so much information, like we have to be fit, we have to eat well, we have to speak in English. Those are things that our cellphones are telling us." Other new songs include 'Re Forro,' an upbeat tune that describes becoming a monster despite having everything. There's also a feel-good pop jingle, 'El Día del Amigo,' that nods to the pair's long-standing friendship that began in elementary school. The two were often confused as brothers for their similar last names, which are off by one letter: Catriel "Ca7riel" Guerreiro and Ulises "Paco Amoroso" Guerriero. "We've been friends our whole lives and have shared a lot of hours. I think that's what helps make all of this feel so real," says Paco Amoroso. The release of their "Papota" EP also follows the pair's eclectic short film of the same name, directed by Argentine actor-director Martín Piroyansky. As the film's story goes, Ca7riel & Amoroso enter a cafe still sporting their distinct Tiny Desk attire — a blue fur hat and puffy mini heart vest. In comes 'Gymbaland' (played by YouTuber Martín Bossi), a leechlike Latin music producer who promises the budding stars a "Latin Chaddy" award — a nod to the esteemed Latin Grammy. 'We played around with the idea of Tiny Desk going against the Miami Latin music industry and the Latino producer that promises you success [and] awards,' says Amoroso. The short film previews Ca7riel & Amoroso's career as they buy into the sham promise of fame, a change demonstrated by their enlarged pecs and chiseled chins, details evoking the album's steroid title. Their partnership nearly falls apart as they vie for the Latin Chaddy — although true friendship prevails with a makeshift Tiny Desk session, paying homage to the pivotal moment on the concert series. 'With Tiny Desk, we feel that we hacked the system and we were able to do music that we enjoyed without having to go through that,' says Amoroso. Get our Latinx Files newsletter for stories that capture the complexity of our communities. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Los Angeles Times
06-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Los Angeles Times
Ca7riel & Paco Amoroso chase Tiny Desk fame with new EP ‘Papota'
What happens after a Tiny Desk performance goes viral? If you're the edgy Argentine duo Ca7riel & Paco Amoroso, you simply build on the momentum. A few dates into their 'Baño María' world tour, and a month away from their Coachella debut, the eccentric pair have released a new nine-track EP, 'Papota.' While composed mostly of audio from their acoustic NPR Tiny Desk concert, the album also features four new songs that explore their emotions following the performance — creeping impostor syndrome, fears of all-consuming fame and the pressure to keep up the buzz on social media. 'There was this idea of, 'What happens after Tiny Desk?' Like the fear of success. How do we follow this?' says Amoroso in a Zoom interview, while on tour in Mexico. (In stereotypical Argentine male fashion, he can barely peel his eyes away from an ongoing soccer match on TV.) The Tiny Desk series, which has been around since 2008, presents established artists with the opportunity to flex their raw vocals live. It is also an incubator for up-and-comers edging toward their big break — an opportunity that childhood friends Ca7riel and Amoroso did not take for granted when they were invited to do an 'El Tiny Desk' takeover during Latinx heritage month. The 17-minute show, uploaded Oct. 4, 2024, marked the Buenos Aires singers' fast track to fame. With more than 27 million YouTube views to date, it became the No. 1 Tiny Desk video released in 2024. 'What you see there is something authentic. It's not watered down, it's not thought through,' says Amoroso. 'We simply are who we are with our friends, playing music and having a good time.' Backed by a jazz ensemble, the two trap MCs-turned-rock stars wooed audiences with their spitfire lyrics and catchy tunes from their first joint album, 'Baño María,' released last year. ' I told them right when they finished playing: 'That's one of the best ones, if not the best one I've ever seen, and I've never said that before,' says Anamaria Sayre, NPR host and Tiny Desk producer. One of the reasons why Sayre believes the video went viral has a lot to do with Tiny Desk's viewership. Outside the U.S., Argentina has the second-highest viewership of Tiny Desk performances. 'Their energy is so dynamic and so specific that it automatically made them magnetic to me,' says Sayre. ' Anyone's gonna be drawn to [them], no matter who they are, Argentine or otherwise.' Now with the EP 'Papota,' which is a colloquial Argentinian term for anabolic steroids, Ca7riel & Paco Amoroso look to humorize the external hullabaloo that has surrounded their rapid ascent to stardom. Tracks like the jazz number 'Impostor' emphasize the high expectations that followed their Tiny Desk performance, with the lyrics satirically condemning it as a curse: 'Ahora que vamos hacer / El Tiny Desk me jodio' ('Now what are we going to do?/Tiny Desk f— me'). 'Tiny [Desk] did not f— us,' admits Ca7riel. 'But within every joke there's a bit of truth,' he adds, noting that the pair have experienced few tranquil moments in the last couple of months, as they are often spotted in public. 'If I were to say I was happy all the time because of the Tiny Desk, it would be like a film without conflicts,' says Amoroso. 'We always have to share the conflicts.' The album's lead bubblegum pop single, '#Tetas,' pokes fun at trendy buzz words in English: crypto, glow up, vibe check, dab, chad and hashtag. The line 'Si quieres sеr alguien, no puedes ser tú / Tienes que ser alguien que no seas tú' — 'If you want to be somebody, you can't be you / You have to be someone that isn't you' — takes aim at the heavily curated nature of users' social media personalities. This fate seems to befall the singers in the accompanying music video, as they take on polished boy-band personas. 'We have our cellphones with us all the time,' says Ca7riel. 'We are receiving so much information, like we have to be fit, we have to eat well, we have to speak in English. Those are things that our cellphones are telling us.' Other new songs include 'Re Forro,' an upbeat tune that describes becoming a monster despite having everything. There's also a feel-good pop jingle, 'El Día del Amigo,' that nods to the pair's long-standing friendship that began in elementary school. The two were often confused as brothers for their similar last names, which are off by one letter: Catriel 'Ca7riel' Guerreiro and Ulises 'Paco Amoroso' Guerriero. 'We've been friends our whole lives and have shared a lot of hours. I think that's what helps make all of this feel so real,' says Paco Amoroso. The release of their 'Papota' EP also follows the pair's eclectic short film of the same name, directed by Argentine actor-director Martín Piroyansky. As the film's story goes, Ca7riel & Amoroso enter a cafe still sporting their distinct Tiny Desk attire — a blue fur hat and puffy mini heart vest. In comes 'Gymbaland' (played by YouTuber Martín Bossi), a leechlike Latin music producer who promises the budding stars a 'Latin Chaddy' award — a nod to the esteemed Latin Grammy. 'We played around with the idea of Tiny Desk going against the Miami Latin music industry and the Latino producer that promises you success [and] awards,' says Amoroso. The short film previews Ca7riel & Amoroso's career as they buy into the sham promise of fame, a change demonstrated by their enlarged pecs and chiseled chins, details evoking the album's steroid title. Their partnership nearly falls apart as they vie for the Latin Chaddy — although true friendship prevails with a makeshift Tiny Desk session, paying homage to the pivotal moment on the concert series. 'With Tiny Desk, we feel that we hacked the system and we were able to do music that we enjoyed without having to go through that,' says Amoroso.
