Tems: Tems’ NPR Tiny Desk performance is restrained, intimate, and quietly mesmerising – perfectly suited to the space. Her band stretches the arrangements with subtle electronic and rhythmic flourishes, expanding the songs without losing their emotional core.
Tiwa Savage: Few artists have shaped modern Afrobeats like Tiwa Savage. Her Tiny Desk (Home) performance underlines that legacy, foregrounding the musical instincts and vocal control that have sustained her longevity and influence in the genre.
Asake: Asake’s music thrives on unrelenting energy, making it difficult to imagine within the Tiny Desk format. Yet his band translates that intensity with precision, allowing him to glide between hushed moments and explosive peaks with ease.
Fireboy DML: Fireboy DML’s vocal ability is often overshadowed by his hit-making reputation. His Tiny Desk (Home) performance corrects that, revealing impressive control and range over jazz- and R&B-leaning arrangements, with a standout piano-and-vocal rendition of Like I Do.
Obongjayar: Obongjayar defies easy description. His Tiny Desk performance channels a volatile mix of vulnerability, rage, and theatricality — a rare contemporary echo of 1970s Fela in full kinetic force. It’s this fusion of message and movement that makes his set unforgettable.