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Elmiene: Tiny Desk Concert

NPR

Elmiene has a natural light. His charisma, humor and self-awareness strikes first, but the knockout blow is that vintage voice. If I didn't know better, I'd assume I'm listening to someone with years of Baptist church training and countless life experiences. Yet he's a 23-year-old Muslim man, quick to say that he writes mostly from the perspectives of those around him. He's a poet, born to perform, which is likely why he wasn't really nervous but more so in awe of performing at the Tiny Desk — especially when he found out the toy glockenspiel he played was left by Dua Lipa.

The emotion the British singer-songwriter pulls from is linked to his fascination with '90s R&B. Crooners like D'Angelo, Anthony Hamilton and Silk all have that knack for crying out for love. Since so much hip-hop is incorporated into today's love songs, Elmiene's adaptation provides a welcome balance. He's yet to drop a full-length LP, instead opting for an EP here and a single there, devoting himself to developing and learning who he is as an artist. Draped in a custom kaftan, Elmiene stepped behind the Desk to play highlights from his latest EP, Anyway I Can, and a couple from 2023's Marking My Time.

SET LIST

  • "Marking My Time"
  • "Light Work"
  • "Crystal Tears"
  • "Anyways"
  • "Someday"

MUSICIANS

  • Elmiene: lead vocals
  • Simeon Jones: keys
  • Jerome Johnson: drums
  • Tjoe Man Cheung: guitar
  • Max Doohan: bass
  • Erik Brooks: vocals
  • Megan Parker: vocals
  • Rachel Gonzalez: vocals

TINY DESK TEAM

  • Producers: Bobby Carter, Ashley Pointer
  • Director/Editor: Joshua Bryant
  • Audio Technical Director: Josh Newell
  • Videographers: Joshua Bryant, Kara Frame, Maia Stern, Mitra I. Arthur
  • Audio Engineer: Hannah Gluvna
  • Production Assistant: Elle Mannion
  • Photographer: Zayrha Rodriguez
  • Tiny Desk Copy Editor: Hazel Cills
  • Executive Producer: Suraya Mohamed
  • Series Creators: Bob Boilen, Stephen Thompson
  • VP, Visuals and Music: Keith Jenkins