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Elmiene: Tiny Desk Concert

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

Copyright 2024 NPR

Bobby Carter is a leader on the Tiny Desk Concerts team for NPR Music. He's brought an ever growing roster of big names and emerging artists through NPR's HQ to squeeze behind the desk of All Songs Considered host Bob Boilen and record standout performances, including Usher, Mac Miller, Noname, Anderson.Paak and H.E.R.