Bobby Carter | August 2, 2023
When I got downstairs to greet Obongjayar and his bandmates at NPR headquarters, they had already found their way over to some stationary bikes near the lobby to get the adrenaline pumping. OB and crew seemed shy but ready for this moment. During the show, I witnessed my colleagues go from wiping away tears to bouncing and clapping within a matter of minutes. That emotional balance is Obongjayar’s Tiny Desk in a nutshell. He gave us everything.

The Nigerian-born, London-based Steven Umoh beelined it straight to the desk to dial in with the band. His towering presence, juxtaposed with a high-register tone that sometimes dips into a low growl, simply commands attention. I first learned of Obongjayar through Little Simz. He was featured on “Point and Kill,” which they performed for a Tiny Desk home concert in 2021. The following year, he dropped his debut album Some Nights I Dream of Doors. While most of the set focused on the best of Some Nights…, he also plays the newly released “Just Cool” before closing with the awe-inspiring protest cut, “Message in a Hammer.”

SET LIST
“Sugar”
“Frens”
“Just Cool”
“I Wish It Was Me”
“Message in a Hammer”

MUSICIANS
Obongjayar: lead vocal
Sam Jones: drums
Ciaran Corr: guitar
Mutale Chashi: bass, keys
Elias Atkinson: trumpet

TINY DESK TEAM
Producer: Bobby Carter
Director/Editor: Kara Frame
Audio Engineer: Josh Rogosin
Creative Director: Bob Boilen
Videographers: Kara Frame, Joshua Bryant, Alanté Serene
Audio Assistant: Kwesi Lee
Production Assistant: Ashley Pointer
Photographer: Keren Carrión
Tiny Desk Team: Suraya Mohamed, Maia Stern, Hazel Cills
VP, Visuals and Music: Keith Jenkins
Senior VP, Programming: Anya Grundmann

#tinydesk #obongjayar #nprmusic