PJ: Tiny Desk (Home) Concert

The Tiny Desk is working from home for the foreseeable future. Introducing NPR Music's Tiny Desk (home) concerts, bringing you performances from across the country and the world. It's the same spirit — stripped-down sets, an intimate setting — just a different space.

Before Paris Jones, aka PJ, starts "Smoke," the second song of her Tiny Desk (home) concert, she briefly reveals the meaning: "So the thing about me is that I got a lot of different influences. John Mayer got a song called 'Slow Dancing In A Burning Room' and this is my take on it." One listen and it's clear that those "different influences" don't fit a genre or era and could be any number of artists — and they all come together in ways I haven't seen or heard in a long time.

Backed by Drin Elliot on the keys, the Los Angeles-based North Carolina native breezes through two tracks off of her new EP, Waiting on Paris, from quarantine digs complete with mannequins, floral arrangements and radiant artwork. For the final song and with the biggest grin on her face she "switches vibes" with the upbeat and anthemic "Element," from this season of HBO's Insecure. Here, her energy is nearly impossible to harness as she exclaims "quarantined but in my element!" There's plenty to sulk over in these times, so let PJ's performance and beaming spirit remind us of the joy that most of us deserve through it all.

SET LIST

• "Privately"
• "Smoke"
• "Element"

MUSICIANS

PJ: vocals; Drin Elliot: keys

CREDITS

Videographer: Logan Fields; Audio Engineer: Stanley Springer III; Producers: Bobby Carter, Sidney Madden; Audio Mastering Engineer: Josh Rogosin; Video Producers: Morgan Noelle Smith, Maia Stern; Executive Producer: Lauren Onkey; Senior VP, Programming: Anya Grundmann

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