Meet the 2022 Tiny Desk Contest Community
We received entries from Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, from Maine and California and every state in between.
Music
Radu Lupu, celebrated Romanian pianist, dies at age 76
A pianist widely admired by his fellow artists, Radu Lupu was known for his interpretations of Brahms, Schubert, Mozart and Beethoven, among others. Lupu retired from performing in 2019.
Art Rupe, influential early rock recording executive, has died at 104
Early rock recording executive Art Rupe has died at 104. He founded Specialty Records, which launched the careers of Little Richard and Sam Cooke, and helped make R&B popular with white audiences.
Harrison Birtwistle, an influential English composer, has died at age 87
Known for his sonic brashness and unyielding artistic vision, Birtwistle was awarded a British knighthood in 1988. He was one of the U.K.'s most prominent composers for decades.
Hip-hop pioneer DJ Kay Slay dies of COVID-19 at age 55
Pioneering hip-hop artist Keith Grayson, who performed as DJ Kay Slay, has died of complications from COVID-19. He worked with stars such as Nas, Kendrick Lamar, Jadakiss and Busta Rhymes.
Recovering and reclaiming Black women's place in music history
Black women's contributions to pop music have long been erased or misunderstood. Three recent books, including Danyel Smith's Shine Bright, focus on these stories, offering a richer record of history.
Janelle Monáe's 'Dirty Computer' comes alive in a new collection of stories
The artist builds on the Afrofuturistic world from her 2018 album in a new short story collection titled The Memory Librarian. She tells NPR about her nightmare that inspired the project.
Remembering jazz pianist and composer Jessica Williams
Williams was a dazzling player and a favorite at Fresh Air. She died March 10 at 73. We'll listen back to her 1997 performance and interview.
Big Thief's new album will give you the feeling of coming home
In this session, you'll hear Big Thief talk about how their support for each other has been vital to creating their latest album, Dragon New Warm Mountain I Believe in You.