In 2008, All Songs Considered host Bob Boilen had the idea to start a concert series behind his desk at NPR. Now, the Tiny Desk Concerts rack up millions of views online and are a coveted performance opportunity for unsigned artists.
For the past four years, NPR Music has opened its inbox to submissions from musicians competing to perform behind the office desk-turned music venue. In 2016, the winner was Duluth’s Gaelynn Lea. This year, the Tiny Desk Contest received over 5,000 submissions from all over the country.
This year’s winner is singer-songwriter Naia Izumi, who impressed the judges with his performance of an original song, “Soft Spoken.” In addition to performing a Tiny Desk Concert at NPR’s headquarters, Izumi is embarking on a U.S. tour, playing in various cities along with local artists who also entered the contest.
On June 1, Izumi is stopping at St. Paul’s Amsterdam Bar & Hall to perform in a Twin Cities Tiny Desk Showcase along with three Minnesota acts: iLLism, the Nunnery, and Fellow Pynins. Here’s what you need to know about these three artists before Friday’s concert.