Tiny Desk Concert
Sin Suela lit up NPR’s Tiny Desk Concert with a historic and dynamic performance, becoming the first artist to incorporate a sign language interpreter as part of the performance that premiered on Thursday (May 1).
Explore
Explore
See latest videos, charts and news
See latest videos, charts and news
Clad in vibrant orange — a color aligning with his most recent album, Toda Época Tiene Su Encanto, which dropped September 2024 — the Puerto Rican wordsmith and his 12-member troupe brought a genre-bending set to the stage.
The 24-minute performance opened with the love rap “Tengo Una Nota” and and the bilingual “Duolingo.” The artist showcased his versatility with “Mírame,” delivered in a spoken-word, conscious-rap style that highlighted his lyrical depth and storytelling ability. A blend of funk, rap and hip-hop defined the set’s eclectic sound, punctuated by a laid-back yet pulsating performance of “Amor Artificial” and the high-energy “Top.” He closed with the emotional anti-war song “Mambrú.”
Trending on Billboard
“This is a dream come true for me,” said PJ Sin Suela in a press release. “I remember being in college playing Tiny Desk sessions and thinking, ‘One day I’ll be there,’ and it happened. To this day, if I’m cooking or having friends over, we put on a Tiny Desk. I have a deep respect and love for the platform, and I treated it that way. We prepared, rehearsed and gave it our all. I was able to bring my favorite musicians from Puerto Rico and people I admire and love dearly. I was able to represent what I do visually, musically, and socially.”
Accompanying PJ was a powerhouse ensemble of Puerto Rican musicians, including Jahaziel García on trumpet, Benson Pagán Jiménez on guitar, Gabo Lugo on percussion and Barba Blanca on piano. Alexssa Hernández made Tiny Desk history as the series’ first sign language interpreter. Backing vocalists Verónica Rolón Acevedo and Jeimy Osorio added soulful harmonies to the show.
PJ Sin Suela also used his Tiny Desk debut as a platform for activism, placing stickers on the set that read “Puerto Rico is NOT for sale.” The message — which he carried as a sign during the 2022 Puerto Rican Day Parade — reflects his opposition to policies such as Act 22, which allows wealthy foreigners to exploit the island’s resources.
Watch PJ Sin Suela’s performance on Tiny Desk below.
Grupo Frontera made its way to the NPR headquarters in Washington, D.C., for the band’s Tiny Desk debut, which premiered on Thursday (April 24).
Dressed in light blue denim and white shirts, the borderland band opened the set with its Billboard Hot 100 No. 5 hit “Un x100to.” Backed by a gospel-inspired choir, the group infused the upbeat norteño song with a touch of R&B, incorporating sparkling keys and slowing the tempo. Midway through the performance, the band transitioned back to the its signature cumbia norteña rhythm.
Accompanied by two female backup singers wearing cowboy hats, a trumpet player and Grupo Frontera’s signature ensemble of accordion, keyboards and guitars, the band delivered a dynamic and cohesive performance.
Explore
Explore
See latest videos, charts and news
See latest videos, charts and news
“It’s a very special song for us, because we didn’t even know he was going to be on the song until we shot the video,” frontman Payo said about Bad Bunny’s feature in “Un x100to.” “The video came to us as a surprise, and [Benito] said, ‘Have you heard the song, the full version, with me in it?’ And we said, ‘What version?!’,” The band’s collaborator, Bad Bunny, had also stopped by the NPR offices earlier in the month to perform a few songs himself.
Trending on Billboard
Grupo Frontera continued the set with “Hecha Pa’ Mi,” during which the richness of the accordion shone. The band followed up with the bachata-infused “Ángel,” originally recorded with Romeo Santos, and the laid-back reggae-bop “Por Qué Será,” which features Maluma in the original version, showcasing their skill in blending norteño music with diverse genres. Grupo Frontera rounded out the set with “El Amor de Su Vida,” originally starring Grupo Firme.
On Wednesday (April 23), the Texas-based group received a nomination for best group or band at the 2025 Heat Latin Music Awards.
Watch Grupo Frontera’s full NPR Tiny Desk concert below.
Ne-Yo is one of the genre-defining R&B singers of the 2000s, and his invite to NPR’s Tiny Desk concert series was long overdue. The long-time bad-boy R&B singer made his Tiny Desk debut on Friday (April 26), which saw him run through a medley of soulful hits from his catalog, in addition to bops he’s […]
Maluma is the latest artist to take on the NPR Tiny Desk for a concert full of his hits and even a tease of his girlfriend’s recent pregnancy announcement. The Colombian superstar performed songs ranging from “Hawái” and “COCO LOCO” to “Felices los 4” and “Según Quién.” Before “ADMV,” Maluma shared that he wrote the song […]
-
Pages