In the coming weeks, Contest judges will be sharing the best entries in a handful of genres on NPR’s All Things Considered. While the group selected Ruby Ibarra as this year’s winner, there were so many entries they loved, and they’re excited to highlight more standouts on air this summer.
Yesterday, Bobby Carter — who’s produced Tiny Desk concerts for artists like Usher, Leon Thomas and Alex Isley — shared the best R&B entries, noting that the genre really shined in this year’s Contest.
“There were so many flavors [of R&B] this year,” Bobby said. “People are really delivering authentic R&B mixed with a little bit of this, a little bit of that.” His top R&B selections included the jazzy “Truman” by Tiril Jackson, the folksy “Good” by Sadia and the soulful “Die Easy” by Vahn Black. You can listen to the full piece here.
Tiril Jackson performing "Truman" / YouTube
And speaking of your stories on air, last Saturday on Weekend Edition, host Ayesha Rascoe spoke with Contest entrants Roderick Wallace and Quan Neloms of Detroit rap group I Am In Demand. The group members aren’t just artists — they’re also teachers.
The refrain in their entry, “Spark the Flame,” asks, “why would anyone want to be a teacher?” Members take turns at the mic, explaining why it’s their mission to inspire men, especially Black men, to become teachers and get involved in molding the next generation.
When asked about their entry, which features the group rapping in front of a whiteboard and bookshelves, Quan says, “since there aren't a lot of men in education, I thought it would be powerful to show just a bunch of us in one space, spitting dope lyrics about working with young people.” He also says the group was inspired by another rap group that has graced the Tiny Desk: Wu-Tang Clan.
You can hear I Am In Demand’s full interview here.
The 2025 Tiny Desk Contest is presented by Capital One and supported by the Lagunitas Brewing Company.
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As we mentioned last week, we moved our Philadelphia show to Monday, July 14 at The Foundry. We’re excited to reveal that Philadelphia rock band Sheer Mag will be that night’s headliner, joining the bill with Ruby and De Tierra Caliente. There are still tickets available for this new show, so be sure to share the news with the music fans in your life.
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