The Best performances by Nigerian artists on NPR Tiny Desk »

Mp3bullet.ng compiles a list of the best NPR Tiny desk performances by Nigerian artists.

Nigerian artists are now constant features on the NPR Tiny performances, showcasing the beauty of Afrobeat to a wide range of music lovers.

However, some of the performances have fallen short of expectations, making fans cringe with every song that is sung.

On the other hand, there are others who remind us they are vocal powerhouses and respect should be on their name.

Here are the best performances on NPR Tiny Desk by Nigerian artists.

RELATED:

Tems

Tems‘ performance exemplifies the intimacy that defines Tiny Desk from the setting to the delivery. She opens off her set with Found before gliding into Free Mind.

Tems capitalises on our collective nostalgia by taking us back to one of her earliest releases, Looku Looku, before picking up the pace with Replay and bringing it to a close with a stunning rendition of Damages.

This outstanding performance shows the care and planning that went into it, serving as a reminder of her talent and vocal prowess.

Tiwa Savage

During the Coronavirus pandemic when international travel was limited, Tiwa Savage who wasn’t deterred makes lemonade out of lemons as she performs in a set up reminiscent of the performance cubicle at the NPR headquarters.

She kicks off her electrifying set with Dangerous Love and then moves on to Attention. Before concluding her act with her hit song Koroba, Tiwa gives a standout performance of “Like” while being backed by the Alternative sound band.

Burna Boy

Burna Boy, one of the first Nigerian musicians to perform at the Tiny Desk concert, puts on a great performance, starting with Gbona

The African Giant transitions into Wetin Man Go Do, then Dangote, and lastly the 2018 hit song Ye. Note that this performance was wedged between two completely sold-out shows in Washington, DC.

While he gave off the impression of being disgruntled and out of sync with his band, Burna Boy emanates the confidence of someone who has perfected their job, therefore he has nothing to prove in this performance.

Adekunle Gold

Adekunle Gold performs during NPR Music Month with a retro-styled airport terminal serving as the stage backdrop. He launches off the performance with a passionate delivery of Sinner.

He switches to Something Different, then to One Woman, and ends with Okay as the tempo ramps up. The way Adekunle Gold performs is similar to a smooth flight that slows down and speeds up at just the appropriate moments.

RELATED:

Fireboy DML

At the height of the Covid-19, Tiny Desk Concerts launched the Tiny Desk Home Concerts, taking a page from the work-from-home policy.

This allowed for the inclusion of a bigger group of Afrobeats musicians in the performance, such as Fireboy DML, whose version of Afropop, Afro-Life, prioritises R&B in the cocktail and loves slower tempo and vocal fireworks.

Fireboy delivers a fast three-song set, beginning with the nicely paced Like I Do. He performs the extremely seductive Tattoo before turning the heat up with Peru.

The presence of a backing singer is one element that is glaringly absent from his performance; while the supporting band does a commendable job, it is obvious that he needs assistance.