PJ Sin Suela Makes History with Funky NPR Tiny Desk Concert

Posted on May 1, 2025 by Tom Castaneda

PJ Sin Suela has signed his way into the history books…

The 35-year-old Puerto Rican rapper made history on Thursday with the debut of his NPR Tiny Desk concert by incorporating a sign language interpreter.

Sin Suela, who brought conscious rap and funky energy to his set, became the first artist to incorporate a sign language interpreter as part of the performance that premiered on Thursday (May 1).

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 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.”

“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 Yeidimar Ramos Colón 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.

Grupo Frontera Makes Impressive NPR ‘Tiny Desk’ Debut

Posted on April 24, 2025 by Tom Castaneda

Grupo Frontera is celebrating a small feat…

The Regional Mexican band visited the NPR headquarters in Washington, D.C., for their 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.

“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.

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.

Earlier this week,, the Texas-based group received a nomination for best group or band at the 2025 Heat Latin Music Awards.

Selena Gomez Among Winners of 4th annual Anthem Awards for Rare Beauty’s Purpose & Mission-Driven Work

Posted on November 19, 2024 by Tom Castaneda

Selena Gomez is being recognized for her uplifting efforts…

The 32-year-old Mexican American actress, singer and philanthropist’s beauty brand Rare Beauty by Selena Gomez is among the winners of the fourth annual Anthem Awards.

The awards, presented by the Webby Awards, recognize the purpose and mission-driven work of individuals, companies and organizations.

Other winners include Jelly Roll with Power to the Patients and Becky G with NPR’s Tiny Desk Concerts’ “El Tiny” Takeover.

Other Gold Anthem Award winners include Google; George Lucas Educational Foundation; Gayle King with The Schoolys; Keke Palmer with Google’s ‘Black-owned Friday’; The Metropolitan Museum of Art; Amazon Music; GLAAD; and the Clinton Global Initiative.

“This year’s Anthem Awards Winners are a crucial reminder of the many inspiring and courageous leaders around us committed to creating change,” Patricia McLoughlin, Anthem Awards general manager, said in a statement.

The Anthem Awards also honor individuals with special achievement awards for their commitment to spurring long-lasting change. This year’s Special Achievement

Winners include Teun van de Keuken, for his work to promote ethical consumption and business practices through the chocolate brand Tony’s Chocolonely; Padma Lakshmi, for her work to promote social justice, empower women, and create a broader understanding and appreciation of different cultures through food; and Christy Turlington Burns, in recognition of her commitment to improving maternal health outcomes and advocating for mothers everywhere.

This year’s Anthem Award Winners were selected from more than 2,300 submissions from 34 countries by the International Academy of Digital Arts & Sciences (IADAS). Anthem Award judges are leaders from across the impact industry with expertise that spans the Anthem cause areas – diversity, equity, & inclusion; education, art, & culture; health; human & civil rights; humanitarian action & services; responsible technology; and sustainability, environment, and climate.

The Anthem Awards were launched in 2021 to highlight social impact work happening around the globe. The awards were founded by The Webby Awards in partnership with the Ad Council, Born This Way Foundation, Feeding America, GLAAD, Mozilla, NAACP, NRDC, WWF, and XQ.

Fans can watch each winner’s “Call to Action Speech” in the Anthem Winners Gallery at anthemawards.com/winners.

Lulu Garcia-Navarro Joins CNN as On-Air Contributor & Panelist

Posted on January 29, 2024 by Tom Castaneda

Lulu Garcia-Navarro is headed to CNN…

The Cuban and Panamanian journalist and podcast host has joined the cable news network as an on-air contributor and panelist on The Chris Wallace Show.

Garcia-Navarro is from The New York Times Magazine, where she is launching a new interview franchise.

She previously worked at NPR as a host and was a longtime international correspondent.

Her coverage of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and her vivid dispatches of the Arab Spring uprisings brought Garcia-Navarro wide acclaim and five awards in 2012, including the Edward R. Murrow and Peabody Awards for her coverage of the Libyan revolt.

Her series on the Amazon rainforest was a Peabody finalist and won an Edward R. Murrow award for best news series.

She has previously appeared on The Chris Wallace Show, which launched in November on Saturday mornings.

She will be part of a rotating group of panelists.

Maluma Performs NPR Tiny Desk Concert, Confirms He’ll Soon Be a Dad

Posted on October 20, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

Maluma is celebrating a tiny moment…

The 29-year-old Colombian singer is the latest artist to visit the NPR Tiny Desk for a concert full of his hits and even a tease of his girlfriend’s recent pregnancy announcement.

Maluma performed songs ranging from “Hawái” and “COCO LOCO” to “Felices los 4” and “Según Quién.” Before singing “ADMV,” Maluma shared that he wrote the song for a cryptic “someone,” and immediately began tearing up.

Maluma revealed that he and his girlfriend, Susana Gomez, are expecting their first child together via a new music video on Friday, October 20.

Titled “Procura,” the song’s clip documents the couple’s relationship with never-before-seen clips, the heartfelt moment they found out they were going to be parents and the lavish sex reveal, when they found out they will be having a girl. The couple also revealed she will be named Paris.

“Music is the only way I can talk to my fans and I wanted to let them know that I’m having a baby,” he said in an interview with NPR Music‘s Alt.Latino. “It’s perfect timing with all of the things that I’m living. I’m looking for more personal experiences too […] I also want to grow as a human being, not only as an artist. This makes me feel so human, but at the same time, the more human I feel, the more artist I get.”

Yahritza y Su Esencia Perform as Part of NPR’s Tiny Desk Concert

Posted on August 27, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

Yahritza Martinez and her siblings are celebrating a tiny accomplishmen.

Yahritza y Su Esencia, made up of the16-year-old Mexican American singer and her two brothers Armando (Mando) Martínez and Jairo Martínez, is the latest act to perform for NPR’s Tiny Desk Concert.

The Regional Mexican band serenaded fans with their ultra-emotional songs on love and heartbreak. Singing with such pathos, as ever, Yahritza first belts out the melancholic “Soy El Único,” the group’s debut single released last year.

“Thank you,” Yahritza says with a chuckle at the end of the song and quickly introduces the next one on the setlist. “This next song, ‘Déjalo Ir,’ I also wrote when I was 13 so let’s get it.”

Backed by her older brothers, who show off their killer guitar skills, Yahritza also sang “Inseparables,” “No Se Puede Decir Adiós” and “Frágil.”

Hailing from the Yakima Valley in the state of Washington, Yahritza y Su Esencia had a breakout year in 2022.

The first song they ever released, “Soy El Único,” entered the Billboard Hot 100 at No. 20 and made Yahritza the youngest Latin performer to debut on the chart at just 15 years old.

The act subsequently notched its first No. 1 on Regional Mexican Albums with its Obsessed EP, scored a Latin Grammy Award nod for best new artist and, by July, signed with Columbia Records in a partnership with Lumbre Music and Sony Music Latin.

The three siblings are currently on their first-ever U.S. tour visiting West Coast cities such as Seattle, Portland, San Diego and Phoenix, among others.

Other Latin stars that have recorded Tiny Desk Concerts include Kany García, Karol G, Carla Morrison, Carin Leon, Farruko and Tokischa, among others.

Kany García Performs for NPR’s Tiny Desk Concert Series

Posted on July 24, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

Kany García is embracing a tiny but impressive moment…

The 40-year-old Puerto Rican singer and songwriter is the latest Latin star to perform for NPR’s Tiny Desk Concert series.

The intimate setting is fitting for García’s personal, deep lyrics which touch on love, heartbreak and beyond.

She kicked off her nearly 17-minute set with the gorgeous “Para Siempre” from her 2018 album Soy Yo. After that, she transitioned into “Búscame,” included on Mesa Para Dos (2020), explaining the meaning behind the song: “There’s so many songs that I wrote about relationship, sadness and all those kind of things and I never write songs about the people that I always feel like home, that people that I owe them a lot of things so this is a song for them.”

Love and heartbreak weren’t the only topics she touched on. The Latin Grammy-winning artist also paid tribute to immigrants across the world with her poignant “Mundo Inventado,” which loosely translates to an invented world. “This is a very special song for me because it’s a song that I’m talking about immigrants and as you know, they are people who have never given up in many parts of the world,” García introduced the song. “And thanks to the all the immigrants I think we make cities, countries and all these places a better place.”

After singing those songs, each one from a different album, she ended with one from her latest set, El Amor Que Merecemos. The empowering and liberating flamenco-tinged pop song “DPM (De Pxta Madre)” closed her set, which she prefaced with a few words: “It’s a phrase that we always use like for many things. Like, ‘F–k I won the lottery’ or ‘F–k I have a very bad day.’ This is song is about when you realize that all the people that are mean to you, they are no longer in your life and you’re grateful for that so you are [feeling] de puta madre.”

Other Latin stars that have recorded Tiny Desk Concerts include Karol G, Carla Morrison, Carin Leon, Farruko and Tokischa, among others.

Karol G Performs “Mañana Será Bonito” Singles During Second “Tiny Desk Concert”

Posted on May 15, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

Karol G is back at the (tiny) desk…

The 32-year-old Colombian superstar returned to NPR’s headquarters for her second “Tiny Desk Concert,” which premiered on Monday, May 15.

The 17-minute acoustic performance, where she was accompanied by an all-girl music ensemble, included new versions of four tracks from her Billboard history-making album Mañana Será Bonito. She kicked it off the mini-set with the ultra-personal “Carolina.”

“I have to say that I’m super proud of them because this show is special,” she said of the talented musicians. “It’s the first time after eight years that I never rehearse with my In-Ears. I forgot how cool it feels. I feel like I’m in my home, with my people, drinking wine […] but now, let’s bring some Mexican vibes to this place!” she added before performing her heartfelt Banda track “Gucci Los Paños.”

Rocking a trucker hat, a yellow jacket, and blue locks, the Colombian artist expressed “I don’t know why I’m so nervous,” she said. “The album is super new and this is the first time I’m singing some of the songs here, and they feel so good in this version.”

She then performed a sultry reggae version of her Quevedo-assisted “Pero Tú” and a heartfelt bossanova version of “Mercurio.”

“Tiny Desk, thanks for the opportunity, this is super great and it kind of takes us out of the routine of what we normally do,” she noted. “It was a pleasure for all those who are at home, to share this moment with you and to share it in this way that is so personal for many reasons.”

Karol made her NPR debut in 2021 for a “Tiny Desk Home Concert,” where she performed “Creeme,” “A Ella,” “200 Copas” with special guest Danny Felix, and “Contigo Voy a Muerte” with special guest Camilo.

Farruko Performs Intimate Tiny Desk Concert as part of NPR’s Latinx Heritage Month Celebration

Posted on October 15, 2022 by Tom Castaneda

Farruko is celebrating a tiny moment…

The 31-year-old Puerto Rican singer and rapper performed a Tiny Desk concert as part of NPR’s Latinx Heritage Month celebration.

During his 15-minute performance, Farruko performed reimagined takes on his hit singles like “Pepas” and “En La Mia (Remix),” as well as launched his new single “Viaje.”

Farruko, real name, Carlos Reyes has undergone a spiritual transformation, even renouncing the message of his smash “Pepas” and taking the time to focus on his family and his developing relationship with God.

His Tiny Desk concert reflected that new perspective.

The concert included the participation of Armando Sanchez (guitar), Keriel Quiroz (keys), Juan Diaz (drums, percussion), Franie Laracuente (vocals) and Aaron Gonzalez (vocals).

Lido Pimienta to Take Part in Pop Conference 2022 Keynote Panel on Navigating Race & Borders

Posted on April 21, 2022 by Tom Castaneda

Lido Pimienta is opening up about race and borders…

The 36-year-old Colombian Canadian musician, singer and songwriter will be taking part in a special opening keynote panel at this year’s Pop Conference 2022 to kick off the four-day online conference.

Taking place on Thursday, April 21 at 8:00 pm EST, the event is being held in collaboration with Billboard and New York University’s Clive Davis Institute of Recorded Music.

Titled “The Way Back Home: How Musicians Navigate Race and Borders,” the panel will feature Grammy-winning acclaimed musicians Youssou N’Dour, Arooj Aftab and Pimienta. It will be moderated by NPR music critic Ann Powers.

Each will explore how their respective music crosses borders of all kinds, and in turn, transforms those borders and allows audience members to rethink notions of home and homelands, as well as race and identity.

Pimienta foregrounds Afro-Indigenous traditions and explores the wider politics of race, gender, motherhood, and identity through her work.

In their own unique ways, each of this year’s panel participants has been a leader in reimagining the role and power of popular music as it circulates in a rapidly globalized world.

“One of the most powerful things about popular music has always been the way that it travels, bringing people together across far-flung places in solidarity and affirmation,” said Jason King, Chair of the Clive Davis Institute of Recorded Music. “This year’s Pop Conference is an amazing opportunity to deeply consider the work that pop music does to create those connections across borders and racial divides and to think more deeply about its relationship to place.”

As the longest running music writing and pop music studies conference of its kind, from April 21-24, Pop Conference 2022 will bring together the world’s leading pop scholars, journalists, writers and musicians for four days of virtual events exploring pop music’s role in shaping the way we think about borders, race and home.

Other events include original concert performances by Jamila Woods and Aurelio Martinez, a special tribute panel to legendary music writer Robert Christgau and two closing keynote panels on Sunday (April 24) paying homage to the written and musical legacies of beloved writer/bandleader Greg Tate, who passed away in December 2021.

Pop Conference 2022 is free and open to te public with advance registration here.

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