Live concert by Erykah Badu recorded for NPR Music’s Tiny Desk series in 2018. A major figure of neo-soul, the Texan singer turns NPR’s cramped desk into a hushed, inhabited space where her unmistakable voice and phrasing set the rules. After a knowing introduction, she opens with “Rimshot”, one of her earliest calling cards, before delivering a central rendition of “Green Eyes”, an intimate fresco from the album “Mama’s Gun”. Carried by discreet accompaniment, the artist unfolds her art of slowed-down groove, silences and improvisation, blending soul, jazz and hip-hop in a single organic flow. This filmed live recording captures all of Badu’s stage singularity, between humour, spirituality and absolute vocal command. An ideal document for fans of soul, neo-soul and live sessions, seizing in just a few songs the essence of an unclassifiable artist. Worth discovering for the finesse of a performance in which every inflection counts and the intimate becomes universal.
Setlist
- Rimshot
- Green Eyes
