Yebba — Tiny Desk (Home), 2021

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Why this recording

In the Tiny Desk (home) era, when NPR was no longer hosting artists behind its desk, Yebba produced the session herself, credited as Abbey Smith, with her own camera and audio crews. According to Bobby Carter, the project had been in the works since spring 2020, when the album was finished but shelved. He notes that the versions depart from the Dawn recordings, especially the lead single “Distance”. Before “How Many Years”, which closes the set, the singer talks about the song while trading looks with keyboardist and co-writer James Francies.

— Simon Janvier, live-sound professional and editor of the catalogue

Recording technical sheet

Rights-holding channelNPR Music
Source statusOfficial — broadcaster or organiser
Uploaded
Exact runtime
ResolutionHD (720p+)
Source qualityProfessional (multi-camera)

Metadata checked on YouTube on 29 September 2026; direction, camera setup and sound documented by the editors.

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Published on September 4, 2026 by Simon Janvier

Live session by Yebba recorded at Electric Lady Studios in New York, USA, as part of NPR’s Tiny Desk (Home) Concerts series, and released on 8 September 2021. Standing at the centre of a circle formed by her band, backing vocalists and a string quartet, American singer Abbey Smith performs four songs from her debut album Dawn (2021), dedicated to her late mother. The voice, broad and precise, glides from soul to gospel and vocal jazz with a mastery praised by critics. Around her, pianist James Francies, bassist Burniss Travis and producer Stro Elliot lay down an organic, hushed setting. This live capture, filmed in a legendary studio, is a perfect example of the multi-song live-session format. An essential filmed live concert for lovers of contemporary soul and great voices. Year: 2021, venue: Electric Lady Studios, New York, USA. A standout among filmed live soul performances and intimate live sessions of the era.

Setlist

  1. Stand
  2. Distance
  3. All I Ever Wanted
  4. How Many Years

Personnel & credits

  • Yebba (Abbey Smith) — vocals
  • James Francies — keyboards
  • Burniss Travis — bass
  • Stro Elliot — MPC, drums
  • Charles Myers — guitar
  • Niya Norwood — backing vocals
  • Marta Bagratuni — cello
  • Francesca Dardani — violin
  • Nicole Wright — viola
Category

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