Music

Alex Alaya/Brownswood Recordings For the past few years, Daymé Arocena's life has been transformed by two major revelations. The first struck swiftly, in a moment of fear and desperation: the artist realized she needed to get away from the island she's long called home, the one that turned her into a jazz star when she was still a teenager. The second came to her in a kind of subdued focus, […]

With its pulsating beats and synthesized timbres, electronic music has long been a canvas for futuristic exploration and technological innovation. Yet, the genre's narrative is incomplete without acknowledging the profound influence of Black culture and artists. The online exhibit "Blacktronika: Afrofuturism in Electronic Music," curated by King Britt and featured on Google Arts & Culture, stands as a powerful testament to the indelible impact of Black musicians on the electronic […]

Butcher Brown performs a Tiny Desk concert. The "solar music" Butcher Brown brought to Tiny Desk was hot and funky from the count-in. What is solar music? It's the term the band uses to describe the various musical inspirations that influence its sound — simply put, everything under the sun. And everyone who attended this Tiny Desk Concert was feeling it. There were stank faces aplenty. Hailing from Richmond, Va., […]

Credit: Photo: Elizabeth Gillis/NPR Kelela took her opportunity at the Tiny Desk to create something new. She swapped key pieces from her recordings (hard drums and effects) for a harp and piano. She also presented us with a challenge or two as well. While there weren't many bodies behind the Desk, the instruments left little room for movement. Pianist Briley Harris was barricaded by the keys, and background vocalists Brittney […]

SZA, one of the most impactful voices in R&B today, has once again captured the attention of both fans and critics with her latest single, "Saturn." This release comes on the heels of her significant achievements at the 66th Grammy Awards, where she was the most-nominated artist of the year and took home three prestigious awards. SZA's "SOS" album, which features hits like "Snooze" and "Kill Bill," won Best Progressive […]