Elmiene: Tiny Desk Concert

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Elmiene: Tiny Desk Concert with tags npr, npr music, national public radio, live, performance, tiny desk, tiny desk concert, tony desk, tiny concert

Bobby Carter | November 11, 2024

Elmiene has a natural light. His charisma, humor and self-awareness strikes first, but the knockout blow is that vintage voice. If I didn’t know better, I’d assume I’m listening to someone with years of Baptist church training and countless life experiences. Yet he’s a 23-year-old Muslim man, quick to say that he writes mostly from the perspectives of those around him. He’s a poet, born to perform, which is likely why he wasn’t really nervous but more so in awe of performing at the Tiny Desk — especially when he found out the toy glockenspiel he played was left by Dua Lipa.

The emotion the British singer-songwriter pulls from is linked to his fascination with ’90s R&B. Crooners like D’Angelo, Anthony Hamilton and Silk all have that knack for crying out for love. Since so much hip-hop is incorporated into today’s love songs, Elmiene’s adaptation provides a welcome balance. He’s yet to drop a full length LP, instead opting for an EP here and a single there, devoting himself to developing and learning who he is as an artist. Draped in a custom kaftan, Elmiene stepped behind the Desk to play highlights from his latest EP, Anyway I Can, and a couple from 2023’s Marking My Time.

SET LIST

“Marking My Time”

“Light Work”

“Crystal Tears”

“Anyways”

“Someday”

MUSICIANS

Elmiene: lead vocals

Simeon Jones: keys

Jerome Johnson: drums

Tjoe Man Cheung: guitar

Max Doohan: bass