Nikki Birch | January 21, 2025 Glance over the shoulder of the two decades since Bilal dropped his debut album, 1st Born Second, and you’ll see a career characterized by experimentation and exploration. Bilal’s fans have clamored to see him headline a Tiny Desk of his own, especially since he logged stellar performances alongside The Roots and at the White House with Common. He doesn’t disappoint here, proving the wait worthwhile when he begins with “Something To Hold,” a song that still hasn’t seen an official studio release.
Vocally, Bilal is untethered — there’s nothing he can’t do. The jazz, soul, R&B and hip-hop communities recognize his genius; he’s been a favorite collaborator of musicians, vocalists and producers for years.
Bilal’s mastery doesn’t end with his voice. For “Tell Me,” his performance accentuates the poetry of his lyricism. That’s what makes him exceptional: You’ll never see him perform any song the same way twice. Bilal’s set list is a calculated balance of the old and the new, and fans who have been riding with him since the beginning will be thrilled to hear what he does with “Soul Sista,” which closes out his set. Add to that the support of an insanely talented band and background vocalists and you have the blueprint for a live experience that’s perfectly suited for the Tiny Desk.
SET LIST “Something To Hold” “Tell Me” “When Will U Call” “Lay Around” “Soul Sista”
MUSICIANS Bilal: vocals Tone Whitfield: bass Randy Runyon: guitar Joe Blaxx: drums Corey Bernhard: keys Simon Martinez: guitar Micah Robinson: background vocals Tashera Robinson: background vocals Muhsinah: background vocals
TINY DESK TEAM Producers: Nikki Birch, Bobby Carter Director/Editor: Kara Frame Audio Technical Director: Josh Newell Videographers: Kara Frame, Joshua Bryant, Maia Stern, Zayrha Rodriguez Audio Engineer: Josephine Nyounai Production Assistant: Ashley Pointer Photographer: Grace Widyatmadja Tiny Desk Copy Editor: Hazel Cills Executive Producer: Suraya Mohamed Series Creators: Bob Boilen, Stephen Thompson VP, Visuals and Music: Keith Jenkins
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