Texas-born has a talent for creating songs that start quietly 鈥� so tenderly that the listener almost feels like they鈥檙e eavesdropping on a personal conversation 鈥� then build with intricate arrangements before returning to that intimacy. It鈥檚 that sort of dynamism, paired with Kirby鈥檚 clear voice and distinctive lyrical imagery, that really shine in her Tiny Desk performance.
Kirby begins with 鈥淛uniper,鈥� a swinging hit from her debut album, Cool Dry Place, followed by 鈥淔ences,鈥� off her latest album, Blue Raspberry. On 鈥淐ubic Zirconia,鈥� after an instrumental break led by Logan Chung鈥檚 electric guitar riffs, the band fades as Kirby sings to 鈥渢he prettiest mermaid in the souvenir shop,鈥� describing a 鈥渇ace framed by hoodie like an oyster in a shell.鈥� Kirby then plays a stripped back version of the usually roaring 鈥淭补产濒别鈥� before ending with the arresting 鈥淧ortals,鈥� a song Kirby told us tends to make her girlfriend tear up.
Also, you may notice that the 鈥渨oohoo!鈥� sounds from the audience sound a bit higher pitched than usual. That鈥檚 because Kirby was playing to an audience of young musicians attending the day camp, hosted at NPR headquarters the day of this recording. We're glad Kirby could show them what it's like to rock out at the Tiny Desk.
SET LIST
- 鈥淛耻苍颈辫别谤鈥�
- 鈥淔别苍肠别蝉鈥�
- 鈥淐ubic Zirconia鈥�
- 鈥淭补产濒别鈥�
- 鈥淧辞谤迟补濒蝉鈥�
MUSICIANS
- Katy Kirby: vocals, electric guitar
- Austin Arnold: drums
- Margaux Bouchegnies: electric bass
- Logan Chung: guitar, keys
- Lane Rodges: piano
TINY DESK TEAM
- Producer: Elle Mannion
- Director/Editor: Kara Frame
- Audio Technical Director: Hannah Gluvna
- Videographers: Kara Frame, Joshua Bryant, Mitra I. Arthur
- Host/Series Producer: Bobby Carter
- Production Assistant: Ashley Pointer
- Photographer: Sofia Seidel
- Tiny Desk Team: Hazel Cills, Maia Stern
- Executive Producer: Suraya Mohamed
- Series Creators: Bob Boilen, Stephen Thompson
- VP, Visuals and Music: Keith Jenkins
Copyright 2024 NPR
