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GIVĒON: Tiny Desk Concert

From the moment GIVĒON arrived at the Tiny Desk, there was much to celebrate: Beloved had just received a Grammy nomination for best R&B album, and Leon Thomas' performance of "Mutt" at the Tiny Desk was nominated for best R&B performance. Spirits were high, and GIVĒON brought all of that energy to this concert.

GIVĒON treats performance as therapy, pouring out his heart like a bottle of wine. "As much as I love having you guys here, these next couple songs are for me," he says. Even in his Tiny Desk (home) concert from 2021, the artist asked the virtual audience to just let him soak it all in.

The music in this set — really, across GIVĒON's entire catalogue — is nothing short of intense. From "RATHER BE," a modern ballad about staying in love regardless of flaws, to the heartache anthem "HEARTBREAK ANNIVERSARY," GIVĒON unabashedly pokes at all our vulnerabilities. Accompanied by an ensemble featuring strings and horns, GIVĒON delivers a Tiny Desk concert that celebrates all the complicated emotions that come with being human.

SET LIST

  • "RATHER BE"
  • "I CAN TELL"
  • "KEEPER"
  • "LIKE I WANT YOU"
  • "HEARTBREAK ANNIVERSARY"

MUSICIANS

  • GIVĒON: vocals
  • André Pinckney: bass, music director
  • Dennard Watson: keys
  • George "Spanky" McCurdy: drums
  • Nate Foley: guitar
  • Sherie Farris: violin
  • Cameron Johnson: trumpet 
  • Kyla Moscovich: trumpet
  • Blake Cross: sax
  • Camry Jackson: background vocals
  • Raphael Smith: background vocals
  • Whitney Smith: background vocals

TINY DESK TEAM

  • Producers: Bobby Carter, Dhanika Pineda
  • Director/Editor: Joshua Bryant
  • Audio Technical Director: Josephine Nyounai
  • Videographers: Joshua Bryant, Maia Stern, Alanté Serene, Mitra I. Arthur
  • Audio Engineer: Tiffany Vera Castro
  • Production Assistant: Dora Levite
  • Photographer: Zayrha Rodriguez
  • Tiny Desk Team: Kara Frame, Josh Newell
  • Series Editor: Lars Gotrich
  • Executive Producer: Suraya Mohamed
  • Executive Director: Sonali Mehta
  • Series Creators: Bob Boilen, Stephen Thompson, Robin Hilton

Copyright 2025 NPR

Dhanika Pineda
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