February 7, 2023, Washington, D.C. —Do you want your music to be heard by millions? NPR Music’s Tiny Desk Contest opens today [February 7th] for its ninth year, welcoming submissions from artists in all 50 United States, the District of Columbia, the U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico.
Submit your entry HERE: https://tinydeskcontest.npr.org/2023/open/
Since the debut of the Tiny Desk Contest in 2014, nearly 40,000 musicians from across all 50 states have submitted their videos in the hopes of being chosen to perform as part of NPR Music’s signature music discovery series. NPR is again calling for unsigned musicians to submit their entries at NPR.org/tinydeskcontest starting today, Feb. 7, 2023, at 10 a.m. ET, until Monday, March 13, 2023, at 11:59 p.m. ET. Please see the complete entry rules.
This year’s panel of judges includes Tiny Desk series creator Bob Boilen, Tiny Desk series producer Bobby Carter, Tiny Desk alums Sharon Van Etten, Baby Rose and Sudan Archives, plus Albina Cabrera from NPR Member station KEXP.
“Each year, the Tiny Desk Contest reaches out to U.S.-based musicians, and it’s a thrill to watch the amazing submissions and see the wealth of talent in our country. I can’t wait for what’s in store for 2023,” says Boilen.
The 2023 Contest winner will perform at the iconic Tiny Desk, appear on NPR’s All Things Considered and go on a national tour with NPR Music and NPR Member stations as the headliner of the Tiny Desk Contest On The Road tour. The winner will perform with local Contest entrants in Los Angeles, the Bay Area, Seattle, Atlanta, Houston, Chicago and Philadelphia and will also perform in Brooklyn as part of a joint showcase with BRIC! Celebrate Brooklyn.
Though there can only be one grand prize winner each year, many other artists who submit are chosen to be featured on the Contest blog, on NPR Music’s YouTube channel, on NPR’s broadcast news magazines and in the Tiny Desk Contest newsletter. Additionally, Contest judges will feature outstanding entries in NPR Music’s Tiny Desk Contest Top Shelf livestream series on YouTube. Stay tuned for more information later this spring.
Past winners of the Tiny Desk Contest have gone on to tremendous success on bigger stages. This spring, 2017 winner Tank and the Bangas is heading out on tour for its third album, Red Balloon, and recently performed at the Miss Universe Pageant. 2016 winner Gaelynn Lea composed for the broadway musical Macbeth. Earlier this year, 2020 winner Linda Diaz headlined SOB NYC, and last year’s winner, Alisa Amador, will perform at the Boston Calling Festival later this year.
NPR Music welcomes music from all genres and encourages entrants from previous years to submit new material.
To enter the Contest, unsigned musicians must be 18 years old and live in the United States, the District of Columbia, the U.S. Virgin Islands or Puerto Rico. The artist must play one original song at a desk, upload a video of the performance to YouTube and submit a completed entry form at NPR.org/tinydeskcontest.
The 2023 Tiny Desk Contest is presented by Capital One and supported by Guayakí Yerba Mate.
Since the Tiny Desk concert series launched in 2008, more than 1,000 performances have been recorded at the Tiny Desk — Bob Boilen’s festive workspace at NPR headquarters — adorned with years of music souvenirs and memorabilia. Tiny Desk concerts attract 16 million monthly viewers and unify a passionate community around the love of music discovery. The series has provided a unique stage for artists across the genre spectrum and at every phase of their careers, including performances by Megan Thee Stallion, Taylor Swift, Damian “Jr. Gong” Marley, Freddie Gibbs, Toro y Moi, Weezer, the characters of Sesame Street and more.
About NPR Music:
For more than a decade, NPR Music’s robust music journalism has engaged millions of music fans from all genres with feature stories, live performances, cultural analysis and interviews. Projects include the Tiny Desk concert series, the cross-platform Turning the Tables project and the podcasts All Songs Considered, Alt.Latino, Louder Than A Riot and Jazz Night in America. NPR Music collaborates with NPR’s news magazines, public radio member stations and a passionate listener community to celebrate exceptional music and discover emerging artists. Visit NPRMusic.org and connect with NPR Music on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Press Contact:
Yanius Alvarado Matos, NPR Media Relations
mediarelations@npr.org
Tiny Desk Concert Contest Has Started – Ends Monday, March 13th at 11:59 p.m.
