Jesca Hoop: NPR Music Tiny Desk Concert

This performance was recorded on January 31, 2020. We will continue releasing Tiny Desk videos of shows that had already been taped. In light of current events, NPR is postponing new live tapings of Tiny Desk Concerts. In the meantime, check out Tiny Desk (home) concerts! They’re recorded by the artists in their home. It’s the same spirit — stripped-down sets, an intimate setting — just a different space.

Follow NPR Music:

April 3, 2020 | Bob Boilen -- Jesca Hoop last appeared at the Tiny Desk as a duet with Sam Beam (Iron & Wine) in the spring of 2016. They sang songs from their collaborative record Love Letters For Fire. This time around, Jesca Hoop came to the Tiny Desk with just her guitars, her lovely voice, and brilliant poetic songs. She has a magical way with words, and she opened her set with "Pegasi," a beautiful song about the wild ride that is love, from her 2017 album Memories Are Now.

The two songs that follow are from her latest album, Stonechild, the album that captured my heart in 2019, and the reason I reached out to invite her to perform at my desk. "All Time Low" is a song, she says, for the "existential underdog."

"Michael on the outside, always looking in
A dog in the fight but his dog never wins
If he works that much harder, his ship might come in
He gives it the old heave-ho."

And for her final tune, she plays my favorite song from Stonechild, "Shoulder Charge." It's a song that features a word that Jesca stumbled upon online: "sonder," which you won't find in the dictionary. She tells the NPR crowd "sonder" is the realization "that every person that you come across is living a life as rich and complex as your own." And that realization takes you out of the center of things, something that is at the heart of "Shoulder Charge" and quite a potent moment in this deeply reflective and personal Tiny Desk concert.

SET LIST
"Pegasi"
"All Time Low"
"Shoulder Charge"

MUSICIANS
Jesca Hoop: vocals, guitar

CREDITS
Producers: Bob Boilen, Morgan Noelle Smith, Maia Stern; Creative director: Bob Boilen; Audio engineers: Josh Rogosin, Alex Drewenskus; Videographers: Maia Stern, Melany Rochester; Editor: Maia Stern; Associate Producer: Bobby Carter; Production Assistant: Shanti Hands; Executive producer: Lauren Onkey; VP, programming: Anya Grundmann; Photo: Kisha Ravi/NPR

[chicotico]

NPR TINY DESK CONCERTS ARE THE SINGLE MOST POSITIVE FORCE ON THIS PLANET. DOUBT ME. I HAVE FAITH.

[mikebrown]

Her brother was my room mate in college. 2004. She’s brilliant. He sampled me and my now wife the songs “Havoc in Heaven”, “seed of wonder”, “silver screen”, “love is all we have” in 2004 we were instantly fans and followed her career ever since.
Those songs were all eventually on her 2007 album Kismet, an album we know by heart.
Dig deep into her catalog. This current album is amazing. But what is more amazing is her musical journey of songs and her life story.

[sisi]

Her album “ Hunting my dress” is a work of art like no other other, it sounds like the love and energy I feel in my favorite hiking spot, and I’m a way my very soul. I’ve never had music that has called to me so purely and completely, it really fits perfectly in my heart, Jescas music is always amazing

[henrywallison]

I really love the line, "We came out of this world, not into this world."

[sirenbrian]

I've got a lot of time for Jesca Hoop's music. Just the right blend of simplicity and complexity - just enticing and captivating.

[truecomments]

I was fortunate enough to attend this. It was wonderful. Many thanks to Jesca Hoop, Bob Boilen and the incredible NPR staff for this experience. And a further thanks to Bob and NPR for this outstanding series.

[okbo-y]

I find a sense of comfort in her voice.💕

[PentameronSV]

0:05 - *_Pegasi_* (4:02 / 4:18)
5:19 - *_All Time Low_* (9:35 / 10:18)
12:11 - *_Shoulder Charge_* (17:30)

[outbakjak]

Thank you so much Tiny Desk for giving amazing and underappreciated artists like this a platform, her other videos have so few views it's heartbreaking. She deserves a million followers and a Grammy, period. Musical genius that goes largely unnoticed. Bless you Tiny Desk

...And to anyone reading this, search for "Kevin Devine Brother's Blood, " if you enjoyed Jesca, he's another underappreciated artist that could change your life. Share these guys with your friends!

[kansasandinmisery]

I love how her guitar creaks when she moves. It's such an intimate seeming moment.

[briankathrynstai]

Love her vintage 3/4 size Gibson ES-125!!

[Micats.]

I’ve absolutely fallen in love with her music 😍❤️

[Spectre]

She's a wonderful musician and her voice is so beautiful. I can imagine playing an RPG and walking in to a tavern and hearing her playing in the corner. lol

[jipes]

Music can be totally magic ! Two seconds and I was under the spell of her voice

[Dhobby]

Big thanks for all the great videos Tiny Desk! Really dug her with Sam Beam but this is incredible.

[pedropadel]

I really enjoyed Jesca Hoop last night when she opened for Elbow in Dublin and provided a great soaring vocal on their opening song. I never heard of Jesca before. Now I have new stuff to enjoy. Just wonderful. Thanks for sharing your music

[bobbdabob]

Those lyrics....so personal and sensitive. And the guitar is hypnotizing 👍👍👍👍

[davidkrause]

I'm a huge fan of Jessica Hoop, and I'm very happy she's on Tiny Desk. Fantastic performance.

[alvinfigueroa]

My body is starting to tune itself to the Tiny Desk 5/4c am released videos.

[MathiasKreft]

Wonderful artist. Always a pleasure to listen.