"watch this" — usher

Kelela’s Experiments Are a New ‘High’ for Tiny Desk

Thank you, queen. Photo: NPR

Sit back, relax, and enjoy the soothing sounds of Kelela absolutely eating while doing her NPR Tiny Desk. Following the February 10 release of the remixed version of her 2023 album Raven, Kelela came to NPR to offer yet another version of her discography. She performed seven of her songs, including “Raven,†“Take Me Apart,†“Bank Head,†“Waitin,†“Enough,†“Bluff,†and “The High.†The songs are over a year old, but the arrangements are all new. Instead of hard drums, the singer filled out her orchestrations with keyboardist Briley Harris and harpist Ahya Simone. Backup vocalists Brittney Mills and Alayna Rodgers are accompanied by Brandon Donald on percussion. And on the final song, “The High,†Kelela uses a thunder tube to proffer real-time vocal manipulations. Largely, the songs blend right into each other, except at about 11 minutes in, when she shouts out D.C., her hometown. (What does Kelela think about Old Bay?) The set feels like you’re in the album cover for Raven, poking your head above water. If you need us, we’re going to be listening to this while taking a bubble bath for the next few hours.

Kelela’s Experiments Are a New ‘High’ for Tiny Desk