I never expected to see Daniel Caesar at the Tiny Desk again. Caesar's 2018 performance is nearly untouchable: currently in the top 15 most viewed Tiny Desk concerts on YouTube, showcasing his best work at that point in his career. But reflecting on the vulnerability and intimacy of 2025's Son of Spergy, I felt like my arm was twisted, knowing he had to come back. This album, our space, along with the shared vision for how it would unfold, gave the green light for part two.
In the eight years since we last saw the Canadian singer-songwriter, he's remained consistently brilliant, yet he seemed to be searching. Throughout that search, spirituality has been a constant — from his debut, Freudian, to the two albums that followed, CASE STUDY 01 and NEVER ENOUGH. Son of Spergy feels like the completion of a pilgrimage and a newfound sense of acceptance.
Here at the Desk, the presentation is simple: an upright piano, a guitar and Caesar, lifted by a 12-piece choir. From note number one, I, along with the audience of NPR staffers, was instantly stunned by the power of the choir and how Caesar effortlessly led them. At the conclusion, there's a pause before applause. There may have been others in the crowd who felt what I felt: This is one of the most transcendent moments at the Tiny Desk.
SET LIST
- "Rain Down"
- "Emily's Song"
- "Moon"
- "Who Knows"
- "Sins of the Father"
MUSICIANS
- Daniel Caesar: vocals, guitar, piano
- Aver Ray: piano, music director, background vocals
- Tiana Kruškić: choir director, background vocals
- Yanina: background vocals
- Carmi Harris: background vocals
- Alanna Ysabel: background vocals
- Mia Taylor: background vocals
- Myranda Pagan: background vocals
- Joshua Taylor Brown: background vocals
- Wayne Wilson: background vocals
- Malik Spence: background vocals
- Cmaze: background vocals
- Chris Jackson: background vocals
- Daron Lameek: background vocals
TINY DESK TEAM
- Producers: Bobby Carter, Dhanika Pineda
- Director/Editor: Maia Stern
- Audio Technical Director: Josh Newell
- Videographers: Maia Stern, Joshua Bryant, Kara Frame
- Audio Engineer: Josephine Nyounai
- Production Assistants: Dora Levite, Ashley Pointer
- Photographer: Virginia Lozano
- Series Editor: Lars Gotrich
- Executive Producer: Suraya Mohamed
- Executive Director: Sonali Mehta
- Series Creators: Bob Boilen, Stephen Thompson, Robin Hilton
Copyright 2026 NPR
