91.5 Chapel Hill 88.9 Manteo 90.9 Rocky Mount 91.1 Welcome 91.9 Fayetteville 90.5 Buxton 94.1 Lumberton 99.9 Southern Pines 89.9 Chadbourn
NPR Music
NPR Music & Concerts
Music features, reviews and "first listens" from NPR. Find more music at WUNC's Back Porch Music.

Andra Day: Tiny Desk Concert

By Bob Boilen
Published October 13, 2015 at 2:03 PM EDT
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
  • Email

My rule when booking Tiny Desk Concerts is to see artists live before they come to the office. I've heard many a great record only to be disappointed by a live show. But when I heard Andra Day sing "Forever Mine" from her album Cheers To The Fall,I decided to break my rule, sight unseen.

When Day started warming up for this set, I could see that she was born to perform. She's able to channel the likes of Nina Simone and Billie Holiday in songs that feel candid and vulnerable, but not understated.

Day studied singing in a performing-arts high school in San Diego. A live performance found its way to Stevie Wonder after a chance meeting with his wife. Day was then introduced to songwriter and producer Adrian Gurvitz and then Raphael Saadiq to help her make Cheers To The Fall. This is an unforgettable performance, and she's got a talented backing band to boot.

Cheers To The Fallis available now. (iTunes) (Amazon)

Set List

  • "Forever Mine"

  • "Rise Up"

  • "Gold"

    • Credits

    Producers: Bob Boilen, Morgan Walker; Audio Engineer: Josh Rogosin; Videographers: Morgan Walker, Julia Reihs; Production Assistant: Kate Drozynski; photo by Julia Reihs/NPR

    For more Tiny Desk Concerts, subscribe to our podcast.

    Copyright 2021 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.

    NPR MusicNPR Music & ConcertsNPR News
    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • LinkedIn
    • Email
    Bob Boilen
    In 1988, a determined Bob Boilen started showing up on NPR's doorstep every day, looking for a way to contribute his skills in music and broadcasting to the network. His persistence paid off, and within a few weeks he was hired, on a temporary basis, to work for All Things Considered. Less than a year later, Boilen was directing the show and continued to do so for the next 18 years.
    See stories by Bob Boilen
    More Stories
    1. Bearing witness, celebrating strength: How poetry has changed lives for NPR's audience
    2. Katie Ledecky tells NPR about her plans for the Paris Olympics — and L.A. in 2028
    3. Hope Hicks, former Trump confidant, testifies against him in New York criminal trial
    4. Siblings can share the darndest quirks — like picking up coins & keys with their toes
    5. How do you help patients who show up in the ER 100 times a year?