Miya Folick: Tiny Desk Concert

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Miya Folick began her Tiny Desk Concert with an apology in the form of a song. "Thingamajig" opens with Wynne Bennett's stark piano. The song is also the lead-off track on Miya Folick's 2018 album Premonitions. On that version, the song crescendos with strings backed by a vocal loop. Here at the Tiny Desk, we get to hear why Miya Folick is such an astonishing performer, her classically trained voice taking charge, wrapping around those melodic piano lines while singing, "I am sorry / I know I am wrong / So take it all / I want to be out of control."

Miya Folick was raised a Buddhist in Santa Ana, Calif., and is of Ukrainian and Japanese descent. She sings of conviction, not fiction. I find a stirring sense of truth driving that powerful voice of hers.

For her second tune at the Tiny Desk, "Deadbody," she sings, "I need you to know I'm not powerless / My strength lies within my gentleness." And by the time the chorus kicks in, her little band of two is in full throttle while Miya sings, "Over my dead body," addressing the cruelty of men toward women.

I could see a deep appreciation for this day in Miya's eyes. And before she played her final song, she took a moment to be thankful for being in this space. Miya stopped to say that she's been watching Tiny Desk Concerts since before she was even playing music. Then she tuned her guitar, took a deep breath and launched into the darkness for her final tune.

I've seen Miya Folick a lot since roughly 2015; this day was magic.

SET LIST

MUSICIANS

Miya Folick: vocals, guitar; Garet Powell: drums; Wynne Bennett: piano, bass, synth

CREDITS

Producers: Bob Boilen, Morgan Noelle Smith; Creative Director: Bob Boilen; Audio Engineers: Suraya Mohamed, Josh Rogosin; Videographers: Morgan Noelle Smith, Kimani Oletu; Production Assistant: Adelaide Sandstrom; Associate Producer: Bobby Carter; Photo: Jenna Sterner/NPR

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