Bobby Carter | November 11, 2024
Elmiene has a natural light. His charisma, humor and self-awareness strikes first, but the knockout blow is that vintage voice. If I didn’t know better, I’d assume I’m listening to someone with years of Baptist church training and countless life experiences. Yet he’s a 23-year-old Muslim man, quick to say that he writes mostly from the perspectives of those around him. He’s a poet, born to perform, which is likely why he wasn’t really nervous but more so in awe of performing at the Tiny Desk — especially when he found out the toy glockenspiel he played was left by Dua Lipa.
The emotion the British singer-songwriter pulls from is linked to his fascination with ’90s R&B. Crooners like D’Angelo, Anthony Hamilton and Silk all have that knack for crying out for love. Since so much hip-hop is incorporated into today’s love songs, Elmiene’s adaptation provides a welcome balance. He’s yet to drop a full length LP, instead opting for an EP here and a single there, devoting himself to developing and learning who he is as an artist. Draped in a custom kaftan, Elmiene stepped behind the Desk to play highlights from his latest EP, Anyway I Can, and a couple from 2023’s Marking My Time.
SET LIST
“Marking My Time”
“Light Work”
“Crystal Tears”
“Anyways”
“Someday”
MUSICIANS
Elmiene: lead vocals
Simeon Jones: keys
Jerome Johnson: drums
Tjoe Man Cheung: guitar
Max Doohan: bass
Erik Brooks: vocals
Megan Parker: vocals
Rachel Gonzalez: vocals
TINY DESK TEAM
Producers: Bobby Carter, Ashley Pointer
Director/Editor: Joshua Bryant
Audio Technical Director: Josh Newell
Videographers: Joshua Bryant, Kara Frame, Maia Stern, Mitra I. Arthur
Audio Engineer: Hannah Gluvna
Production Assistant: Elle Mannion
Photographer: Zayrha Rodriguez
Tiny Desk Copy Editor: Hazel Cills
Executive Producer: Suraya Mohamed
Series Creators: Bob Boilen, Stephen Thompson
VP, Visuals and Music: Keith Jenkins
#tinydesk #nprmusic #elmiene