Kelela took her opportunity at the Tiny Desk to create something new. She swapped key pieces from her recordings (hard drums and effects) for a harp and piano. She also presented us with a challenge or two as well. While there weren’t many bodies behind the Desk, the instruments left little room for movement. Pianist Briley Harris was barricaded by the keys, and background vocalists Brittney Mills and Alayna Rodgers were nestled next to Ahya Simone’s big beautiful harp. When an artist presents us with a distinctive, creative vision for their performance, the fun part is collaborating to execute that idea.

This Tiny Desk was a homecoming for Kelela. She let the music do most of the speaking but not before shouting out Washington, D.C., where she was born. The setlist seamlessly showcases most parts of her catalog with a couple of brand new arrangements. “Enough” and “Take Me Apart” are almost unrecognizable, recast to allow Kelela’s vocals to sit gently within the harp and keys. The singer found a thunder tube in our percussion section and tinkered with it during soundcheck. Toward the end of “The High,” she sings through it to alter her voice. That exploration and experimentation perfectly capture the essence of the show.