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Our Favorite Desks In The Wild From The 2019 Tiny Desk Contest

Which entry has your favorite desk in the wild?
YouTube
Which entry has your favorite desk in the wild?

Update: The results are in, and your pick for our first weekly fan-favorite vote is: HATE DRUGS!

This band's youthful energy and playground backdrop made it your choice for the 2019 best Desk In The Wild! Congratulations to HATE DRUGS and to our other nominees. You can still see all their videos below.

To celebrate our fan favorite and nominees, plus all the other amazing outdoor entries we received this year, we put together a supercut of some of our favorite desks in the great outdoors.

Next week, we'll have another fan favorite vote. As a friendly reminder, these are just for fun; they're separate from the judging to determine a winner of this year's Tiny Desk Contest. Don't worry if you aren't nominated or don't win, because this is just another fun way to celebrate some of the talent and creativity we saw this year. For more music discovery, be sure to check out our entry browser, where you can watch every eligible Tiny Desk Contest entry.


Franck Martin, "Modular By The Golden Gate"

Franck Martin's innovative entry video was filmed near the Golden Gate bridge in San Francisco using a 360 camera (view this video on YouTube for the full effect). His choice of instrument is just as creative: a portable modular synth. The sounds of the water crashing on the shore add to the improvisational nature of Martin's piece. Just like the tourists walking by in the video, we were stopped in our tracks watching this entry.

Her Treehouse, "Fireflies"

Her Treehouse's "Fireflies" encapsulates the beauty of dusk in a song. The twinkling lights in this backyard complements the trio's graceful strings and pure harmonies. You can almost hear the fireflies that Her Treehouse sings about emerging as the strings pick up their pace. The balance between musicians Elizabeth Chavez, Angela Borlasa and Karen Peters is remarkable, creating a performance that is filled to the brim with a sense of nostalgia and childlike wonder.

The Singer And The Songwriter, "Drowsy Driver"

The rolling hills in California make a stunning backdrop for The Singer And The Songwriter's entry video for "Drowsy Driver," almost as beautiful as the detailed lyrics of the song. Chirping birds sing along to Rachel Garcia's comforting voice and Thu Tran's folksy guitar. The beginning of the video comedically captures the realistic frustrations of recording outside and the fun these two musicians must have had during the recording process.

HATE DRUGS, "Out Of Touch"

The playground setting of HATE DRUGS' entry video perfectly accompanies the band's upbeat, youthful energy. "Out Of Touch," a coming-of-age anthem, sounds like the last song you'd hear as the credits roll on a indie rom-com. Despite the cheery arrangement, the song touches on some agonizingly mixed emotions, asking to be "young and out of touch" again.

Gillwire, "Honest Mistake"

Gillwire's entry video for "Honest Mistake" features the singer-songwriter in the Arizona desert. Jonathan Thwaits performs his folksy tune at his own tiny desk, pleading for forgiveness as a person "governed by their wounded heart." During the interludes, he even shows off some fun rope tricks, making this a entry video you do not want to miss.

Kyriq x Odd Society x Disciples of Music, "Spend The Night"

The riff of a saxophone solo starts this infectiously fun performance by Kyriq, Odd Society and the Disciples of Music. Filmed one late evening on a college campus, these students share their version of a modern love affair in the song "Spend The Night." Kyriq's verses flow smoothly over the jazzy brass section, R&B groove and playful background vocals.

Copyright 2022 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.

Clara Maurer