by Anamaria Sayre
The Tiny Desk is working from home for the foreseeable future. Introducing NPR Music’s Tiny Desk (home) concerts, bringing you performances from across the country and the world. It’s the same spirit — stripped-down sets, an intimate setting — just a different space.
After more than 13 months amid a global pandemic, C. Tangana’s extended family basking in the warmth of sobremesa with easy smiles and effortless baile looks otherworldly. But considering the Spanish rapper’s past year back home in Madrid, the simplicity feels fiercely authentic. (Check his mama and tía vibing in the corner.)
This first live performance of his latest album, El Madrileño (including a global premiere of a fresh single, “Me Maten”) buzzes with communal energy, spotlighting talent from across Latin landscapes. From Mexican Regional to Spanish flamenco, C. Tangana is simultaneously coming home and reaching out to bridge Latin music boundaries. He’s building a community of cross-cultural collaboration, rooted in a unifying love of language and tradition, making it clear he’s intent on giving everyone a seat at the table.
The entirety of the show, from impromptu harmony to string octet, hums along with a distinctly Spanish cadence, paying homage to the flamenco-infused streets the global superstar came up in. The concert’s star-studded cast of Spanish collaborators, including long-time friends (producers Alizzz and Victor Martínez) and new contributors (rumba legend Kiko Veneno and flamenco-pop icon La Húngara), are each spotlighted for their contributions to the record.
All these parts compound in a room full of people with a shared desire to connect and create juntos, manifesting an authentic joy we’ve seen again and again at the real Tiny Desk. And at the helm is C. Tangana, humming a melody and bringing the room to life: hands, harmonies, heartbeats, perfectly in sync.
SET LIST
- C. Tangana and Antonio Carmona, “Me Maten”
- C. Tangana and Kiko Veneno, “Los Tontos”
- C. Tangana, “Demasiadas Mujeres”
- C. Tangana, La Húngara and Niño De Elche, “Tú Me Dejaste De Querer”
MUSICIANS
- C. Tangana: vocals
- Alizzz: vocoder, keys
- Victor Martínez : guitar, percussion
- Antonio Carmona: vocals, percussion
- Kiko Veneno: vocals, guitar
- La Hungara: vocals
- Niño De Elche: vocals, guitar
- Juan Carmona: guitar
- Huberto Morales: percussion
- Lucia Fernada Carmona: vocals
- Pilar Cerezo: vocals
- Marina Carmona: vocals
- África Heredia: vocals
- María Rubio: vocals
- Mariola Orellana: vocals
- Patri Alfaro: vocals
- Mari Estrada: vocals
STRING OCTET
- Pablo Quintanilla
- Paula Sanz
- Franciso Palazón
- Marina Arrufat
- Paloma Cueto-Felgueroso
- Adrián Vázquez
- Irma Bau
- Daniel Acebes
CREDITS
- Video: Little Spain, Santos Bacana, Maria Rubio, Cris Trenas
- Audio: Jorge Rodriguez, Sergio Jiménez, Pablo Kohler, Harto Rodriguez, El Madrileño, Alex Cappa
- Director of Photography: Nauzet Gaspar
- Art Director: Mariola Viejo
- Costume Designer: Alex Turrión
- Hair and Makeup: Miky Vallés
- 1st AD: Joel Marquez
- Editor: Maia de Zan Hatch
- Color: Marti Somoza
- Production Manager: Yago López Abril
- Recording Engineers: Jorge Rodriguez, Sergio Jiménez, Pablo Kohler
- Mixed: Harto Rodriguez, El Madrileño at Metropol Studios
- Mastering Engineer: Alex Cappa at Metropol Studios
TINY DESK TEAM
- Producer: Bobby Carter
- Video Producer: Maia Stern
- Audio Mastering: Josh Rogosin
- Tiny Production Team: Kara Frame, Bob Boilen
- Executive Producer: Lauren Onkey
- Senior VP, Programming: Anya Grundmann