NPR News

Want to play a Tiny Desk concert? The 2024 Contest is now open for entries

By Elle Mannion

Published January 23, 2024 at 9:59 AM EST

This year's winner will perform in front of the famous Tiny Desk bookshelves.

NPR Music's Tiny Desk Contest is back. As of this morning, artists can submit an entry for the opportunity to play their own Tiny Desk concert, go on tour with NPR Music — and more. This isn't just another regular year of the Contest — it's the 10th anniversary, and it's going all out.

First, the panel of judges — the folks who will ultimately decide who the winner is — has doubled in size compared to previous years. Joining Tiny Desk producers Bobby Carter and Robin Hilton are Tiny Desk alums Bobby Wooten, Durand Bernarr, Julien Baker, MUNA, NEFFY and NIKI. Each of these artists knows firsthand what it takes to perform an impressive set behind the Desk. The panel also has a crew of industry experts who are eager to see what this year's crop of up-and-coming musicians has to share — that's publicist Loren Medina, manager Brendan O'Connell, record label president Nabil Ayers and writer (and former WBGO host) Keanna Faircloth. And there's a mighty team of NPR Member station hosts on the panel: Amelia Mason of WBUR, Novena Carmel of KCRW and Stas THEE Boss of KEXP. Learn more about all the judges on the Tiny Desk Contest website.

Also new this year: Not only will the 2024 winner play a Tiny Desk concert, be interviewed on All Things Considered and go on tour with NPR Music — they'll also be paired with a mentor in the industry who will help them navigate their music journey. Our judges are determined to give this year's winner the support they'll need to take their music to the next level.

And for the first time this year, the Contest is introducing a fan favorite vote. Later this spring, Contest judges will share their favorite entries as part of the annual Tiny Desk Contest Top Shelf series on YouTube — and then artists and fans will be able to cast a vote for their favorite among those selections.

And that tour we mentioned? The Contest is going bigger there, too. This year the Tiny Desk Contest On The Road tour will visit: Washington, D.C.; Los Angeles; Seattle; Petaluma, Calif.; Atlanta; Austin; Chicago; Brooklyn; New Orleans; and Philadelphia. In most of these cities, Contest artists local to the area will open the show. The winner will also be featured at two festivals this summer: Celebrate Brooklyn and, for the first time, the Millennium Park Summer Music series in Chicago.

Here's how to enter:

Record a video of you playing one original song — behind a desk.
Upload your video to YouTube.
Submit the video on our Tiny Desk Contest website by Feb. 21 at 11:59 p.m. ET.

Questions? Artists can take this quick quiz to make sure they're eligible to win, plus check out Contest FAQs and official rules.

And a final reminder: Entry videos don't need to be fancy. The Tiny Desk is where artists go to strip down their big productions. Contest judges are looking for artists to submit something that's true to them and brand new to the Tiny Desk.