Just minutes into soundcheck, I realize that Remi Wolf may be a superhero who isn’t entirely aware of her powers. After wrapping song one, she asks, “Can you hear me ok out there?” I recalled a similar conversation with her last year when she popped in as a guest vocalist for Kenny Beats’ Tiny Desk, and I told her that her voice is one of the few at the Desk that cuts through every instrument played. I also knew she would be standing front and center for her own Tiny Desk at some point, and Remi’s second album, Big Ideas, is chock full of songs that fall right in the sweet spot for an excellent performance here.
Cuts like “Motorcycle” and “Alone in Miami” provide a healthy balance between the big pop songs on Big Ideas. The restraint allows her soulful side to shine while still maintaining the quirky funk. The singer admitted that she can get bored with her songs, but thankfully she played “Sexy Villain” from her debut album that we couldn’t get enough of in 2021, Juno. This bossa nova rendition of “Sexy Villain” veers just enough to feel new while remaining true to the original.
SET LIST
- “Toro”
- “Alone in Miami”
- “Sexy Villain”
- “Motorcycle”
- “Pitiful”
MUSICIANS
- Remi Wolf: lead vocals
- Conor Malloy: drums
- Alex Pachino: guitar, vocals
- Matt Horton: guitar
- Anna Bettendorf: keys
- Zev Shearn-Nance: percussion
- Maddie Jay: bass, vocals
TINY DESK TEAM
- Producer: Bobby Carter
- Director/Editor: Kara Frame
- Audio Technical Director: Josh Newell
- Videographers: Kara Frame, Joshua Bryant, Mitra I. Arthur, Sofia Seidel
- Audio Engineer: Tiffany Vera Castro
- Photographer: Elizabeth Gillis
- Tiny Desk Team: Maia Stern, Ashley Pointer, Hazel Cills
- Executive Producer: Suraya Mohamed
- Series Creators: Bob Boilen, Stephen Thompson
- VP, Visuals and Music: Keith Jenkins
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