This week, we celebrate the Tiny Desk Contest community with concerts by some of our favorite entrants over the years.
Before I started working on the Tiny Desk Contest, I had already seen and fallen in love with Ollella. Back in her hometown, Seattle, I’d witnessed Ellie Barber’s nostalgic indie folk fill a space with simply a cello and an upright bass. Barber often describes Ollella as more than a band but a “collaborative project across the city” — this iteration behind the Desk is a snapshot of a years-long project.
Barber’s music is often playful, occasionally a little sad and always guided by strings. Ollella’s set celebrates years of submitting to the Contest with “Lava,” a song that explores where our childlike wonder goes as we get older. “At Rest” is a contemplation on stillness, which is punctuated by a sweeping solo from upright bassist Kelsey Mines.
When we looked back on the past decade and change of artists we’ve found through the Contest, we almost couldn’t believe Ollella hadn’t come by the Desk already. As Barber and her band played songs that we’d heard countless times during the Contest, it felt like a full circle moment — we couldn’t help but sing along.
SET LIST
“Mothers & Colors””Lava””Optimist””At Rest”
MUSICIANS
Ellie Barber: vocals, celloAbby Gundersen: violin, background vocalsKelsey Mines: bass Taylor Heath: keys, pianoJordan Cunningham: guitarHenry Allen: drumsKate Dinsmore: background vocals
TINY DESK TEAM
Producers: Elle Mannion, Bobby CarterDirector/Editor: Maia SternAudio Director/Mix: Josh NewellVideographers: Maia Stern, Joshua Bryant, Kara FrameAudio Engineer: Neil TevaultProduction Assistant: Dhanika PinedaPhotographer: Zayrha RodriguezSeries Editor: Lars GotrichTiny Desk Team: Ashley Pointer, Felix ContrerasExecutive Producer: Suraya MohamedExecutive Director: Sonali MehtaSeries Creators: Bob Boilen, Stephen Thompson, Robin Hilton