Unlock Your Talents: Join NPR Music’s Exciting Tiny Desk Contest!

January 14, Washington, D.C. — The Tiny Desk Contest, NPR Music’s yearly showcase for unexposed musicians, returns for its 11th iteration and is now accepting submissions.

Musicians can share their Tiny Desk Contest videos HERE.

The victor of 2025 will gain a remarkable chance to hold their own Tiny Desk concert, receive guidance from a music industry professional, and headline a tour across 10 cities nationwide.

Since its inception in 2014, the Tiny Desk Contest has gathered over 50,000 applications from independent artists all over the country, each aspiring to perform as a part of NPR Music’s renowned music discovery initiative. The submission period commenced today, January 14, 2025, at 10 a.m. ET, and will continue until Monday, February 10, 2025, at 11:59 p.m. ET.

Read the full entry guidelines here.

The judges for this year’s Contest consist of NPR Music producers, member station DJs, musicians, and industry experts:

• Bobby Carter, producer and host of Tiny Desk series
• Robin Hilton, host and senior producer of Tiny Desk and All Songs Considered
• Felix Contreras, host of Tiny Desk and Alt.Latino
• Audrey Nuna, alumnus of Tiny Desk
• Alynda Segarra, Hurray for the Riff Raff, alumna of Tiny Desk
• LaRussell, alumnus of Tiny Desk
• Raina Douris, host of NPR’s World Cafe
• Ayana Contreras, vice president of radio at Rocky Mountain Public Media
• Judy Miller Silverman, publicist, Motormouthmedia

“In our 11th year of the Tiny Desk Contest, we have so much to uphold,” remarks Carter. “The 10th year infused new enthusiasm, excitement, and a panel of judges comprised of notable figures in the music industry. We encountered thousands of submissions from across the nation that impressed us, but The Philharmonik unanimously captured our attention, ears, and hearts. Our tour surpassed all previous reaches, and the public responded enthusiastically. We are poised to make another significant advancement in 2025.”

Each year, there is only one grand prize winner, yet many other artists who enter will be showcased on NPR Music’s social media platforms, YouTube channel, NPR’s news magazines, and in the Tiny Desk Contest newsletter.

Judges of the contest will spotlight remarkable entries through NPR Music’s Tiny Desk Contest Top Shelf livestream series on YouTube. This year, Tiny Desk enthusiasts will also have the chance to cast their votes for their favorite video among the Top Shelf selections. Stay tuned for more updates regarding the Tiny Desk Contest Fan Favorite later this spring.

Previous winners of the Tiny Desk Contest have initiated prosperous careers following their performances at the Tiny Desk. Alisa Amador, the 2022 champion and Little Moon, the victor for 2023, have both released new albums and are touring to promote them. Tank and the Bangas, winners of 2017, put out a new album titled The Heart, The Mind, The Soul and are scheduled to perform at the notable Blue Note in NYC. In addition, The Philharmonik, last year’s winner, will take the stage at the Electric Forest Festival in Michigan this June.

NPR Music embraces music from all styles and urges participants from prior years to present new work. To participate in the Contest, unsigned artists must be at least 18 years old and reside in the United States, the District of Columbia, the U.S. Virgin Islands, or Puerto Rico. The musician is required to perform one original composition at a desk, upload a video of the performance to YouTube, and submit a fulfilled entry form at NPR.org/tinydeskcontest.

The 2025 Tiny Desk Contest is sponsored by Capital One and supported by The Lagunitas Brewing Company. 

Since its launch in 2008, the Tiny Desk concert series has recorded over 1,000 performances before the Tiny Desk bookshelves, which are filled with years of music mementos and memorabilia. Tiny Desk concerts draw 17 million viewers monthly and unify a dedicated community around the passion for discovering music. The series provides an exceptional platform for artists across various genres and at every stage of their careers, featuring performances by Juvenile, Olivia Rodrigo, Ivy Queen,Scarface, Harry Styles, Sampha, Arlo Parks, Becky G, the cast of Sweeny Todd, and many others.

About NPR Music: 

For over ten years, NPR Music’s extensive music journalism has captivated millions of fans from all genres with in-depth stories, live shows, cultural commentary, and interviews. Their projects encompass the Tiny Desk concert series, the cross-platform Turning the Tables initiative, the podcasts All Songs Considered, Alt.Latino, and radio programs such as Jazz Night in America. NPR Music works in conjunction with NPR’s news divisions, public radio Member stations, and an enthusiastic listening audience to honor remarkable music and discover emerging talents. Visit NPRMusic.org and engage with NPR Music on Facebook and Instagram.

Press Contact:

Yanius Alvarado Matos, NPR Media Relations

mediarelations@npr.org