Bobby Carter
Bobby Carter is a leader on the Tiny Desk Concerts team for NPR Music. He's brought an ever growing roster of big names and emerging artists through NPR's HQ to squeeze behind the desk of All Songs Considered host Bob Boilen and record standout performances, including Usher, Mac Miller, Noname, Anderson.Paak and H.E.R.
From 2020-2022, Carter and the music team adapted to the challenges of the pandemic to produce the innovative Tiny Desk [Home] Concerts series with artists like Kirk Franklin, Tame Impala, Tems, Jazmine Sullivan and C. Tangana.
Carter has created new initiatives and programs to grow and diversify the Tiny Desk audience. He helped usher the Tiny Desk audience into new spaces through partnerships with Complexcon, HBO's Insecure and the 2021 film Coming 2 America. He also conceptualized a Black History Month Tiny Desk showcase in 2021. With that programming serving as a catalyst, he's since led the development of additional packages for Black Music Month, LatinX Heritage Month, Asian American/Pacific Islander Month and Indigenous People Month. His work in recent years has led to multiple Webby Award wins, an Anthem Award and a BET Hip Hop Award nomination. He's also a music writer, a judge for the Tiny Desk Contest and a busy veteran DJ (DJ Cuzzin B).
Carter originally joined NPR as an intern with NPR's digital media team in 2000, and soon after landed work as a digital media engineer. Following the launch of NPR Music in 2007 — while still working as an engineer processing on-demand audio and video for breaking news, special coverage, and live streams to reach all of NPR's digital platforms — Carter began writing end of year music roundups and producing Tiny Desk Concerts. He left his engineer role to become a full-time producer for NPR Music in 2018.
Carter hails from St. Louis, and is a graduate of Jackson State University, where he also worked at Member station WJSU while a senior in college.
-
The Los Angeles songwriter shines on the soundtrack of HBO's Insecure. Watch her perform three songs as part of our Tiny Desk quarantine series.
-
From Terri Lyne Carrington to Jorja Smith, many artists have used their Tiny Desk concerts to express themselves, including songs of protest, cries for help, and messages of hope and rage.
-
Amaarae comes through with fire and Dijon breaks the mold of song structure. These are the new tracks putting names on the swirl of unfamiliar emotions.
-
The two rappers perform tracks from their joint mixtape Janktape Vol. 1 for our Tiny Desk quarantine series.
-
New tracks from Jenevieve, Yebba and Kehlani fall into the sweet spot of musical discovery that keeps you on your toes with every sample, flip and chord change.
-
Kick-in-the-door debuts, lowkey scorchers and dynamic rap duos fill this memorable playlist refresh.
-
There's still room for surprises in the void of time. Kalisway, Empress Of, Rod Wave and more release new heat.
-
The soul singer demonstrated a commitment to the Tiny Desk that we rarely, if ever, see.
-
Tiny Desks most tranquil to curb anxiety and break away from the gloomy world forecast.
-
For your at-home workout. For you stress baking. For avoiding your kids. We're not here to judge, just to help.