Music

Daniel Johnston performing on April 17, 2010 in Bourges.

Music & Culture

Austin Establishes 'Hi, How Are You?' Day To Encourage Mental Health Support

1:05pm January 22, 2018

by Andrew Flanagan

The declaration coincides with the birthday of the outsider folk artist Daniel Johnston and is in part inspired by his own, well-documented struggles with mental illness.

"'TenderHeaded' is about the pain which I felt in my own childhood at those specific moments when life 'ran its comb' through my innocence," Cam O'Bi tells NPR.

Music & Culture

Songs We Love: Cam O'bi, 'TenderHeaded (Feat. Smino)'

12:56pm January 22, 2018

by Jenny Gathright

Cam O'bi has produced tracks for Vic Mensa and SZA. Hear the first single from his forthcoming debut Grown Ass Kid.

Juliana Hatfield's new album, Juliana Hatfield Sings Olivia Newton-John, comes out April 13

Music & Culture

Songs We Love: Juliana Hatfield, 'A Little More Love'

10:02am January 22, 2018

by Annie Zaleski

Hatfield's reverent, but turbulent cover of Olivia Newton-John's 1978 song asks whether love is the answer at all.

St. Vincent performs a Tiny Desk Concert on Nov. 27, 2017 (Jennifer Kerrigan/NPR).

Music & Culture

St. Vincent: Tiny Desk Concert

9:15am January 22, 2018

by Bob Boilen

The singer performed at the Tiny Desk without a warmup or soundcheck, with just her acoustic guitar and un-amplified voice, letting the wordplay in her songs shine through.

Connie Lim writes and records as MILCK, a combination of her last name backwards and her first two initials.

Music & Culture

MILCK: 'Women Are Viral'

8:22am January 22, 2018

by Robin Hilton

The singer talks about her new EP, her history making moment at the 2017 Women's March in Washington, D.C., and how courage and truth can lead to widespread healing.

Queue Listen Now

Nils Frahm's All Melody comes out Jan. 26.

Music & Culture

First Listen: Nils Frahm, 'All Melody'

5:00am January 22, 2018

by Tom Huizenga

The composer's new album is a feast for the ears that is companionable, symphonically expansive, danceable and (as its title suggests) ripe with melodies.

The 1983 Canadian Opera Company production of Elektra, the first to use supertitles.

Music & Culture

Read 'Em And Weep: Celebrating 35 Years Of Opera Supertitles

8:02am January 21, 2018

by Jeff Lunden

In 1983, the Canadian Opera Company was the first to use simultaneous translations projected above the stage. Now it's an expected part of the opera-going experience.

Music & Culture

Calexico's Joey Burns On The Sound Of The Southwest

7:57am January 21, 2018

Calexico singer Joey Burns has spent 20 years in the American Southwest but grew up on SoCal beaches. He talks with Lulu Garcia-Navarro about his band's ninth studio album, The Thread That Keeps Us.

Music & Culture

When A Reporter Gets Starstruck Over Ricky Martin

7:57am January 21, 2018

Ana Belaval's reaction to meeting singer Ricky Martin went viral not only for her reaction but what Martin means to Puerto Ricans recovering from the hurricane. She talks with Lulu Garcia-Navarro.

Drake drops two new songs to start off 2018.

Music & Culture

The Sleeping Giant Awakens: Drake Drops Two New Tracks During 'Scary Hours'

10:58am January 20, 2018

by Sidney Madden

The Toronto rapper supplies fans with plenty of one-liners with new tracks "God's Plan" and "Diplomatic Immunity."