Lizzy McAlpine: Tiny Desk Concert

While there's a quiet element to Lizzy McAlpine's music, there's also an explosive element of electronics, electric guitars and drums on her 2022 album five seconds flat that feels cinematic. So when Lizzy told us that all she'd need for her Tiny Desk concert were some microphones and a few acoustic guitars, I was surprised — curious and eager to hear her rise to the challenge of our intimate setting.

Her backing vocalists are a trio coincidentally and appropriately called Tiny Habits, a group she met on Instagram about a year ago. "I wanted to recontextualize the songs on the album with just vocals and guitar," Lizzy says. "I feel like that's how I write most of my songs anyway. I just wanted them to be more intimate." And with those harmonies, Lizzy's gently expressive voice and a bit of acoustic guitar, the 23-year-old's stories came through powerfully clear.

SET LIST

• "ceilings"
• "all my ghosts"
• "Emma"
• "weird"

MUSICIANS

• Lizzy McAlpine: acoustic guitars, vocals
• Cinya Khan: vocals
• Judah Mayowa: vocals 
• Maya Rae: vocals

TINY DESK TEAM

• Producer: Bob Boilen
• Director: Joshua Bryant
• Audio Engineer: Josh Rogosin
• Series Producer: Bobby Carter
• Editor: Maia Stern
• Videographers: Joshua Bryant, Maia Stern, Michael Zamora
• Audio Assistant: Neil Tevault
• Production Assistant: Sofia Seidel
• Tiny Desk Team: Suraya Mohamed, Marissa Lorusso, Hazel Cills, Ashley Pointer, Kara Frame, Jill Britton
• VP, Visuals and Music: Keith Jenkins
• Senior VP, Programming: Anya Grundmann

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