Ada Lea: Tiny Desk (Home) Concert

The Tiny Desk is working from home for the foreseeable future. Introducing NPR Music's Tiny Desk (home) concerts, bringing you performances from across the country and the world. It's the same spirit - stripped-down sets, an intimate setting - just a different space.
Marissa Lorusso | May 24, 2022
Ada Lea's Tiny Desk (home) concert opens just as her 2021 album, one hand on the steering wheel the other sewing a garden, does: with the careening, beautiful track "damn." It's the story of a turbulent New Year's Eve party, told through songwriter Alexandra Levy's stream-of-conscious delivery. Here, she and her band lean into the song's slowly simmering tension and frustration, ending on an extremely close shot of Levy's expressive face in the song's final moments.
As Ada Lea, Levy excels at writing observational, artful indie rock; one hand..., her sophomore album, feels like a companion for driving around a city you know well and feeling a pang of nostalgia on every other block. In fact, many of the songs capture life in and around Montreal, where Levy grew up - fittingly, this (home) concert was shot at that city's storied recording studio Hotel2Tango. The songs are sharply detailed and dreamy - like "partner," the second song in this set, which Levy says is a continuation of the story in "damn." For "writer in ny," Levy relocates with her guitar to a sofa; bandmate Felicity DeCarle, who also plays synth during the performance, sits beside her on the floor offering exquisite harmonies. And just as the album ends, Ada Lea's (home) concert closes out with "hurt," a contemplative track about isolation and indecision that's made warm and cathartic in this rendition.
SET LIST
"damn"
"partner"
"writer in ny"
"hurt"
MUSICIANS
Alexandra Levy: vocals, guitar
Chris Hauer: guitar, vocals
Felicity DeCarle: synth, vocals
Leighton Harrell: bass
Valérie Lacombe: drums
CREDITS
Direction and production: Monse Muro, Erica Orofino
Audio: Shae Brossard
Editor: Alexa Gagnon
Cameras: Felix Perreault, Lea Dumouli, Erica Orofino
Color: Monse Muro
Costume Design: Kayleigh Choiniere
Recorded at Hotel2Tango, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
TINY DESK TEAM
Producer: Bob Boilen
Video Producer: Michael Zamora
Audio Mastering: Josh Rogosin
Tiny Production Team: Bobby Carter, Kara Frame, Joshua Bryant, Maia Stern, Ashley Pointer
VP, Visuals and Music: Keith Jenkins
Senior VP, Programming: Anya Grundmann

[@Sad_Bastard_Noodles]

Where has this been hiding?! SO good! Joni Mitchell and Kathleen Edwards vibes.

[@ethanmonk3912]

Don't understand how this doesn't have like 1000000000000 more likes. I'm aghast (in the best way) by this performance.

[@andrewhansted5717]

Too true Ethan. Too true ❤️

[@dalbakis]

Amazing ! Come to France !

[@whitefragilityexpose1512]

Bless all the artists who worked through the pandemic without the energy they are used to receiving from crowds. You made these last couple of years tolerable.

[@Angelum_Band]

As a musician I never vaccinated, never used a mask, never stop to mingle and most important never to stopped living.

[@whitefragilityexpose1512]

@@Angelum_Band you've also had your channel for 16 years and haven't ever cracked 1000 views. Maybe you're just not very smart? And believe me, when I said artists, I was nit referring to you 🤣

[@Angelum_Band]

@@whitefragilityexpose1512 Or maybe you don't how the algorythm works. I am not going to pay money for exposure. I am not looking for that and it's not my intention or objective. But I will tell you this, there are a lot of musical jewels out there yt does not promote... You have to be in Europe, South America or the free world to see it. So every time you see 4 comments when you are not logged in and only two when you are you know the Ministry of Truth is doing the work. Again views or likes mean nothing just like twitter, your skin not mine is sensitive.

[@Angelum_Band]

@@whitefragilityexpose1512 BTW I am a musician not an "artist" learn the difference.

[@whitefragilityexpose1512]

@@Angelum_Band music is art. Lol cope.

[@kalebrobinson9608]

Got to see her in atlanta with methyl Ethel, and honestly she’s just so good to watch live

[@calmorris5923]

Been WAITING for this one

[@foljs5858]

This is good! Also the keyboard player is cute!

[@chrisreyes7326]

Not only do I love the music (one of my go to albums last year) but I also love the camera work. More vibes like this please :)

[@ethanmonk3912]

Bravo! Thank you everyone involved!

[@koreanwithhannah7053]

this is truly beautiful

[@silviabortoluzzi465]

Love this, so much ❤️❤️❤️

[@bribri49978]

Love the music ❤

[@jonahlevy7963]

Love it!!!

[@MedSou]

*Magnifique* ❤❤

[@Yeqzz]

Very chill, have a great day everyone :)

[@nobandnobrand]

IVE BEEN WAITING FOR THIS TINY DESK FOR SO LONG!!!!!!!! FINALLY LISTENING TO THESE TRACKS LIVE IM SO HAPPY ADA THIS WAS ALL I NEEDED TODAY 😍🥺

[@RobertSlover]

highschool rock? and a 1k dollar microphone for someone who can barely sing on pitch? disappointing NPR.......

[@Angelum_Band]

No band no brand and a sandwich of nothing.

[@nobandnobrand]

@@RobertSlover listen to my music then! lets see if you like it :)

[@nobandnobrand]

@@Angelum_Band wheres my sandwich? im actually hungry rn, lol

[@Angelum_Band]

@@nobandnobrand I already gave it to you.

[@Bollanger]

Darn it is good. Real good, thank you.

[@phillipnichols]

Very nice. Great songs. Great songwriting.

[@kristaselene]

Thank you for the introduction! Beautiful songs.

[@guyguyguyjean]

what a beautiful ,warm voice!!!

[@Angelum_Band]

Bot.

[@Crypto4Therapy]

Top Performance!!

[@rrich52806]

Great artist!!!

[@alzirarosa453]

Coooooool!!!

[@MrJklay]

Adrienne Lenker and Big Thief vibes! Knew from the very start of the video that this would be good.

[@kmar8921]

Finally! Great musicianship! 👍

[@RobertSlover]

highschool rock? and a 1k dollar microphone for someone who can barely sing on pitch? disappointing NPR.......

[@kmar8921]

It's a free world. :)

[@Mason-mv7yi]

Go cousin go!!

[@brittanymiller5153]

💜💜💜

[@agnome1176]

🙂🍃🍂🍃👉👣👉♥️😁Leaves footprints on yer heart 💜

[@fabriciosantiagomusico329]

q bien se oye!

[@petersoares792]

Tá faltando o grupo brasileiro Ah Mr Dan.

[@pathetokost8822]

мне нравится ! нравится , хотя поёт ада вызывающе плохо . аплодисменты !

[@user-di7mk8du4y]

노래좋다 이거

[@Neil-Aspinall]

Respect for the 441.

[@buttonman6262]

There’s something a bit Springsteen-y about the way she sings.

[@RobertSlover]

poorly?

[@SOLOO7]

Who is Ada Lea? A really incredible musician.

[@Angelum_Band]

Yeah like Yoko Ono.

[@holyalmightycreatorgroup2015]

Help ! Help ! Help !

[@SPLENDIDZEN]

Thumbs Up nº 444...

[@marthaburgin3043]

Sarah Silverman and Karen Dalton's love child

[@jermgi]

Do animal collective!!!

[@anatol1204]

Modern songs don t have clear melodic lines.

[@ivanheffner2587]

The music is wonderful. The video is cursed. Watching it gave me a headache and made me sick to my stomach. It’s a disservice to the music.

[@paulmckenzie4291]

Hey Ivan. Just a respectful suggestion... Could you just listen and not watch? Seems a shame to cloud the positive with an optional negative. Glad you enjoyed the sounds tho. All the best 😁

[@Angelum_Band]

@@paulmckenzie4291 A un-respectful suggestion: Watch the Clockwork Orange till the end. Oh yeah and also, listen to Frank Zappa and George Carlin.

[@Angelum_Band]

These new so called "artists" so ecletic sandwiches of nothing.

[@paulmckenzie4291]

@@Angelum_Band Angelum, I'm dis-sure of the meaning of your reply. Watch Easy Rider halfway through then make yourself a breakfast cereal cocktail. Be happy.

[@Angelum_Band]

@@paulmckenzie4291 I said Clockwork Orange, Frank Zappa and George Carlin. Seems a shame to watch the movie in black and white, mono when you can experience it 3D color, surround system. But there you are biased, binary, jaded and comfortably numb.

[@Angelum_Band]

Since you erected yourself as The Ministry of Truth I will say it here: Ukraine does not pay my bills. Not our war.

[@paulmckenzie4291]

I'd say any war being waged by a nutter with nukes is everyone's concern.

[@Angelum_Band]

@@paulmckenzie4291 Really? Iraq, Afghanistan, Syria, Libya, Yemen, Somalia, Panama, Chile, Vietnam, Korea, Japan. The United States OF America was forged and founded on genocide, slavery, injustice, warfare and censorship. The empire has lost all its moral authority.

[@Angelum_Band]

@@paulmckenzie4291 BTW the only senile demented creep is the one installed in the white house who has never voted no on a war or found a war he did not like. The Ministry of Truth cannot and will not be able to change history.

[@ChrisP3000x]

@@paulmckenzie4291 Yes, wars started by NATO "nutters with nukes" are everyone's concern.

[@Angelum_Band]

I stand my ground. KZbin took the dislikes to protect the skin sensitive from the real world.

[@alphonsetram1]

Well... this sucks.

[@joeboonmusic4004]

How…?

[@Angelum_Band]

@@joeboonmusic4004 Everything sounds flat dead. Like distilled water.

[@RobertSlover]

come on NPR highschool rock? and a 1k dollar microphone for someone who can barely sing on pitch? disappointing NPR.......

[@sterlinggg9220]

go head and log out for me