Leslie Odom Jr.: NPR Music Tiny Desk Concert

Watch Leslie Odom Jr. play "Cold", "Foggy" and "Hummingbird" at the Tiny Desk.
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Nov. 13, 2019 | Suraya Mohamed -- Leslie Odom Jr. walked through the door with unassuming confidence and a big smile that brightened the room. Later, during his Tiny Desk performance, he recalled advice he'd received from a friend: "You have to get used to it - you are part of a cultural phenomenon in New York City," Odom said, before quipping, "I feel so blessed to be a part of Law & Order: SVU for three magnificent seasons."
A Tony- and Grammy-winning star, Odom has added a slew of achievements to his portfolio since 2016, when he left his role playing Aaron Burr in Broadway's Hamilton. He's continued his work in television and film, written a book and released jazz and Christmas albums. He co-wrote most of the songs on his latest project, Mr; out earlier this month, it's his first album of original material.
While Mr features a range of genres, Odom brought three R&B songs to the desk. The first, "Cold," is a hopeful ballad with a beautiful melody and a hint of contemporary musical theater. "Foggy," which he describes as the album's most personal piece, is a love song filled with the regret of failed good intentions. Odom calls his set-closer, "Hummingbird," an "odd little bop," but really it's a happy song that's light and fun - it's his 2-year-old daughter's favorite.
A love of music runs through Odom's family. His wife, Nicolette Robinson, is one of the background singers here, and this isn't the first time the two have worked together. In 2018, they dropped a single called "What Are We Waiting For." Another notable performer here, Theron "Neff-U" Feemster, plays keys, piano and xylophone. One of the record's co-producers and co-writers, Feemster is a well-respected songwriter, producer and composer who's worked mostly in R&B for almost two decades. After working together on Mr for the last two years, Odom joked, "I'm sure he's so ready for me to be out of his studio. It's taken us longer than we expected, but we're so proud of it."
SET LIST
"Cold"
"Foggy"
"Hummingbird"
MUSICIANS
Leslie Odom Jr.: vocals; Theron "Neff-U" Feemster: keys; Tommy King: keys; Garrison "G-Beats" Brown: drums; Jeremy Ting: guitar; Christine Noel Smit: vocals; Nicolette Robinson: vocals; Astyn Turr: vocals; Andrew Joslyn: violin
CREDITS
Producers: Suraya Mohamed, Morgan Noelle Smith; Creative Director: Bob Boilen; Audio Engineer: Josh Rogosin; Videographers: Morgan Noelle Smith, CJ Riculan, Jeremiah Rhodes, Kara Frame; Associate Producer: Bobby Carter; Executive Producer: Lauren Onkey; VP, Programming: Anya Grundmann; Photo: Ben De La Cruz/NPR

[@MattWall888]

I want to be in the room where THAT happened

[@TheCarmelswan67]

Yes. 😉

[@abby_367]

Saaamme

[@Ultamate-Jas]

You and me both

[@AndreaGuarisma]

The *little* room where that happened.

[@paulaholt8665]

Me too.

[@alexanderaarao-ward9654]

Our messed up world has done nothing to deserve the purity of this Tiny Desk

[@zonasound]

Exactly, I wish this was a 24 hour radio station. Bring back soul rnb and real music across the bored. There used to be room for all kinds of music, now radio is more one dimensional than ever.

[@hassensheikh114]

Perhaps good & pure sentiments such as this beautiful music is the pain killer, so we can see through it.

[@diva4tv]

OMG ... you wrote THAT! This is so much beauty!

[@tisharenee4061]

The world is much more beautiful than you’ve given credit for.

[@philaeew4866]

I mean obviously Leslie's voice is pure perfection, but can we also talk about the band, they all played so tastefully... especially the guitar player, kudos

[@richmckinney4109]

Leslie and I went to the same church. Cannan Baptist Church in Philadelphia.. Both of us sung in the Youth and Young adult choir. Proud of this dude.. Always been super talented.. Acting and singing..

[@draydray6616]

He's going to be at World Cafe Live in March

[@modbee5390]

Didn't know he was from Philly 🥰

[@gieneaanonymous3228]

Lucky😭😃

[@totalt6600]

Thank you for sharing. 🖖

[@psychologicallyspeaking]

was it obvious back then? seems like his voice was always gorgeous and sweet like that.

[@champoradomami]

Leslie Odom Jr.'s voice sounds like the way ice feels on your neck on a hot summer's day

[@mai_cello]

This is a perfection description. Love his voice!

[@Kingkodiakbear]

Soothing, but still gives you chills

[@mezibelle5870]

Cool analogy😃

[@AleahKCH]

“Cold” isn’t getting enough praise. I listened to it twice before I got to the other songs... and “Hummingbird” is so sweet 🥰

[@freedom3856]

“Foggy” is one of the most well-written songs in the history of all mankind. It could have been placed in Psalms Chapter anything! Indeed!

[@genuinekay]

I love all! Foggy is just something different

[@7Vanilda]

I totally agree!

[@SaraH-tw2ox]

When he looks back at Nicolette. ❤❤❤

[@catnap1964]

I come back to this again and again. It is part of my personal soundtrack when I need a musical hug. I just sit and let it wrap around.

[@MrD-tu3hp]

Half way through the first song had to add him to my prime artist to follow

[@drewdizzlle]

same.

[@ahmedhayek4585]

Real talk

[@sarenlly7385]

Foggy is such an amazing and beautiful song that I get moved every time I hear it . Leslie sings a poetry.

[@itsvictorializzy]

I can see the last song HUMMINGBIRD in a Disney Christmas movie. Just saying BOP🔥🔥

[@WhalesWatching]

EXACTLY!!

[@tionak]

Yes! Can definitely see this in a Pixar animation.

[@lmwms1]

An entire BOP

[@charlesseafous773]

I was thinking he could do it on Sesame Street with some of the characters there and kids would go nuts for it, but I like your idea better.

[@expertonmyself]

i just don't understand why this isn't at a million views yet. admittedtly though, a part of me wants us to be able to keep him to ourselves.

[@BettersAthletesOnly]

Facts

[@bongvilletennessee1115]

is that Aaron Burr, sir?

[@XsK5]

That depends, who's asking?

[@leolabs_org]

@@XsK5 oh, sure, sir!

[@oluftafdrup1979]

Leo Bernard I have been Looking for you

[@25447carepear]

Yes sir it is

[@ToastedZergling]

Alexander Hamilton is shook

[@naturalmezzo2275]

I’m back in 2024, Leslie’s instrument is truly the epitome of sweet quality, undeniable skill, & pure intention - every note just effortlessly tells the story…very few male singers are this special i.e. that Donny Hathaway, Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye, Nat King Cole, Luther Vandross, etc class 🥰🙌🏾🔥

[@chloekeene27]

SHEESH the whole SQUAD threw down!! Leslie, the musicians, the background vocalists-they all came to do the dang thing! I love all three of the background vocalists individually, so to see them sing together was a treat, to say the least 😊 And those last “oh’s” from Hummingbird?? Leslie sang that (literally and figuratively) from HIS CHEST and then straight into that beautiful falsetto and phewww the man can just SING!

[@dinafleischman5914]

He can sing the phone book and it would go to #1

[@dorothydanridge]

They still make phone books?😮

[@thedavisfamily-vlog5176]

It's so Adorable how he looks over at his wife every now and then and she smiles!! That's too cute! I just love the whole vibe of this!!!

[@kellywalker-cdle1998]

I'm so happy to see him on Tiny Desk!!! He has one of the most beautiful voices I've ever heard. I could listen to him forever.

[@hadjisingh2322]

It’s amazing what a good microphone does. You can really hear just how crazy good his voice is.

[@sometime.somewhere]

I'm alternating between shaking and nodding my head

[@rachaello6120]

HAHAHAHAH YES

[@rizkydharma8373]

Can I just say how beautiful "Cold" was performed? Leslie with the beautiful crisp voice of his, and the band and everything playing in harmony and rhythm like no other

[@sidespike6262]

Now I want a memorial Sam cooke Tiny Desk performed by Leslie

[@MonkeyGamez]

One of the best singers I’ve ever heard. This guys incredible.

[@alyssamuniz975]

his voice is pure butterrrr

[@jphimselff6310]

Some fine R&B to start the week

[@zonasound]

Yep, Bring back Rnb again.

[@PayMeNoMind]

Dope to see a brother singing about his own surroundings and not just trying, or accepting, to fall in with what's widely accepted as hot. Band tight too!

[@blitzedblueberry]

Foggy is just so surreal, like floating on a cloud. I love it

[@33fatface]

So did anybody else not want HUMMINGBIRD to end?!? What fun that song is 💜💜💜

[@joshuahubbard4919]

How lucky can this guy get? Good looking amazing singer and humble....goodness!

[@diva4tv]

The guitar player! This is a jewel. The whole band! Odom brings his heart and soul to the table!

[@irishgn08]

I love hummingbird. Those hits of the wurlitzer (or what I think is a wurlitzer) coupled with the violin ascending in the background and the "you're my hummingbird" compliment Leslie's voice so beautifully -- he has an understated quality to his voice, simple yet sublime, with so much control behind every note. It feels like a sesame street song, or a gospel song. It feels like a song you could play on the block for hours on end, just riffing off the chorus, banging on trash can tops to keep the rhythm. The other songs are good, but hummingbird is just so joyous and uptempo, and something special. I'd love to hear more like that.

[@Michelle-hu3zn]

Perfectly stated

[@shantrooper]

I love the Law & Order SVU shoutout. That’s where I first associate him from 🥰

[@MrGourmand]

Leslie is legit AMAZINGGGG so happy to see him on tiny desk !!!

[@iyanlathomas1542]

He’s no longer lying in wait

[@tosincatherineolukanni5111]

L E S L I E O D O M JR. y’all!!! My Gosh!

[@abby_367]

Him calling his own song an “odd little bop” is everything

[@redplanet9821]

I'm in loooove with the background singers voices. This version of cold is probably one my favorite song of all time !!! Goosebumps × 100000 😱

[@filmladyproduction]

That last vocal run on 'Foggy' Sooo beautiful.

[@nicholasjohn3215]

The new album is dope on so many levels.

[@strongforu]

Hummingbird is my favorite from this set. I've replayed it several times already!!! Yayy Leslie!

[@Hallowed_Ground]

The first two songs were hard for me to listen to, but after replaying Hummingbird a few times I feel like I'm obligated to listen to them lol

[@ahmedhayek4585]

@@Hallowed_Ground I liked Foggy the best to be honest. So intimate

[@davifernndes]

good morning to start the day well.

[@reyna7100]

This makes me feel love

[@fushiashade5]

He's not the villain in my history anymore after this

[@erose1118]

Hummingbird is indeed a BOP 🔥

[@okay1904]

I think this is the most refreshing male vocalist I have heard, in the last year - like Babyface, Michael, John Legend, Sam Smith, Usher, James Blunt and Justin Timberlake all rolled into one voice. I think Leslie is very very special. Please preserve your voice please do not overstrain it.

[@mizcanthus]

Also hearing some (the late, oh so dear) James Ingram and Al Jarreau!

[@ELIAT]

cold is one of my favorite songs of 2019. SO BEAUTIFUL.

[@jamesmaines5587]

From start to finish just incredible. He’s a singing hero of mine, and he NEVER disappoints... Btw, the way Christine looks at Astyn at 9:02 is a whole mood, and basically wraps up how I felt about this whole set. So good!!

[@progolor]

i love this guy since he killed Hamilton

[@joelakinyemi954]

why isn't he in prison?

[@mm-dh1re]

Joel Akinyemi it was in a musical, he never actually killed someone

[@neosomaliana]

@@joelakinyemi954 you're so cute 😂

[@ifeoluwaonigbinde3250]

I thought I was the only one!

[@ShervyseSmiles]

I don't know how else to explain it, but this band smells good 🙌🏽

[@kennethcoval4970]

Aight then

[@Skipper974]

I'm such a fan of this man. Beautiful voice!

[@nellebolton7910]

Leslie (about Hummingbird): "I think it's a bop." Me: "mate...it's...it's a bop. Seriously. It's a bop."

[@darsigrunewald592]

His voice is so smooth and you can understand every word he says. A true talent!

[@ronataylor4146]

I saw him live last summer and he sounds exactly like he does on studio albums. Super talented. In my top 5!

[@JeremyRSims]

LOVE HIM!!!! Omg. Omg omg. I WOULD LOVE TO SING BACKGROUND FOR HIM. I WANNA AUDITION !!!!

[@FOOMRADIO]

Can’t stay away! Here again 5th time since release day! Who else can relate? Foggy....holds me. The reason for my habitual return!

[@MikeLeeee]

He is special.

[@airisa403]

we love how much he loves his wife and wants her involved with his work!

[@jackiecolliar953]

Got this whole set playing on repeat...too good!!!

[@ososandi]

Love me some Leslie!

[@salvationagent9832]

10:29 is where them 'good feelings' begin travelling through the soul.

[@riahenry2857]

the most talented man i know and he doesn’t need any auto tune

[@BLACK_CHINESE001]

"Cold" has turned into my medication, at least 8 times a day, the vocals are connecting me into my inner person.

[@finolamcinnis7886]

He just sings so righttt... perfect singing

[@Rahel8811]

Wow foggy got me balling with goose bumps and butterflies💓💋🔥🙏🏽

[@corilovely690]

Agree. Foggy got me good

[@denisemorton5284]

THANK YOU NPR LONG OVERDUE VOICE EXCELLENT FOR MOVIE THEME/TELEVISION THEME SONGS BREATH OF FRESH AIR AMAZING PURE VOICE EXCELLENT BACKGROUND MUSICIANS

[@samanthal133]

Honestly I listen to his holiday album even when it’s not Christmas. It’s my go too

[@filmladyproduction]

That's Almost a Sam Cook joint ..'Hummingbird' Love that 🎻 Violin!

[@jaijones2036]

Hummingbird is my Bop!👏👏👏

[@bluehalo8604]

Yesssss ❤️His voice is classic.

[@kynnedysimone3367]

I would die just being in a room with him 😂 iiiii wanaaa be in the room :))))

[@malkiashelly6086]

“Cold” is my favorite song off the album and of course Summer Magic. Leslie is so talented ❤️

[@a.d.prayer1779]

2nd song- Foggy- 5:31 3rd song - Hummingbird - 10:30 Hummingbird is my favorite of the 3 it's makes me feel happy and upbeat. what's your fav and why?

[@shannonmcfadden3320]

Foggy

[@Topself24]

Foggy

[@nellebolton7910]

Hummingbird. It just makes me feel so happy every time I listen to it.. I love it more now because it's his little girl's favourite.

[@iamloved8985]

Foggy...I want a love ike that!

[@christycm5946]

All I do is listen to his music. Of course found him through Hamilton but have since become the biggest fan. He has the most gorgeous voice and so much talent. Gorgeous performance.

[@FOOMRADIO]

Screaming! Omgeee...it’s a good day! Love you soo much!

[@benmartens2885]

Leslie said the album was two years in the making! Wow, he really made us Wait For It!

[@MegaYvette2010]

He had from the first note....Cold is just magic! Wow!!

[@steffenismyname]

That first high note, arm hairs stood up!

[@gieneaanonymous3228]

Ugh... My ears are blessed and my soul has been taken straight to heaven.

[@azizs9787]

Omg same 😩

[@rachxoxo18]

Beautiful voice!! One of my favorite artist 🙌🏾Love his new album. His Christmas album will forever be a classic!!

[@dayumxjeanah]

Such a beautiful voice. His live singing is effortless and clean. Loving this album

[@tisharenee4061]

He’s really soulful and talented. Puts the joy back into listening.

[@designgirl96]

I love Leslie!!,,,

[@nickolascooper19]

Amazing!!!!! I dig the new CD!! It’s been on repeat since last week 😃

[@getchristielove]

Foggy. I completely feel these lyrics.

[@nickhyland7179]

My WORD! This is gorgeous. Such Artistry!!

[@v_p_low2373]

This entire set gives me so much joy. The musicians and vocalists are supremely talented. I was blown away the first time that I listened earlier this morning. This is at least the 10th time today. Beautiful!

[@debbieschwartz1038]

Came across this, and after watching, went and ordered the album. Wonderful!

[@areyoucereals]

I LOVE THIS MAN. Hummingbird is such an adorable song and those vocals were perfect!

[@reyna7100]

Still obsessed with the violin after all this time 😭💗

[@quinesan]

Wow!!! They produced three beautiful arrangements and his range was fantastic!

[@sbelovedtaylor5304]

Leslie Odom's voice soothes my anxiety. So happy I have found this amazing artist. What a blessing he has been.

[@papa_moisture8779]

His voice is so smooth. I will always be jealous of his talent.

[@stephanityrance7130]

He is so incredible live! His voice, his energy...I could listen for hours

[@ftrlength]

odom brings a soft warmth to my heart

[@rainxandriaart]

Something about his voice reminds me of Andre(Leon thomas) from Victorious

[@TheTricarix]

What a nice surprise this morning

[@JenniferJiang2013]

Odd little bop I can't with him

[@michaelhamilton1523]

Gorgeous. Even better than the recorded version which is perfection. I love the back up vocals. It makes it even more beautiful.

[@crystaljames-owensiii4430]

I absolutely loved this! That last song put a huge smile on my face!!! Leslie has such incredible control! The band and background singers were MAGNIFICENT! BRAVO!