Silvana Estrada: Tiny Desk Concert

This Sept. 15 to Oct. 15, NPR Music celebrates artists from all corners of Latinidad with an 'El Tiny' takeover. Anamaria Sayre | October 15, 2025 Silvana Estrada was born and raised in Veracruz, a seaside state known for its breathtaking ocean views and son jarocho, one of Mexico's most storied folk styles. But against the backdrop of its beauty, there's pain. Estrada confronts these realities in her art; she brings audiences to tears with her powerful, yet elegant vocals, but never leaves them without hope. In the five years I've come to work — and become friends — with Estrada, I've discovered the magnetic, joyful and wiggly person beneath who drives the richness of her music. I have seen Estrada perform in concert halls, hometown historic venues, televised broadcasts and Grammy showcases. But none of those have ever rivaled a small space with just her voice and a cuatro venezolano, surrounded by five or six people... until her stunning debut behind the Tiny Desk. Vendrán Suaves Lluvias, from which this set is drawn, is her most honest work, yet. In the making of this album, she lost a friend and parts of herself — "And me, who is no more than an ocean of doubts," she croons on "Como un Pájaro." But, as is sometimes the case of artistic creation in capable hands, her voice finds a way to bend wounds to her will and become whole. SET LIST "Como un Pájaro" "Good Luck, Good Night" "Si Me Matan" "El Alma Mía" MUSICIANS Silvana Estrada: vocals, guitar Roberto Verástegui: piano, keys, arrangements Alex Lozano: drums, percussion Joe Grass: guitar, lap steel Rémi-Jean Leblanc: bass Owen Pallett: cello da spalla Diego Franco: clarinet, euphonium Andy Clausen: trombone Chloe Rowlands: trumpet, flugelhorn David Aguilar: vocals, baritone guitar TINY DESK TEAM Producer: Anamaria Sayre Director: Kara Frame Audio Technical Director: Josh Newell Host/Series Producer: Bobby Carter Video Editor: Joshua Bryant Videographers: Kara Frame, Joshua Bryant, Maia Stern Audio Engineer: Hannah Gluvna Production Assistants: Dhanika Pineda, Dora Levite Photographer: Maansi Srivastava Series Editor: Lars Gotrich Executive Producer: Suraya Mohamed Executive Director: Sonali Mehta Series Creators: Bob Boilen, Stephen Thompson, Robin Hilton #nprmusic #tinydesk #silvanaestrada Support for NPR Music and El Tiny comes from Moises. Powerful AI tools created by musicians, for musicians. Learn more at Moises.AI