Thousands of entries. One winner.
We're excited to name Alisa Amador as the winner of the 2022 Tiny Desk Contest.
Watch her Tiny Desk concert.
Hailing from Boston, Mass., Alisa Amador is a singer-songwriter with a powerful voice whose music explores jazz, funk and folk styles, all rooted in the spirit of the Latin music she grew up with. Amador impressed the Tiny Desk Contest judges with her tender performance of “Milonga accidental,” which she calls “an ode to in-between-ness – to having several identities at once, to feeling split between cultures and languages.”
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NPR Music's Bob Boilen and Contest judge iLe announced the winner on Morning Edition.
Later that day, Amador spoke with NPR's Mary Louise Kelly on All Things Considered.
"For me, Alisa’s voice is what put her entry above the thousands of others we received. I don’t speak Spanish, but Alisa’s yearning conveyed what I needed to know about her entry – a song I think of as wondering and questioning one’s place in life."
"For years now, Alisa Amador’s Contest submissions have connected with the audience and judges alike, but the arresting “Milonga accidental” hits completely different. It propelled her to the top of a long list of uber-talented musicians. The new champ is here!"
"Alisa Amador’s winning performance – marked by a soaring vocal improv and imbued with Spanish inflection and a crystalline sense of purpose – captivates from start to finish."
"Alisa was a strong contender from the beginning. Her intimate delivery made me feel connected to her instantly."
"Alisa Amador’s music is simply soothing. We all go through moments when we feel like we belong in more than just one place and want to be everywhere at the same time – I enjoy the way Alisa embraces that confusion in her winning entry."
"Alisa Amador possesses a quiet power that overtook us all. Our winner's performance is just undeniably gorgeous."
"Alisa’s voice and energy is magnetic and so sweet – and I was particularly drawn to her amazing songwriting. Anyone can feel something from 'Milonga accidental,' no matter what language you speak."
Here's where you can watch videos from the musicians who've entered the 2022 Tiny Desk Contest. Find your band's entry, or just have a look around at what everyone's been creating.
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