She snuck in cheeky swagger right off the bat with “Mic On,” setting a groove that felt both intimate and effortlessly cool. But the highlight? When she floated into “Good & Plenty”—turned up by guest saxophonist Masego—and the room practically levitated.
She also took us on a journey through her catalog: touching on fan favorites from her hot new EP WHEN (“Mic On,” “Hands,” “Thank You For a Lovely Time”) while honoring her decade-old album L U X U R Y with “La Brea,” and even spun the sentimental “Into Orbit” from her 2012 debut Love/Art Memoirs. Alongside those solo gems, we got angelic moments from her collaborations with Jack Dine—“Love Again” and “Mine,” plus the moody “About Him.”
The band backing her—including DeShaun Allen on drums and a gorgeous blend of harmonies from Nelson Beato, Muhsinah, and Astyn Turr—kept the vibe spacious and sultry, letting Alex’s voice drift like perfume through the Tiny Desk. Dressed in a shoulder-baring denim dress, she had that subtle sexy theatricality that says, “I see you, I’ve got you.”
Why this one matters:
- It’s her first in-studio Tiny Desk since the early 2020s home edition, and the shift from solo comfort to singer-with-band feels like she’s leapt into her next era .
- It’s part of Black Music Month and feels like both homage and proclamation—Isley’s stepping into her lineage while staking her own soulful turf.
- Featuring Masego isn’t just star power—it’s synergy. Their “Good & Plenty” mashup was playful, sensual, and worthy of internet buzz.
On Reddit, fans are practically gushing:
“One of the best new voices in R&B.”
“Alex is what R&B supposed to be about, an amazing Tiny Desk.”
In short: this wasn’t just a performance—it was a statement: Alex Isley isn’t just continuing the Isley legacy—she’s quietly rewriting it, one sleek melody at a time.
SET LIST
- "Mic On"
- "Good & Plenty"
- "La Brea"
- "Into Orbit"
- "Love Again"
- "Mine"
- "About Him"
- "Hands"
- "Thank You for a Lovely Time"
