After just a few minutes of soundcheck, it becomes clear to me that Remi Wolf might be a superhero who isn’t fully aware of her powers. After finishing the first song, she asks, “Can you hear me all right out there?” I remembered a similar conversation with her last year when she stopped by as a guest vocalist for Kenny Beats’ Tiny Desk, and I told her that her voice is one of the few on the desk that cuts through every instrument played. I also knew that she would eventually take center stage for her own Tiny Desk, and Remi’s second album, Big ideasis packed with songs that hit just the right note and offer an excellent performance here.

Pieces like “Motorcycle” and “Alone in Miami” provide a healthy balance between the big pop songs on Big ideas. The restraint allows her soulful side to shine while maintaining the quirky funk. The singer admitted that she can get bored with her songs, but luckily she performed “Sexy Villain” from her debut album, which we couldn’t get enough of in 2021, Juno. This bossa nova version of “Sexy Villain” deviates just enough to feel new, but stays true to the original.

SET LIST

• “Bull”
• “Alone in Miami”
• “Sexy villain”
• “Motorcycle”
• “Pathetic”

MUSICIAN

• Remi Wolf: Lead vocals
• Conor Malloy: drums
• Alex Pachino: guitar, vocals
• Matt Horton: guitar
• Anna Bettendorf: Keyboard instruments
• Zev Shearn-Nance: drums
• Maddie Jay: bass, vocals

TINY DESK TEAM

• Producer: Bobby Carter
• Director/Editor: Kara Frame
• Technical Audio Lead: Josh Newell
• Videographers: Kara Frame, Joshua Bryant, Mitra I. Arthur, Sofia Seidel
• Sound engineer: Tiffany Vera Castro
• Photographer: Elizabeth Gillis
• Tiny Desk Team: Maia Stern, Ashley Pointer, Hazel Cills
• Executive Producer: Suraya Mohamed
• Creators of the series: Bob Boilen, Stephen Thompson
• Vice President, Visuals and Music: Keith Jenkins