Nick Hakim took a break from his tour to stop by our favorite music-filled office for NPR Music's Tiny Desk Concert series. The Washington, D.C.-native took over Bob Boilen's desk to perform a trio of singles from his debut album Green Twins. Nick set the stage for a laid-back afternoon, along with his band, which included guitars, bass, drums, piano and electronic sound effects. The eclectic crooner filled the space with his pleasantly haunting instrumentals and feather-light vocals, giving NPR employees and guests stripped-down versions of "Cuffed," "Needy Bees" and "Roller Skates."
Hakim kicked off his performance with "Cuffed," letting go of his signature use of reverb and sticking to the basics. With his band on backup, he transformed the space into his studio, keeping his delivery raw and raspy and just as vulnerable as the track about sex and love. At the end of the song, he immediately turned red with an endearing bashfulness and quickly transitioned to "Needy Bees," a beautiful ballad that allowed Nick to showcase even more vulnerability. He ended his performance with a more upbeat tune, "Roller Skates," where he plucked his guitar and sang, again going back in his world and bringing the audience along with him.
This was a sweet homecoming for Nick who's been on tour since October and has no plans of stopping until the end of April. If you have yet to catch Nick Hakim live, check out his website for dates in a city near you and watch his Tiny Desk Concert to give you even more reasons to buy a ticket.
