This Black Music Month, Tiny Desk honors the anniversaries of landmark albums that have shaped the course of music and culture.

Alanté Serene | June 6, 2025
When Amerie arrived at the Tiny Desk, her enthusiastic energy and bright smile was an instant mood boost. The warm entrance felt fitting for an artist whose music embodies the soul of summer: bold percussion, breezy vocals and the feeling of endless possibilities.

When her sophomore album Touch dropped in 2005, it introduced a national audience to the infectious rhythms of go-go. Rooted in Washington, D.C., go-go is known for its layered percussion, funky basslines and live instrumentation made to hype the crowd. These sounds pulse through Amerie’s music and helped to make “1 Thing” a standout in a year overflowing with R&B hits.

Amerie, who once lived in Washington, D.C. for several years, returns to the city with a reimagined set accompanied by go-go legends Backyard Band. Together, they open the show with songs from her debut album All I Have, including “Talkin’ to Me” and the quintessential summer anthem “Why Don’t We Fall in Love.” She eases into her latest single, “Mine,” and delivers a fan-favorite “I Just Died,” before introducing a new rendition of “Rolling Down My Face” that you’ll want to hear all the time from now on. By the time “Talkin’ About” kicks in, Amerie is in full dance mode. When “1 Thing” closes out the set, she steps from behind the Desk to join the dance party, turning the performance into a celebration.

SET LIST
“Talkin’ to Me”
“Why Don’t We Fall in Love”
“Mine”
“I Just Died”
“Rolling Down My Face”
“Talkin’ About”
“1 Thing”

MUSICIANS
Amerie: vocals
Warren Jones: keys
Michael Dunklin: keys
Eric Britt: keys
Bobby Terry: guitar
Eugene Chapman: alto saxophone
Nathaniel Fields: bass
Paul Edwards: drums
Keith Robinson: percussion
Tanesia Mack: background vocals
Tonaee’ Burgess: background vocals
Zay’Marie: background vocals

TINY DESK TEAM
Producer: Alanté Serene
Director/Editor: Maia Stern
Audio Technical Director: Josh Newell
Host/Series Producer: Bobby Carter
Videographers: Maia Stern, Joshua Bryant, Kara Frame, Elizabeth Gillis
Audio Engineer: Josephine Nyounai
Production Assistants: Dora Levite, Ashley Pointer
Photographer: Grace Raver
Tiny Desk Series Editor: Lars Gotrich
Executive Producer: Suraya Mohamed
Series Creators: Bob Boilen, Stephen Thompson
VP, Visuals and Music: Keith Jenkins

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