Odeal: Tiny Desk Concert

The first thing you might notice about Odeal‘s Tiny Desk: He’s holding a phone in his hands. “Someone really special couldn’t make it today and it’s my mom,” he explains. “I’ve got her on the phone right now.” The British Nigerian singer and songwriter then props the FaceTime call right in front of him to give his mother a front row seat. Right from the first note, we are instantly transported to the warm, soulful pocket that we never leave.

Ever since his debut EP in 2017, Odeal has built a deep catalog of smooth grooves. The Summer That Saved Me, which came out in July, is a culmination of the work that he has put into shaping his sound. He weaves the project’s highlights with several other songs from his repertoire, including “Wicked,” a standout from his latest drop, The Fall That Saved Us. The result is a carefully curated show that is intimate, intentional and right on time.

SET LIST

• “Free Me”
• “Soh-Soh”
• “Blame U”
• “Wicked” 
• “Miami”
• “24/48”
• “London Summers/My Heart”
• “Coffee (Don’t Read Signs)” 

MUSICIANS

• Odeal: vocals
• Omar Grand: piano, keys, music director 
• Isaac Adoasi: keys
• Ernest “Bonxu” Bonsu Jr.: guitar
• Jared G Wilson: bass
• DeVaughn Durham: alto sax, flute
• Ahmad DuBose-Dawson: percussion
• Timothy “CarlosOnTheBeat” Pabifio: drums
• Leven: background vocals
• Shanera Denaé: background vocals
• Morgan “Mogi” Williams: background vocals

TINY DESK TEAM

• Producer: Alanté Serene
• Director/Editor: Joshua Bryant
• Audio Technical Director: Neil Tevault
• Host/Series Producer: Bobby Carter
• Videographers: Joshua Bryant, Maia Stern, Kara Frame
• Audio Engineer: Hannah Gluvna
• Production Assistants: Dora Levite, Dhanika Pineda
• Tiny Desk Team: Josh Newell, Ashley Pointer 
• Photographer: Sofia Seidel
• Series Editor: Lars Gotrich
• Executive Producer: Suraya Mohamed
• Executive Director: Sonali Mehta
• Series Creators: Bob Boilen, Stephen Thompson, Robin Hilton