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From folk to funk: A sample of the South Florida talent competing in NPR's Tiny Desk Contest

Screenshots from YouTube
WLRN is highlighting some of our favorite South Florida submissions for NPR's 2025 Tiny Desk Contest contest. Pictured above going clockwise is Mava (top left), Funk Unity, K Boswell and Justin Koolik.

South Florida is loud.

Reggaeton bumps from Honda Civics and EDM beats reverberate from swanky clubs. But that’s not the only music coming out of South Florida.

We’re home to a wide array of music genres from all types of musicians, but it can be hard to break through — and it’s even easier to go unnoticed. That’s the concept behind NPR’s Tiny Desk Contest. Launched in 2015, the annual contest aims to highlight unsigned, independent artists from across the nation.

It’s a small desk but a big platform.

READ MORE: Dream factory for young performers: Miami’s talent contest still finding stars

The stripped-down nature of the concert series has attracted a cult following, giving international musicians exposure in the U.S. and cementing genre-defining artists.

As a result, it’s become a milestone moment for pop star heavyweights like Taylor Swift and Bad Bunny to make an appearance on Tiny Desk.

It's become a part of the culture.

Because we can't cover every artist, WLRN is showcasing some of our favorite South Florida submissions this year. In the weeks leading up to the announcement of the Tiny Desk winner in May, WLRN will be speaking to artists from each county.

Here are some of the local musicians that have caught our attention.

Broward

Funk Unity

Sons of Mystro

Miami-Dade

Inez Barlatier

Mava

Rey Rodriguez

Rug

Monroe County

K Boswell

Palm Beach County

Justin Koolik

Keep up with South Florida's arts and culture scene by signing up for The A/C Newsletter. Every Wednesday, the A/C will offer a curation of stories and deep dives that celebrate South Florida's arts community. Click here to subscribe.

Helen Acevedo, is WLRN's anchor for All Things Considered.
Sherrilyn Cabrera is WLRN's senior producer.
Alyssa Ramos is the multimedia producer for Morning Edition for WLRN. She produces regional stories for newscasts and manages digital content on WLRN.
Natu Tweh is WLRN's Morning Host.
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