From folk to funk: A sample of the South Florida talent competing in NPR's Tiny Desk Contest
By Helen Acevedo, Sherrilyn Cabrera, Alyssa Ramos, Natu Tweh
April 14, 2025 at 4:19 PM EDT
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
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ls13pH5bkww
Sons of Mystro
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MIgtUuMlITU
Miami-Dade
Inez Barlatier
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aG_1y2E3zA4
Mava
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BZqcHC5P4aE
Rey Rodriguez
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SA2RZ0Gn3Kc
Rug
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IhLlnF5uyaM
Monroe County
K Boswell
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u5Ogim_cP0g
Palm Beach County
Justin Koolik
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cx-niLaWuHs
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.
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
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ls13pH5bkww
Sons of Mystro
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MIgtUuMlITU
Miami-Dade
Inez Barlatier
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aG_1y2E3zA4
Mava
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BZqcHC5P4aE
Rey Rodriguez
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SA2RZ0Gn3Kc
Rug
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IhLlnF5uyaM
Monroe County
K Boswell
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u5Ogim_cP0g
Palm Beach County
Justin Koolik
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cx-niLaWuHs
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.