Camila Cabello: Tiny Desk (Home) Concert

From Sept. 15 through Oct. 15, Tiny Desk is celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month with an “El Tiny“ takeover of the (home) concert series, featuring J Balvin, Camila Cabello and several more musicians from all corners of Latinidad. Anamaria Sayre | October 15, 2021 To the beat of her swishing hips and swaying percussionists, Camila Cabello’s famous “Half of my heart is in Havana“ reverberates across this musician-packed Miami set, with an at-home ease that feels novel for the global popstar. Born to a Cuban mother and Mexican father in Havana, Cuba, Cabello is no stranger to blending borders and connecting worlds. As the final performance in our Hispanic Heritage Month Celebration, her El Tiny concert epitomises the cross-cultural, transnational musical identities we’ve centered over the course of the series. Each unique arrangement of her universal hits represents and explores a new facet of the identities and experiences that make up Cabello. These stripped-down renditions of her hits “Havana,“ “Real Friends,“ “Señorita“ and “Don’t Go Yet“ include more Latin instrumentation than the recordings — presumably bringing them closer to sounds that were first introduced to her as music during her childhood in Havana, Mexico City, and Miami. The interlude featuring a sacred Afro-Cuban Santería chant and the following performance of the unreleased, Mariachi-based “La Buena Vida,“ firmly root Cabello’s El Tiny performance within two cultural traditions that don’t typically glitter under the harsh lights of a global stage. Here, we find Camila on the precipice of a voice that magically layers pop with tradition, holding all parts of a complex identity in seamless harmony. Flanked by Cuban congueros and Mexican mariachi, all aglow under the Miami sun, Camila Cabello’s heart has never felt more whole. SET LIST “Havana“ “Real Friends“ “Señorita“ “Don’t Go Yet“ “La Buena Vida“ MUSICIANS Camila Cabello: vocals Edwin Carranza: bass/music director Marcus Kincy: keys/glockenspiel Chris Johnson: drums Luke Iono: guitar Yisel Duque: vocals Jackie Mendez: vocals Alex Garcia: guitar Camilo Velandia: guitar Daniel Lopez: percussion Joel del Sol: percussion Gerardo Rodriguez: trumpet Mayerlin Carrero: trombone Luisi “Rosca“ Beltran: saxophone Cheche Alara: accordion, rhodes Jimmy K. Cuéllar: violín Luis Zambrano: violín Ángel Guzmán: violín Gustavo Zambrano: violín Saúl Ruiz: violín Gustavo Hernández: guitarra Jason Franco: vihuela Albert Jimenez: guitarron John Vargas: trompeta Grover Castro: trompeta Music Production: Cheche Alara, Ricky Reed Music Director & Arranger: Cheche Alara CREDITS Video: Justin Francis Audio: Lawrence Manchester Video Production: Hidden Pictures Camera Op: Alexandra Vivas Backline Techs: Okwa Andrew, Edward Mendoza Recording Engineer: Ryan Cecil Playback/Recording Engineer/Editing: Mike Kopulos Monitor Engineer: Taylor Holden Production Manager: Chris Coffie Steadicam: Zach Burgh A Camera AC: Joe Ariberto B Camera AC: Alex Cristofoli Digital Imaging Tech: Leungson P. “Coco“ Gaffer: Ricardo C. Lopez Grip: Brian Sills Swing: Brandon Vencino PA: Jonathan Ruffini PA: Kevin Cuenca Art Director: Luis Roman Art Assistant: Joel Figueroa Colorist: Marshall Palante Location: Soho House Miami Music Transcription: Boh Cooper TINY DESK TEAM Producer: Anamaria Sayre Video Producer: Maia Stern Audio Mastering: Andy Huether ’El Tiny’ Team: Felix Contreras, Reanna Cruz, Anaïs Laurent, Stefanie Fernandez Tiny Production Team: Bob Boilen, Bobby Carter, Kara Frame, Josh Rogosin, Sofie Hernandez-Simeonidis Executive Producer: Keith Jenkins Senior VP, Programming: Anya Grundmann #eltiny #tinydesk #nprmusic #camilacabello