NPR Music Tiny Desk Concert

Stephen Thompson, August 14, 2017 The moment you get a look at behind the Tiny Desk, you ll notice it in the foreground: The singer asked us to record her set using her vintage RCA Ribbon microphone, which she carries around in a small briefcase between shows. It s a security blanket, a bit of visual branding, a statement of stylistic intent and, not for nothing, a big reason voice carries with such warmth and intimacy. The microphone isn t the only element of sound that seems to have been transported from another era. The Londonborn, Parisbased singer draws inspiration from her uncle, a British 20s and 30s cabaret star by the name of Leslie Hutch Hutchinson, and writes her own songs in the style of the standards he sang. You I, her debut album, reverberates from the same spirit: It captures and conveys a reverent love of early20thcentury music, while injecting those sounds with charisma and charm well suited for any era. Here, she performs four songs from You I, be