Sevdaliza: Tiny Desk (Home) Concert at MENDO
NPR Music
Credit: Courtesy of the Artist
MENDO is the proud host of Sevdaliza: Tiny Desk (Home) Concert by NPR Music. Watch Sevdaliza perform 'Human', and more recorded at MENDO for Tiny Desk.
“Good afternoon humans, my name is Sevdaliza, you’re very welcome on flight 808; our destination is Shabrang.” And so begins our elegant, ethereal journey. We hear an old reel-to-reel tape machine spinning some Brazilian bossa nova sounds, then shift to something more somber. Sevdaliza is seated, the tones are golden and brown, and her yearning voice sings, “I am flesh, bones / I am skin, soul / I am human.” The song, “Human,” which casts away the notion of artists — particularly female artists — as products.
It’s a defiant stand from this Iranian-born artist. Sevdaliza is an original, a truly creative soul. Her collaborators play delicate textures — electronic percussion, buzzing, swirling synth sounds, and cello and violin beautifully enhance texture and melody.
The home for this Tiny Desk (home) concert is a culturally significant bookstore and publishing house in Amsterdam called MENDO. Its warmth sets the tone for songs from Sevdaliza’s album Shabrang. If you haven’t heard her record, this is a perfect introduction to an album you shouldn’t have missed in 2020.
Text by Bob Boilen, NPR
NPR
‘I am flesh, bones / I am skin, soul / I am human.’
‘I am flesh, bones / I am skin, soul / I am human.’
Set list
“Human”
“Dormant”
“All Rivers at Once”
“Gole Bi Goldoon”
Musicians
Sevdaliza: vocals
Anthony Amirkhan: drums
Leon den Engelsen: keys
Jonas Pap: cello
Mihai Puscoiu: violin
Credits
Video: Daniel Porcedda, Jair Mahazri
Audio: Olivier Fournier, Jonas Gehrmann
Tiny Desk Team
Producer: Bob Boilen
Video Producer: Morgan Noelle Smith
Audio Mastering: Josh Rogosin
Associate Producer: Bobby Carter
Tiny Production Team: Bob Boilen, Kara Frame, Maia Stern
Executive Producer: Lauren Onkey
Senior VP, Programming: Anya Grundmann
Continue reading
A message from MENDO’s Publisher, Gunifort Uwambaga
Black Lives Matter
Our Publisher, Gunifort Uwambaga, on overcoming racism, bigotry, and prejudice through books.
MENDO’s favorites of the year
As the famous American poet Jon Bon Jovi once said: “we’re halfway there.” We’re already closer to the next year than the previous one, so time to make up the…
MENDO’s webshop nominated for Site Of The Year
Winners announced in February in Berlin
After receiving a handful of awards in April 2017, MENDO's webshop is now in the running to become Site Of The Year at Awwwards.
Good things come to those who (can’t) wait
New titles to pre-order
As we’re slowly progressing towards Fall, new exciting titles are already available for pre order at MENDO. From nature to fashion, and from street photography to food. Good things come…
MENDO opens new store at Hotel De L’Europe
The new MENDO
The word is out: in March, MENDO will open a new store at Hotel De L’Europe in Amsterdam. Here’s how the design, created by our friends from Nicemakers, came to…
Intended for those in search of the rare and beautiful
Mona di Orio
At MENDO we have friends with brands that have a way of drawing out inspiration and creativity. Maison Mona di Orio was created by the perfumer, Mona di Orio, and…
We appreciate your feedback on the new MENDO.nl
Welcome to the all-new MENDO.nl - a webshop for book aficionados, by book aficionados.
9 reasons we love our city
Just like the rest of the world, Amsterdam is going through it at the moment. So, here's a small reminder of 9 things we love about Amsterdam, captured in 9…
MENDO Live Sessions @ De L’Europe
Every Thursday at 2PM, MENDO's Roy and Gunifort will be coming to you live on Instagram from our new store at De L'Europe Amsterdam with an insider's take on the…
Shelf Sessions: Gijs Determeijer
HALAL
In our series Shelf Sessions we climb the shelves of MENDO’s friends. In this episode: Gijs Determeijer; Executive Producer & Partner at HALAL.