By Haley Cinotto
As a result of the impact of COVID-19 keeping everyone in quarantine for the foreseeable future, NPR Music is bringing you an at-home rendition of the Tiny Desk Concert series. Rising pop songwriter King Princess joined NPR as their first remote guest all the way from her Hawaii paradise “quarantine shed.”
To kick off her set, King Princess got cozy in her white fluffy chair and jogger pants, rested a tiny electric keyboard on her lap, and sang “Isabel’s Moment.”
She explained, “the song is truly an homage to that type of quarantine thirstiness that we’re feeling right now.” She continued, “it makes me think of all the mischief that people are getting up to in this quarantine time; they’re texting their exes, they’re texting their ex-best friends, they are all around on the social media lurking.”
As she progressed through the rest of her set, she sang along with her guitar and performed the tracks “Prophet” and “Homegirl,” ending each performance with a heartfelt message. She struggled with the feeling as if she was starting back from square one. Going from being constantly on the road to complete isolation, she reflected that it felt like making music in her room. As we often get lost in the busy routine of our lives, she tried to use this time to spark the creativity she once had when she was younger.
King Princess admitted “Homegirl” is her “secret favorite song” from her album Cheap Queen. “She [Homegirl] deserves more justice than she’s been given so far,” she explained. The singer feels it touches the country residing inside her “just waiting to come out.”
King Princess debuted her studio album Cheap Queen in October 2019 in addition to a deluxe edition in February that included five new songs. This year she was set to join the European leg of Harry Styles’ 2020 Love On Tour and had the opportunity to open for The Strokes in Los Angeles. But now she says, “I’m back to just making music in my room.” King Princess concluded her performance with a final inspiring message encouraging others to use this time to hang out with the people you love, mend strained relationships, and explore your inner creativity.
Check out King Princess’s full NPR Tiny Desk (Home) Concert below:
Photo: Getty/Natasha Moustache
