Bobby Carter named host and series producer for NPR's Tiny Desk

March 27, 2024; Washington, D.C. — Bobby Carter is the new host and series producer for NPR's Tiny Desk Concerts, a video series launched in 2008 featuring intimate concerts recorded live at NPR's headquarters.

"I spent over a decade with one foot in Digital Media and one foot in Music to the point where my impact overwhelmingly sided with the Tiny Desk. My former supervisor, Malik Abdullah recognized and advocated for NPR Music to hire me and it's been on ever since. Tiny Desk is about the passion for music. If you see a massive pop star at the Desk, it's because I or someone on the team is passionate about them. The next day you'll likely hear from an emerging artist you've never heard of and they use the opportunity to tell their stories the way they see fit. This isn't a coincidence. It's a strategy enforced with an enormous amount of care. Each day, my team adds to a rich history and I'm so proud of what we've built over the past fifteen years. This work is undeniably personal to me and it's my esteemed honor to represent NPR, the Tiny Desk, and more importantly, the culture that informs so much of what we do at NPR Music," said Carter.

"Bobby's long-time love of music as a cultural bridge has helped him transform an already transformational series, Tiny Desk Concerts, into one with NPR's youngest and most diverse audience. Beyond his work to make Tiny Desk one of the most in-demand live music platforms in the world, he unapologetically stands up for culture with everything he touches," said Keith Jenkins, Vice President for Visual and Music Strategy for NPR.

In 2014, Carter produced his first Tiny Desk concert. Since then, his work has been at the intersection of music, technology, and engagement. He turned a modest celebration of Black History Month in 2021 into a cross-cultural event combining music, film, photojournalism, and commentary. Carter leveraged this template to pull new teams together to bring a multi-dimensional, multi-continent, multi-platform celebration of Black Music Month, LatinX Heritage Month, Asian American/Pacific Islander Month and Indigenous People Month. His vision has helped forge partnerships with, among others, HBO, Complexcon, and Amazon. Tiny Desk Concerts average 40 million views per month on YouTube and the phenomenal success of the brand has led to its expansion into Korea and Japan.

Carter's career with NPR started in 1999 as a DJ for member station WJSU in Jackson, Mississippi. After graduating from Jackson State University in the summer of 2000, the St. Louis native traveled to Washington D.C. to begin his stint as the first intern for the yet-to-be-released web music program, All Songs Considered. He was later hired by NPR's 'New Media' department where he helped to lead and build the digital infrastructure for daily operations of NPR.org, driving live and on-demand programming for countless historical events including five Presidential elections, the Iraq War, and 9/11. When NPR Music launched in 2007, he lent his talents to the team, leading live remotes from the 9:30 Club, La Poison Rouge in New York, The Americana Awards, SXSW, and the Newport Folk and Jazz Festivals.

During his time at NPR, Carter has helped expand NPR Music's reach, earning multiple Webby Awards, an Anthem Award, and a BET Hip Hop Award nomination.

Carter is a St. Louis native, globally-respected DJ, writer, public speaker, and judge for the Tiny Desk Contest.

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