Felix Contreras | May 16, 2025 Carín León is an old soul. There is no other way to account for the power of the emotion in his voice. His 16-piece band tests the limited space behind the Tiny Desk, but when the brass takes over to punctuate a performance, Leon's commanding presence shows why he's one of the best at what he does. Regional Mexican music is based upon song forms from another era, but León's lyrics add a new spin on heartbreak and love lost. This set opens with "Ese Vato No Te Queda," followed by two songs from the 2024 album Palabra De To's. Previously, León premiered "Primera Cita" for his Tiny Desk (home) concert, which became a major hit. That song "left a mark on our lives and completely shaped our careers," he shares. For good luck, León here premieres "Por la Suave," which was also written by Alejandro Lozano. "A poem that I love," León says. SET LIST "Ese Vato No Te Queda" "Lado Frágil" "El Amor de Mi Herida" "Por la Suave" MUSICIANS Carín León: vocals Arturo Garcia: guitar Luis Diaz de Leon Huez: guitar Miguel Abraham Nayares Moreno: 12-string guitar Alan Ortega: dobro Javier Humberto Sesma Rivera: tololoche Daniel Fuentevilla: keys Servando Quijada: alto horn Marcos Barbosa: alto horn Sebastián Quintero: saxophone, harmonica, clarinet Jhonatan Velázquez Villegas: clarinet José Angel Avila Llunez: trumpet Ismael Mendoza: trumpet Carlos Leon: trombone Abel Anguiano: trombone Antonio Zepeda: tuba Luis Carlos Pérez: drums TINY DESK TEAM Producers: Felix Contreras, Anamaria Sayre Director/Editor: Maia Stern Audio Technical Director: Josh Newell Host/Series Producer: Bobby Carter Videographers: Maia Stern, Joshua Bryant, Kara Frame, Alanté Serene Audio Engineer: Hannah Gluvna Production Assistants: Dora Levite, Ashley Pointer Photographer: Grace Raver Tiny Desk Series Editor: Lars Gotrich Executive Producer: Suraya Mohamed Series Creators: Bob Boilen, Stephen Thompson VP, Visuals and Music: Keith Jenkins #nprmusic #tinydesk #carinleon Support for NPR Music comes from Capital One. Presenting sponsor of the 2025 Tiny Desk Contest. What's in your wallet? Learn more at CapitalOne.com.