With anticipation building for the upcoming Black Music Month, NPR has revealed its forthcoming performances slated for June. Tiny Desk’s Series Producer and Host, Bobby Carter, told Essence in a new interview, that this year was about giving female artists their flowers. Carter was responsible for spearheading last year’s Black Music Month lineup. Juvenile, Tank, Babyface, and Charlie Willson, were among the performers. However this year, Carter says female acts like Tems, Chaka Khan, and Tierra Whack, will have a chance to shine.
Kierra Sheard, Lakecia Benjamin, Me’Shell Ndegeoccello, Brittney Spencer, SWV, and Flo Mili are also expected to perform. Carter noted that once he saw only men were listed as performers last year, he wanted to bring something different. “To be honest, most of the bands that I aimed for, and most of the bands and the artists that I am most excited about from the legacy side, are women.”
“The goal is to cover as much ground as possible,” says Tiny Desk’s Series Producer and Host, Bobby Carter
He continued: “So this time last year, I knew that we wanted to bring an all-female-led lineup this year.” Carter states that NPR aims to cover as much ground as possible regarding diverse artists’ styles. “When we do packages like this, the goal is to cover as much ground as possible to represent as many walks of life and generations and genres as possible within that month’s frame,” he said.
Carter says pulling these artists was “the best attempt to cast a wide net.” He continues: “So if you are into a country, if you are into hip-hop if you are into new R&B, if you’re into old R&B, we’re trying to do as much as we can and represent as much as we can within the month.”