Post Malone: Tiny Desk Concert

Stephen Thompson | August 15, 2023
The Tiny Desk has hosted plenty of major pop, rock and hip-hop stars in its 15-plus years, but you'd be hard-pressed to find one more agreeable or self-effacing than Austin Richard Post. Whether lamenting the state of his singing voice, joking about his nerves or sitting slack-jawed in awe of the fantastic band his people had assembled for this show, Post had the bearing of a lottery winner who wouldn't even give himself credit for buying a ticket.

Before, during and after the show, Post Malone was a joy to have around. But he also just happened to bring a few of the biggest pop hits of the 21st century: Set-opener "Sunflower," for example, has been certified eighteen-times platinum by the RIAA since its release in 2018 — that's an all-time record — while the 2017 single "I Fall Apart" and 2019's "Circles" lag behind at a mere ten-times platinum apiece. "Enough Is Enough," which closes this set, enjoys no such designation, but give it time: A track from Post Malone's new album Austin, it's only been out for a few weeks.

So enjoy this set for what it is: one of the world's biggest stars, performing a few of the world's biggest songs, each set to a luminous arrangement. Post Malone himself seems surprised by how great this Tiny Desk concert sounds, and that's not just the humility talking.