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Alum Featured on NPR's 2023 Tiny Desk Contest Winner

26/05/2023

Alum Featured on NPR's 2023 Tiny Desk Contest Winner Wonder Eye by Little Moon, which includes Chris Shemwell B.M. 20 on drums, was the judges top choice among 6,000 entries.

By

Bryan Parys

May 26, 2023

Chris Shemwell B.M. '20 plays drums in Little Moon, the winner of NPRs 2023 Tiny Desk Contest.

Image courtesy of the artist

Fourth times a charm for Utah-based indie-pop band Little Moon, who after as many years of entries to NPRs annual Tiny Desk Contest, beat out 6,000 other entrants and was the unanimous choice according to the judges. Little Moons entries have impressed contest judges since 2020, but this year, the band leveled up, NPR reported in their announcement.

Berklee Alumni on Tiny Desk

Check out a list of other Berklee-connected artists who have been featured on the popular concert series.

The winning video features the bands latest single, Wonder Eye, and shows each member arranged in a tableau of candles and red backlighting, which fits the songs haunting mood. The song is a dynamic and explosive tune with a deeply emotional story, said Tiny Desk series creator Bob Boilen. Opening with just lead singer Emma Hardyman and a nylon-string acoustic guitar, the song bursts open at the one-minute mark, anchored by bassy, pounding drums led by Chris Shemwell B.M. 20. While at Berklee, Shemwell majored in electronic music and production. I'll forever be fascinated by rhythm, electronics, and the combination of the two, Shemwell has said, speaking to the impact his studies had on his drum style.

The band is set to play an official Tiny Desk concert in Washington, D.C., soon, before setting off to headline the contests On the Road tour beginning in June.

Watch Little Moons winning entry for the Tiny Desk Concert 2023:

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