Floetry: Tiny Desk Concert

Thu, 04 Jun 2026 14:49:03 +0000

This Black Music Month, Tiny Desk celebrates the undeniable legacy of BET. Like the network that put Black artistry first, these sets reflect the essence of Black music.

Mitra I. Arthur | June 2, 2026
Floetry made its way “from London’s SE5 to Philly's west side just to bring the vibe” to the Tiny Desk. And with the poetic flows of Natalie Stewart (aka The Floacist) and a rich, floating soprano from Marsha Ambrosius (aka The Songstress), the vibe in our space was immaculate.

This duo has known and made music with each other since youth — it’s a sisterhood that doesn’t diminish through the ebbs and flows of life. They began their musical journey together in London and found themselves embedded in Philadelphia’s rich music scene, building a catalog of soulful R&B projects that charmed audiences.

Floetry took a moment from its first tour in a decade to stop by the Tiny Desk. The duo starts their set with “Big Ben,” a callback to their U.K. origins. “Butterflies,” co-written by Ambrosius and Andre Harris — and famously performed by Michael Jackson — is mesmerizing as Ambrosius’ voice flutters. Situated in the middle of the set are the sensual “Say Yes” and “Getting Late,” songs that steam up any environment, causing the pair to joke it might be too early in the day for them. There's a palpable joy and playfulness in the little moments between songs; that joy spills over to the audience, who excitedly sing along. Floetry closes with its debut single, “Floetic,” taking the audience back to the 20-somethings who announced their arrival onto the R&B landscape.

SET LIST
“Big Ben”
“SupaStar”
“Butterflies”
“Say Yes”
“Getting Late”
“Floetic”

MUSICIANS
Marsha Ambrosius: vocals:
Natalie Stewart: vocals
E. Will: keys, music director
Steven Johnson: keys
Shago Elizondo: guitar
Mykal Curtis: bass
Nigel Lawrence: percussion
Darryl Staves Jr.: drums
DJ Aktive: DJ

TINY DESK TEAM
Producer: Mitra I. Arthur
Director: Kara Frame
Audio Engineer/Mix: Josephine Nyounai
Host/Series Producer: Bobby Carter
Video Editor: Maia Stern
Videographers: Kara Frame, Joshua Bryant, Maia Stern
Audio Engineer: Tiffany Vera Castro
Production Assistant: Ashley Pointer
Photographer: Michael Zamora
Tiny Desk Team: Josh Newell, Felix Contreras
Series Editor: Lars Gotrich
Executive Producer: Suraya Mohamed
Executive Director: Sonali Mehta
Series Creators: Bob Boilen, Stephen Thompson, Robin Hilton

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