PJ Sin Suela Makes Tiny Desk History With Sign Language Interpreter

Sin Suela lit up NPR’s Tiny Desk Concert with a historic and dynamic performance, becoming the first artist to incorporate a sign language interpreter as part of the performance that premiered on Thursday (May 1).

Clad in vibrant orange — a color aligning with his most recent album, Toda Época Tiene Su Encanto, which dropped September 2024 — the Puerto Rican wordsmith and his 12-member troupe brought a genre-bending set to the stage.

The 24-minute performance opened with the love rap “Tengo Una Nota” and and the bilingual “Duolingo.” The artist showcased his versatility with “Mírame,” delivered in a spoken-word, conscious-rap style that highlighted his lyrical depth and storytelling ability. A blend of funk, rap and hip-hop defined the set’s eclectic sound, punctuated by a laid-back yet pulsating performance of “Amor Artificial” and the high-energy “Top.” He closed with the emotional anti-war song “Mambrú.”

“This is a dream come true for me,” said PJ Sin Suela in a press release. “I remember being in college playing Tiny Desk sessions and thinking, ‘One day I’ll be there,’ and it happened. To this day, if I’m cooking or having friends over, we put on a Tiny Desk. I have a deep respect and love for the platform, and I treated it that way. We prepared, rehearsed and gave it our all. I was able to bring my favorite musicians from Puerto Rico and people I admire and love dearly. I was able to represent what I do visually, musically, and socially.”

Accompanying PJ was a powerhouse ensemble of Puerto Rican musicians, including Jahaziel García on trumpet, Benson Pagán Jiménez on guitar, Gabo Lugo on percussion and Barba Blanca on piano. Alexssa Hernández made Tiny Desk history as the series’ first sign language interpreter. Backing vocalists Verónica Rolón Acevedo and Jeimy Osorio added soulful harmonies to the show.

PJ Sin Suela also used his Tiny Desk debut as a platform for activism, placing stickers on the set that read “Puerto Rico is NOT for sale.” The message — which he carried as a sign during the 2022 Puerto Rican Day Parade — reflects his opposition to policies such as Act 22, which allows wealthy foreigners to exploit the island’s resources.

Watch PJ Sin Suela’s performance on Tiny Desk below.