Yasmin Williams never expected to win NPR’s Tiny Desk Contest. Twice, she submitted her music, and twice, she didn’t take home the prize. But looking back now, from the vantage point of a soaring music career, she realizes that those so-called losses were anything but setbacks.
A Contest Entry That Sparked a Movement
In 2018, Williams took a chance and entered the Tiny Desk Contest. She knew the odds—thousands of talented musicians submitted their best work—but she wasn’t aiming for victory. Instead, she just wanted to be part of something bigger, a creative community of artists showcasing their craft.
Though she didn’t win, her entry caught NPR’s attention, landing her a feature on Weekend Edition with Scott Simon. That interview turned out to be the spark that set everything in motion.
The “NPR Bump”—From Obscurity to the Charts
Williams had no idea what was about to happen. After her NPR feature, her debut album Unwind went from being virtually unknown—ranked No. 255,801 on Amazon’s paid albums chart—to skyrocketing to No. 6. The increase? A staggering 3,603,685% jump. On iTunes, it climbed to No. 1 in multiple categories, and Billboard’s Heatseekers chart welcomed her at No. 15.
And the financial boost? It allowed her to purchase her first custom guitar—an instrument that remains her signature to this day.
Another Shot, Another “Loss”—Or So It Seemed
Williams wasn’t done with the Tiny Desk Contest just yet. In 2020, she tried again. And again, she didn’t win. But this time, she was selected for the Top Shelf series, where Brittany Howard, the powerhouse singer of Alabama Shakes, praised her work. A Zoom call with Howard alone was thrilling. What happened next, though, was life-changing.
Last year, Williams landed a coveted opening slot for Brittany Howard and Michael Kiwanuka on a month-long tour. When she reconnected with Howard in person, the singer revealed that she had been following Williams since the Top Shelf feature. That moment of recognition confirmed what Williams had started to realize—her music was making an impact, even without a Tiny Desk trophy.
From “Loser” to Tiny Desk Performer
Fast-forward to today, and Williams has officially played her own Tiny Desk concert—not as a contestant, but as an invited artist. Her career is booming. She recently appeared on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert’s digital series, landed a Washington Post cover story, and is currently headlining her own East Coast tour.
Williams’ experience proves something crucial: a single contest outcome doesn’t define success. For her, not winning was the best thing that could have happened.
