Published August 13, 2026 at 5:00 AM EDT

Audrey Hobert loves a comedic bit. In concert, she'll stand on a tall ladder hidden by a taller trench coat. Or bounce on a mini trampoline. Or dribble basketballs. Knowing that she's inspired by comedian (and musician) Steve Martin, this all makes more sense. But take away those tricks in a setting like the Tiny Desk, and Hobert's catchy pop songs are just as captivating.

Hobert arrived with a debut album last year, Who's the Clown?, already with a distinct songwriting voice. The Los Angeles artist has a knack for putting words to the sometimes embarrassing thoughts many of us have rolling around in our heads — and singing them with a satisfying cadence over a banging beat.

Her storytelling shines on songs like "Sex and the city" and the Friends-inspired "Phoebe." (Given her background in screenwriting, it's not surprising that her songs reference these hit shows and paint amusing characters.) "The seat is up, the place is haunted / He's heating up and eating up a pizza pocket / I wanted one, but he forgot it," she muses on "Sex and the city." The songwriting is funny, but it's also a vulnerable exploration of desire.

"Sometimes when you're a burgeoning artist, you have one hit," Hobert says before the last song. "I would classify this as a hit." She adds that "it's only a hit with time," a statement that would prove true: "Sue me" entered the Billboard Hot 100 just this week.

SET LIST

• "Shooting star"
• "Thirst Trap"
• "Phoebe"
• "Sex and the city"
• "Sue me"

MUSICIANS

• Audrey Hobert: vocals, guitar
• Ricky Gourmet: guitar
• Hayley Briasco: guitar, banjo
• Lana Drincic: keys, piano
• Steven Brickman: sax, keys, piano, bass
• Andrew Pham: bass
• Cameron Allen: drums

TINY DESK TEAM

• Producer: Elle Mannion
• Director/Editor: Kara Frame
• Audio Engineer/Mix: Josephine Nyounai
• Host/Series Producer: Bobby Carter
• Videographers: Kara Frame, Maia Stern, Alanté Serene
• Audio Director: Josh Newell
• Production Assistant: Ashley Pointer
• Photographer: Michael Zamora
• Tiny Desk Team: Joshua Bryant, 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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