Rising R&B star Joyce Wrice is in the midst of a breakout year after dropping her debut album, Overgrown, in 2021. With its Kaytranada-produced follow-up EP Motive out now, Wrice solidified her breakout status with an appearance on NPR Music’s Tiny Desk Concerts.
Her set spans both projects, drawing from the soulful Overgrown with renditions of “Chandler,” “Falling In Love,” “Must Be Nice,” and “On One” before shifting gears to the more upbeat Motive cuts “Bittersweet Goodbyes” and “Iced Tea.” Wrice herself is decked out in a white-on-white ensemble of a close-fitting maxi skirt with hip cutouts and matching gloves, while her band wears all-black, lending the staging the effect of a star shining in the night.
Wrice certainly fits the bill. In a recent interview with Rolling Stone, she explained why wanted to switch up her style on Motive. “I think through this journey of me finding my voice, learning more about myself as an artist, performer, singer, and songwriter, I learned that I love performing,” she elaborates. “I really like making music that people can dance to, because I love to go out dancing. So why not make music for that?”
Watch Joyce Wrice’s NPR Music Tiny Desk Concert above.