The 19-year-old Argentinian artist kicked off his set with “Recordé” and the unreleased “Cuestiones.”
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Milo J brought the soul of South America to NPR’s Tiny Desk Concert series on Thursday (April 30), making his debut with a vibrant 17-minute performance that paid homage to Argentina’s folkloric traditions and the Río de la Plata region. The 19-year-old artist from Morón, Buenos Aires, kicked off his medley with “Recordé” and the unreleased “Cuestiones,” acoustic-driven ballads elevated by dynamic percussion.
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“My name is Milo J, and both I and my amazing band are here straight from Argentina. These incredible guys called Agárrate Catalina play Uruguayan murga, from another beautiful country,” he said in between songs, dressed in a colorful Polo shirt and occasionally sipping mate.
The singer-rapper transitioned into tracks that highlight his genre-defying scope, including “Solifican12,” “Bajo de la Piel” and the reflective “Niño,” showcasing his ability to deliver folkloric sounds — such as chacarera, chamamé and zamba — with a modern, poetic take. The inclusion of a charango — a traditional Andean string instrument — violin, guitar and piano gave a lush texture to his set, while the murga vocal harmonies created exhilarating dynamic crescendos. These songs are from his latest album, 2025’s La Vida Era Más Corta.
Agárrate Catalina is a revivalist of Uruguayan murga, a historic performance tradition celebrated for its brightly painted faces, elaborate costumes and carnival-inspired antics. Murga — a musical theater style rooted in Uruguay and Argentina — blends vibrant harmonies, rhythmic percussion and sharp satirical storytelling, often serving as a platform for social and political commentary during carnival celebrations.
Another standout moment arrived with “Luciérnagas,” Milo’s collaboration with legendary Cuban troubadour Silvio Rodríguez. The interplay between Milo’s youthful vigor and musicians’ chants and solos turned the performance into a dialogue between eras and nations, all while underscoring murga’s historical role as a folk medium of storytelling, activism and solidarity in South America.
An Argentine flag, a mate kit and the book The Gaucho Martín Fierro by José Hernández, written in Argentina in 1872, adorned the set.
Watch Milo J’s NPR’s Tiny Desk Concert below.
