Lianne La Havas Keeps It “Blood” Simple

Our February cover star is a British singer/songwriter who proves on her latest album, Blood, that a few basic ingredients—if prepared properly—can be enough to capture an admiring audience.

You can—and should—check out Lianne La Havas’ “What You Don’t Do” in our Hear the Music playlist for the month, but we also recommend you take a look at this live take of the same tune from a recent NPR Tiny Desk performance. Backed only by a piano and two other singers, La Havas strips the song down to nearly nothing, and makes it sound fantastic (in our humble opinion). If you like this version, then do yourself a favor, just let the video run and watch the other two songs she plays: “Unstoppable” and “Forget.” You’ll be glad you did.