A Dallas band, Cure for Paranoia, won the prestigious Tiny Desk Contest, which aims to amplify musicians who are not signed to a major label. <\/p>\n
DALLAS \u2014 Cure for Paranoia, a Dallas-based band, won NPR Music’s 2026 Tiny Desk Contest, securing a national stage to share their music and message.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The winner of the Tiny Desk Contest was announced on Tuesday, May 12. Cure for Paranoia, a hip-hop collective, won for their entry “No Brainer,” which was filmed at Dallas’ iconic eyeball.\u00a0<\/p>\n
You can watch the performance here<\/a>. NPR reviewed more than 6,000 submissions.\u00a0<\/p>\n The collective’s founder and frontman, Cameron McCloud, has entered the contest several times. He describes their sound as “‘pro-mental health’ fusion of rap, hip-hop and soul,” according to a press release from NPR Music.<\/a>\u00a0<\/p>\n “Ultimately, there is no greater platform for discovery and authenticity than the visibility provided by NPR,” McCloud said in the release.\u00a0<\/p>\n Cure for Paranoia started on the streets of Deep Ellum, where McCloud said he would pull up in his car, connect an aux cord to a cigarette lighter and perform, WFAA previously reported<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n Now, McCloud and the rest of Cure for Paranoia will travel to Washington, D.C., later this month to perform for NPR’s iconic Tiny Desk, which is a venue for performances from some of music’s biggest acts.\u00a0<\/p>\n After that, the collective will embark on the 10-city Tiny Desk on the Road tour, visiting various cities including Los Angeles, New York, and D.C., as well as new stops in Minneapolis and Boston.\u00a0<\/p>\n