In a unique collaboration between NPR Music and globalFEST, the 2021 edition took place virtually, bringing together 16 artists in intimate settings for Tiny Desk Meets globalFEST. African superstar Angélique Kidjo hosted the event, showcasing diverse talents and music from around the world.

One of the standout performances during this virtual music festival was by the Minyo Crusaders, a Japanese musical group dedicated to reworking traditional Japanese folk songs (min'yō) with a twist of international music genres like Caribbean, Latin, and African sounds. The group, co-founded by Katsumi Tanaka and Freddie Tsukamoto, aims to revive min'yō as music accessible to all people. Their performance, featuring a unique setup with a heated Japanese table called a "kotatsu," brought a fresh perspective to ancient min'yō folk music, originally sung by Japanese fishermen, coal miners, and sumo wrestlers centuries ago.

The Minyo Crusaders released their first album, "Echoes of Japan," in 2017 on P-Vine Records, focusing on returning min'yō to its working-class roots rather than appealing to upper-class audiences. This album, with its innovative approach to traditional music, garnered attention and was later reissued in 2019 on Mais Um.

Overall, the Tiny Desk Meets globalFEST event provided a platform for artists like the Minyo Crusaders to share their cultural heritage and musical talents with a global audience, showcasing the beauty and diversity of music from around the world in an unprecedented virtual setting.