#Detroit music

Kelly Jean Caldwell Returns to the Outer Limits Stage to Celebrate Birdie LP

Kelly Jean Caldwell is not dead. The singer, songwriter, and owner-operator of Hamtramck’s Outer Limits Bar and record label laughs as she tells me a rumor of her death has been swirling around town. “The other day, someone at the bar was asking what’s the next show coming up,” she explains, “and...

Sara Barron

Reginald Hawkins Celebrates Queer Liberation with "Tricks in the City" Video

As far back as he can recall, he remembers going by “Popstar Reg” to anyone who knew him and performing at any chance he could. However, it wasn’t until February of 2019 that Popstar Reg was introduced to the...

Sara Barron

Detroit Artists Keep the Music Coming During Quarantine

While most things are still up in the air, it is a simple comfort to know that there will always be a steady stream of more music. From Saajtak’s...

Sara Barron

Detroit's Local Artist Community Responds to Quarantine

Curtis Roach Photo Credit: Myron Watkins It’s been a week since the “Shelter in Place” mandate was issued by Michigan governor Gretchen Whitmer, but many Detroiters have been self-quarantined for much longer. Most businesses have closed their doors, thousands are out of jobs, and you’re likely to...

Sara Barron

PLAYING DETROITSix Tiny Desk Contest Submissions from Detroit

Audra Kubat reps Detroit in NPR's Tiny Desk Contest this year. Photo by Daniel Land. For indie bands on the rise, it's become a rite of passage to perform a live set in Bob Boilen's office as part of NPR's Tiny Desk Concert series, which has been ongoing since 2008. But since 2014, the inception of...

Sara Barron

PLAYING DETROITMayaeni Makes It Out of the "Quicksand"

Call it the Lady Gaga effect: a promising young artist is “discovered,” signed to a label, and goes on to achieve viral success, leaving audiences and artists alike set on the Cinderella story of being picked up and swept away by music industry magic. This romanticized version of making it big is,...

Sara Barron

PLAYING DETROITJUNGLEFOWL Confront Abuse and Offer Healing on Secret Society EP

Ypsilanti-based rock outfit JUNGLEFOWL breaks its two-year silence this Friday with the release of Secret Society, a hard-hitting survival story that breaks down abuse cycles and finds a way out of them. Melissa Coppola (vocals and drums) and Stefan Carr (guitar) have spent three years writing and...

Sara Barron

PLAYING DETROITAnya Baghina Asks "How Do You Do It?" on Intimate Solo Debut

Detroit-based songwriter Anya Baghina (Soviet Girls) released her debut solo single this week - a gentle, haunting rumination on what today’s fast-paced “hookup culture” can do to the psyche, entitled “How Do You Do It?” Baghina’s dreamlike vocals narrate her internal turmoil on the subject, where...

Sara Barron

PLAYING DETROITShady Groves Release Dreamy New Singles Ahead of Hiatus

Shady Groves - the culmination of Detroit songwriters Adam Fitzgerald, Dylan Caron, Jeff Yateman, Jamie Dulin, Colt Caron, and Sage Denam - recently released two singles from their upcoming record, Dreamboat, and both are worthy predecessors for an album with a title that hints at serenity. “Quiet...

Sara Barron

PLAYING DETROITThis Summer's Hottest Releases You Might've Missed

Summer Like the Season released "Wakey" in July via PopMatters. Photo by Allen Zhang. As we all know, it’s impossible to keep track of all the incredible music being released on a regular basis, even on a local scale. Instead of focusing on one particular release, I wanted to do a roundup of some...

Sara Barron

PLAYING DETROIT"O.D." on Britney Stoney's New Video

Detroit singer-songwriter Britney Stoney recently released a video for her latest single, "O.D." and it's a glamorous ode to the city she calls home. Only her second single since 2015 EP Native (the other, "GRIP," was uploaded to Soundcloud last year), the track sees Stoney embracing a sound that...

Sara Barron

PLAYING DETROITSam Austins Teases Next Release

Detroit R and B artist Sam Austins has been completely killing the game since his 2017 release, Angst, and he shows no signs of slowing down. After his recent ode to queen Rhi Rhi's cosmetic empire, Fenty, he's gearing up for another mixtape release later this year. But he plans to tie fans over with...

Sara Barron