A jazz wunderkind; a flirtatious hip-hop angel; a melancholic foursome; and a politely anti-establishment pop duo. These are some of the acts you'll find in Metro Times' annual roundup of people making sounds that we think you should be hip to. We call it our Bands to Watch issue.
About that name: While combing through Detroit's music scene, this year, we couldn't help but notice a trend — solo artists are making major moves. Whether emerging from their home studios, or old Corktown churches, or transforming iPhone voice memos into bangers, metro Detroit's solo artists are redefining what it means to make music, and we wanted to make sure they got their time in the spotlight. We're still calling it "Bands to Watch," because "Artists to Watch" or "Musicians to Watch" just doesn't have the same ring to it.
Also: We know what you're thinking. "How is ______ not on this list!" Did we miss someone? Of
Once upon a time, a fiery little-known rapper once destroyed the Shelter with his shady stylings, and a quirky garage rock duo going by the name of the White Stripes spent years low-key retooling the local rock scene. What we're getting at is everyone's got to start somewhere — and if you want our opinion, these 10 bands and artists are off to one hell of a start.
Plus, thanks to them, our 2019 is already sounding pretty damn good, too.
• Career Club gleefully deconstructs pop conventions
• With True Blue, Alexandria Berry explores grunge with a dreamy touch
• How the members
• Allen Dennard takes jazz into the future
• Rising queer pop singer Siena Liggins can't wait to drop more music
• Detroit rapper King - V wants to push soul music forward
• Why Werewolf Jones is a quintessential Michigan punk band
• Black Noi$e reinvigorates leftfield techno with a cerebral touch
• Detroit singer Briana Lee is a teenaged girl with a big voice
• Experimental duo Cousin Mouth takes the path less traveled
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