MI Local is the show where you can literally meet the local music scene! Each week, I’ll premiere new tracks from artists based all around metro Detroit and the greater Michigan music scene, but I love having the opportunity to invite songwriters into the studio for interviews!

Ann Arbor based singer-songwriter Lauren Blackford made the drive over to Detroit this Tuesday to visit the studio and talk about her recent EP, “The Loft Sessions” — the stripped down acoustic renditions of her debut EP, “One Too Many Times.”

Blackford is an up-and-coming singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist who began performing around the scene a little more than a year ago. Her effervescent blend of pop and indie-rock ballads produce tracks that bounce from pared back acoustic strums to glitzy electronic flourishes, all while bolstering dulcet vocals that soar into punchy choruses threaded with sweet melodies sure to get stuck in your head for weeks.

Blackford studied music production while in high school and taught herself guitar after graduation. Back in February, she performed an album release party for her debut at Ziggy’s in Ypsilanti, and just this week she’s celebrating her latest release, “The Loft Sessions.”

Blackford joined MI Local in-studio to perform one of her songs live for WDET listeners, titled “Reset Button.”

She told listeners about how her drive to teach herself not only how to play guitar, but also how to start DIY at-home production, to begin recording the songs for her debut release. She’s been singing and playing music (starting on piano) for much of her life, and started writing songs as a teenager.

Now, fresh out of college, she’s essentially hit the ground running when it comes to making her way into the Michigan music scene.

Along with sharing stories behind some of her candid, heart-aching lyrics, Blackford also shared the anecdote behind the titular “loft” where she recorded songs from “One Too Many Times,” live. Speaking of live, WDET listeners were also treated to a live performance by Blackford, in-studio, during MI Local, performing “A Good Thing,” on acoustic guitar.

Blackford will be headlining The Blind Pig in her hometown of Ann Arbor on Thursday, April 24; she’ll also be performing, as Madonna, at the annual Detroit X Detroit showcase happening on Saturday, April 26, at the Loving Touch in Ferndale.

Along with this feature, we played the latest from the Detroit/LA-based indie-pop duo JR JR, and the newest song from Detroit/LA-based pop-singer-songwriter Chloe Moriondo.

We also explored some more eclectic flavors, including some new electro-space-jazz musings from Justin Walter, and the latest from Detroit-based electronica artist Darren Shelton.

Plus, we sampled some folk songs from Detroit’s own Mike Ward, who performs this Saturday at the Trinity House, and a new song from Ann Arbor folk singer Ananda Murari.

Oh, and if you stick around for the whole show, you’ll find out what my favorite White Stripes song is…

MI Local Playlist for April 8, 2025

• “Back to the Land” — JR JR
• “Abyss” – Chloe Moriondo
• “When We Were Young” – Justin Walter
• “Quangarang” – Okra Veer
• “Ego” – Darren Shelton
• “Crooked Road to Truth” – Ananda Murari
• “The Heart Must Pay the Price” – Mike Ward ft. Tery Birkett
• “White Hot Vision” – Sun Astros
• “Enzuiguri” – Swanton
• “Blue Orchid” – The White Stripes
• “Grandy’s” – Kamau Washington
• “Reset Button” – Lauren Blackford
• “A Good One (live in WDET studios)” – Lauren Blackford
• “Games” – Lauren Blackford