Monica Blaire stops apologizing, starts producing on new album “How To Dress Well in the Dark”

The Detroit singer and producer adopts the alias mBtheLight for her personal new album, which took more than three years to come to fruition.

 

Monica Blaire has been a staple in Detroit’s music scene for over two decades. Even after all that time, she’s unveiling yet another layer to her work with the new album “How To Dress Well in the Dark” (stream via Bandcamp).

It’s Blaire’s first project for Mahogani Music, the label of legendary producer Moodymann. It features Blaire’s own production work under the new alias mBtheLight as well as contributions from Nick Speed and Andrés, bringing together influences from jazz, R&B and electronica.

“It’s about deciding to no longer be performative but to be authentic even in challenging spaces and figuring out what that looks like.” —Monica Blaire


Listen: Monica Blaire discusses and plays songs from her new album.

 

 

Trusted, accurate, up-to-date.

WDET strives to make our journalism accessible to everyone. As a public media institution, we maintain our journalistic integrity through independent support from readers like you. If you value WDET as your source of news, music and conversation, please make a gift today.

Donate today »

Author

  • Ryan Patrick Hooper inside the WDET studio.
    Ryan Patrick Hooper is the award-winning host of "In the Groove" on 101.9 WDET-FM Detroit’s NPR station. Hooper has covered stories for the New York Times, NPR, Detroit Free Press, Hour Detroit, SPIN and Paste magazine.