Who are the next big bright stars on the Michigan musical landscape? Who’s the next band to become a local favorite — or, maybe even more than that, a true national or international act? As Craig Manning writes in this week’s issue of our sister publication, Northern Express, Leelanau County native i.am.james has that X-factor about her. Read on for more about i.am.james and go here to discover our picks for other Michigan musicians to watch.

i.am.james relocated to Nashville in 2017 to chase her music career aspirations, but the pop songwriter’s roots are still firmly planted in Northern Michigan. She grew up in Leelanau County, attended Interlochen Arts Academy for high school, and regularly finds her way back to the area for performances at local venues like Taproot Cider House, Mari Vineyard, and Two K Winery.

After high school, i.am.james headed off Boston to hone her craft at the prestigious Berklee College of Music and even spent time studying at Berklee’s campus in Valencia, Spain. All these places and experiences inform the i.am.james sonic brand — a worldly concoction of sounds that incorporates everything from very modern pop and R&B touches to more traditional singer-songwriter textures, all the way to far-from-home flourishes like African drum rhythms. Her wispy voice recalls indie-pop wunderkinds like Maggie Rogers and Ellie Goulding, while her production skills – another talent she picked up in her time at Interlochen and Berklee — position her and her chameleonic musical approach closer to pop superstars like Drake, Ed Sheeren, and Lorde.

An i.am.james full-length album has yet to materialize, but the artist has released two fully-produced singles since taking her talents to Nashville. The first one, 2017’s “Good Distraction,” is a rhythmically-driven number that shows off i.am.james’ hip-hop and R&B influences. The second, last year’s “Headstrong,” has a more restrained approach that puts the spotlight on her vocal skills and melody writing. The songs are richly produced and radio-ready, each with plenty of potential to sit on a playlist alongside some of today’s biggest mainstream pop stars. In other words, don’t be surprised if you start hearing this northern Michigan girl everywhere at some point in the next few years.

Hear i.am.james perform Friday, August 28, from 6pm to 8pm at The Workshop Brewing Company in Traverse City.