Bluhm

Bluhm is the moniker of Detroit-based dream pop duo Claire Bluhm (vocalist) and John Marion
(multi-instrumentalist). Formed in 2022, Bluhm’s captivating sound is marked by intricate guitar
and synth arrangements, ethereal vocals, and dreamy melodies, drawing listeners into their
unique world. The duo writes, records, produces, and self-releases all of their musical output
from their home studio in the suburbs of Detroit, MI.

Claire Bluhm and John Marion met in early 2021, both lifelong musicians with vastly different
backgrounds.

Bluhm was a singer-songwriter who wrote intimate songs about love and heartbreak,
accompanied by her acoustic guitar and powerful voice. Influenced by Beachhouse
and Mazzy Star, she began performing in Wisconsin, where she grew up, and continued her
craft in Nebraska while she was in college, and then in Chicago where she lived upon
graduation. After moving to the Metro-Detroit area, she created and hosted a popular open jam
out of a brewery in Pontiac, MI from 2016 to 2021. The open jam became a fixture for many local
songwriters and musicians, gathering to workshop their ideas and collaborate.

Marion was a seasoned bedroom producer and multi-instrumentalist, having formed and played
in several bands within the Detroit music scene over the past decade ranging from psychedelic
folk, hard rock, lo-fi, and experimental music. Inspired by the DIY recordings of artists like
Daniel Johnston, Elliot Smith, and Sparklehorse, Marion developed a craft of making music in
unconventional ways.

Following the COVID-19 pandemic and nearly two years of not performing, Marion wandered
into Bluhm’s open jam. The two performed together that same night they met, immediately
connecting musically and feeling like kindred spirits. Within a few months, they began writing and
collaborating on music that would go on to become the first songs of their project, Bluhm.
Over the following years, the project has gained a loyal cult following. In 2023 they played
Dream Pop/Shoegaze festival Kalamashoegazer in Kalamazoo, Michigan. They have a series
of shows lined up in and around Detroit for the summer of 2024, playing at iconic Ann Arbor
venue The Blind Pig on June 13th, and headlining a show at The Loving Touch in Ferndale on
August 9th.

Their latest single, “Evil Heart”, is a synth-driven power pop song that feels like something you
would discover on a worn-out cassette from a thrift store. Held together with a frantic drum beat
and a vibrant synth performance, the vocals are vulnerable and empowered at the same time.
One Blogger noted, “This is like the ultimate 80's synth/Stranger Things kind of
vibe... As a fan of the series, I can totally picture this song being in it.”

Bluhm continues to enchant audiences with their dreamlike soundscapes, solidifying their place in the dream pop genre while consistently pushing creative boundaries.