Detroit power-pop artist Angie Hartley says that she’s been making music her entire life, since her baby years.
“I didn’t realize that it was my passion until the y2k pop girl boom, where every single song had a melodic vocal run that I enjoyed mimicking,” Hartley says. “A few years later, I learned how to play guitar and began writing, formed a band in middle school, and it eventually led me to Los Angeles. It was always a serious thing for me, and life got in the way of pursuing music full time. Once I moved back to my hometown of Detroit, life slowed down a little bit, and my current band and I have hit the ground running.”
Hartley says that the music she makes today with her band The Boys is power-pop through and through. “Being such a broad genre, it’s hard to explain sometimes,” she says. “I like to say that my music is a mix of The Cars, No Doubt, and a dash of 1999-era Britney Spears.”
That’s true; there’s a driving, retro-rock quality to her tunes, enhanced by sugary-sweet and pure pop melodies. That’s an intoxicating blend, making the release of her debut album something hotly anticipated.
“I started recording my debut album in mid-2025,” she says. “The process was much more arduous than I had thought it was going to be. I had 16 songs planned for it but a friend of mine told me to look at really solid debut albums. Sometimes the best debuts are short and to the point, and that’s exactly what I wanted. So, I narrowed it down to the 10 most cohesive tracks. I am so happy with how it turned out! It’s maximalist music for maximalist hearts.”
It also takes maximalist work, and that’s where her DIY ethic comes in.
“DIY to me is self-funded, self-created, self-promoted,” Hartley says. “It’s extremely exhausting yet so rewarding not being backed by the big machine. I haven’t been without help, though. I have had some of the best support anyone could ask for, not just on an indie level. My band is incredible, everyone who helped make this record is incredible. My friends have been sending my music to every connection they have. I am so grateful!”
Looking ahead, Hartley has plenty planned for the second half of 2026. “My band, The Boys, and I have a ton of shows already scheduled this year and we are planning a tour to promote my debut,” she says. “Come check us out if you see Angie Hartley & The Boys on a marquee in your city.”
Visit instagram.com/angie_hartley
Photo by Rachel Fernandez
