Friends, family and locals fill the cozy coffee shop. A piano sits near the front window waiting to be played. The two musicians finish setting up, and when the clock strikes four, light rock music floods the air. It is a typical Tuesday night for student musicians, sophomores Caleb Boyer and Gabriel Millen.

Boyer has been playing instruments for as long as he can remember.

“I’ve been into music since I could walk,” Boyer said. “I would always walk over to the piano in our house, and all I would do is smash the keys left and right while thinking I was a crazy good musician. I couldn’t read the notes of course, but I was trying to make sounds that worked.”

Boyer began his music career in sixth grade by joining the middle school band.

“I ended up joining band in sixth grade with the old trombone my brother used to use. I was given a music book and was taught how to read music and how to play the trombone,” Boyer said. “After that, I learned what the notes were on the piano, and I would play my trombone music on the piano.”

Boyer has learned how to play a total of nine instruments throughout his music career and has taught himself the Tenor Clef.

“I plan on having a career in music,” Boyer said. “Nothing else seems interesting to me anymore, and I think it’s the only career for me that makes sense.”

Millen is a pianist and singer who accompanies Boyer, as well as performs on his own.

“I started playing. I took piano lessons more forced upon by my mother, and I kind of grew apart from that because at that time I didn’t know much about it,” Millen said. “In middle school I found that I was more dependent on music. In seventh grade, I actually started playing a lot more and learning any hit songs that were popular at the time. I would learn them by myself, I would just look up the cords or just music videos and tutorials and I went from there. I started playing as the pianist in the youth group worship band here in Stockbridge at Crossroads Community Church. That was my first ever performance or anything with a band. I loved that.”

Aside from performing at Crossroads, Millen performs with Boyer at Cravingz Coffee House and Sandwich Shop.

Recently, Boyer and Millen started playing at Cravingz from 4-6 on Tuesday nights, covering light rock and oldies, such as “Need a Summer Break” by James Bay.

Heavy metal musician, freshman Mickenzi Merriweather will get her first chance to perform with her band Iejir later this year.

“I got into music when I was 11 years old,” Merriweather said. “I got into it because my father was in a band. He later passed away from cancer when I was only four, and I wanted to experience at least something that he did,” Merriweather said.

Like Boyer, Merriweather plans to pursue music as a career in the future.

“I taught myself how to play the guitar and keyboard. I write

and play my own Heavy Metal music. I mainly try to put my emotions and feelings into the music. My strongest feelings are when I’m upset, that’s when I make the best music, although sometimes happy lyrics come out of it.”

Merriweather’s band is currently practicing for their first live audience performance.

“My band’s first performance will be June 3 at the Ritz in Detroit. The show that we will be attending is actually in honor of my Sweet 16. It’s called “Rune Fest,” Merriweather

said. “My stage name is Rune Maharett. This show will be put on by The Michigan Metal Association, which is controlled by the leader of my band, Quinn iejir.”