Local Blend Sparks Singer Song Writer Movement [VIDEO]

ST. JOSEPH -- The next Taylor Swift? Paige Gielen thinks so. She's a ten-year-old singer song writer who performs Tuesday nights at the Local Blend in St. Joseph.

She made her music debut at the Benton County Fair last summer and went on to take second place at the State Fair talent competition.

She plays five instruments and writes all of her own music. Gielen is part of a larger movement of singers and song writers who get together each Tuesday to showcase their talents.

Open mic night host Adam Hammer says the Local Blend is a part of the singer song writer community that had been missing.

"That's what has kind of been missing in a lot of places in central Minnesota. There's not really that hub for community for singer/song writers. Everyone just comes together for the sake of singing songs and sharing songs. It's really just a community family focused atmosphere."

The performers take part in monthly song writing challenges. Each month there's a different theme.

Artists are challenged to write and perform songs related to the topic. Hammer says the performance slots are open to everyone. As for Gielen, she hopes to record her first album soon.

Open mic night is every Tuesday starting at 7:00 p.m.