There’s a new Ricky in town and Montgomery be thy name. There are several new artists making noise, but Mr. Montgomery is definitely a compelling artist to follow.
His songs range between poignant, emotional anthems and catchy, upbeat music. The alternative-indie artist is set to release a new album this Friday.
In addition to the new music, he will be performing at a city near you very soon. For the locals and not so local, get ready because he is tuning his guitar and getting ready to entertain us live.
Montgomery first gained a following in 2014 on the social media app Vine, before releasing his debut album, “Montgomery Ricky,” in 2016. After joining and leaving the band The Honeysticks, he made an attempt to reignite his music career by posting his songs on TikTok. It was a move that paid off immensely.
In 2020, “Line Without a Hook” and “Mr. Loverman” went viral on the app, the latter even became associated with online fandoms, including Japanese anime. Montgomery commented on the social media app’s benefits: “Those TikTok songs brought me from never having any label interest to having nearly every single major label try to sign me at the same time.”
Montgomery is poised to find that success again with his new record. “Rick” has already caused a stir thanks to early released tracks “Eraser” and “Boy Toy” becoming TikTok sensations.
The social media app has also played a role in Montgomery’s public image due to his near constant interaction with fan made material. He can often be seen making TikTok duets, reacting side by side with sad, funny, or even ridiculous use of his songs in edit. He has also made a habit of reacting to names of Spotify playlists with his songs in them.
As a songwriter, Montgomery is not afraid to shy away from his personal tragedies, often pulling from his childhood experiences. In “Sorry for Me” and “Black Fins,” Montgomery grapples with his father’s suicide, which occurred when the artist was 15 years old.
Like with all successful artists, they have themes and lyrics that endear fans towards their music. In this video, Montgomery and his sister visit the very beach where their father’s body washed up after what was thought to be a snorkeling accident, only later to be found a suicide. Montgomery explained: “It felt like it would bring me closer to him again. I think that’s all this is really for me.”
On top of a new album, Montgomery announced The Rick Tour: Another Rick in the Wall.
The tour kicks off in February 2024 and takes him across the US before ending in SoCal. Locals can catch him at Soma in San Diego on March 22nd and The Wiltern in Los Angeles on March 23rd.
