Ricky Montgomery

Ricky Montgomery's music was ahead of its time - in the truest sense of the word. Four years after the release of his debut album and a decade after he wrote parts of it, the L.A. artist's indie pop was a balm in hard times, offering comfort to listeners with warm melodies and true-to-life lyrics. It all began in July 2020, when two singles from his 2016 album Montgomery Ricky - the gently swaying "Mr Loverman" and the string-laden goosebump song "Line Without a Hook" - gained momentum on TikTok. "I think because we've all had a really traumatizing year, those songs kind of got their moment," Montgomery reflects. "Because they're about of dreams in my life in their own way."

The irony of it all: Ricky was about to give up music altogether in the summer of 2020. Instead, seven years after his debut, he released a second album, 2023, which is rich with emotional electronic-rich alternative pop songs that tell stories about life in all its chaotic and mundane glory.