Rising Alt-Pop Artist Ricky Montgomery Drops Melodic Single "Don't Say That"

[UNPUBLISHED:] Can you tell us about the inspiration behind your new single “Don’t Say That” 

[RICKY:] This song was all about breaking new ground and resetting the creative landscape I can exist inside of. It's the first song I've written in years where I didn't focus too much on what the lyrics were about. I have these general concepts - life is bad, everything sucks, oh my god - but I'm really only trying to channel a vibe. It reminded me of my favorite songs from LCD Soundsystem, Beck, and Talking Heads. We kept making the arrangement smaller. Like old Dr. Dre and Nelly songs. All about capturing a feeling and not doing too much. I can get really in my head about the small details in my music - and to a large degree this song is no exception (the production team knows what I mean) - but I've never felt more punk than when I was putting those verses together on paper. 

[UNPUBLISHED:] What was the process like for creating the single?

 [RICKY:] Back when I first got signed, I got all these new synths and instruments hoping it would inspire me to create. It didn't really work. It was like I was just giving myself a bunch of extra work to do. So then I tried to do the opposite. I got out a bunch of old garbage, including an old keyboard my mom got me in high school. I used to use it to write songs on Vine back in like 2014. It's just what I happened to have at the house. Nothin fancy, just an old junky Yamaha PSR-36. But once I sat down with it, “Don't Say That” fell into place almost immediately. First verse and chorus just poured right out onto the page. And then I brought some voice memos to Jeremy Hatcher, the co-producer on the record, and we put most of the final arrangement down right there in the first session. It was our very first project together, too. We ended up adding a bunch of stuff to it and later taking it away. All in all, just a big exercise in doing more with less. Super inspiring. 

[UNPUBLISHED:] What are you most excited about in regard to this release?

[RICKY:] I'm most excited to show people more of the next phase. It's been an embarrassingly long time since I've put out a new body of work, and I couldn't be more excited to show the fans what the new sound is like. This is just a piece of it, but a piece that me and the production team are all really proud to show off. I also think this song will really blast off at the live shows. I can't wait to hear that chorus at a big show. I've never written a "chant" before but I have a feeling the fans will really bring down the house when that part hits. Might even be a little bit scary to onlookers, if I'm doing my job right.

[UNPUBLISHED:] How do you think your sound has evolved from when you first started creating music?

 [RICKY:] I think at this point in my creative life, the main difference is my confidence (and competence). I didn't have a lot of help with music growing up; I could never afford music lessons as a kid until I was almost out of high school. I was in the school band but started late, so I was always catching up. I didn't have a computer or a smartphone until I was in college. But I always pushed myself, and now I feel like I've really earned my experience. I can honestly call myself "seasoned" for the first time in my creative career. I hope people will be able to hear that on this next record, and on this song. 

[UNPUBLISHED:] Who are some artists you admire and that have influenced your sound?

[RICKY:] I'm a big fan of artists that don't compromise on creating something that feels new. Bjork, Talking Heads, Brian Wilson, Trent Reznor, Nina Simone, Radiohead, SOPHIE, Johnny Cash, David Bowie, Danny Brown, Death Grips, Frank Ocean, Joni Mitchell, Stevie Wonder, Miles Davis, the list goes on and on and on. I have a hard time connecting with artists that aren't trying to do something new and exciting. And I wish I was more aware of other genres from around the world. That's a personal project for the next album. 

Make sure to follow Ricky on Instagram and stream his newest single “Don’t Say That” out now on Spotify!