Music has always been a companion to me. It has helped me express myself in a way I could never describe with words. 

My name is Richie Gomez and I am a singer-songwriter and performer. I was born in Peru and moved to Virginia, United States in 2014. I was profoundly shaped by the musical diversity in my upbringing. At home, I got used to seeing vinyl records of amazing bands like Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin, and Carlos Santana that my father owned. This, along with the music in the environment resulted in a fascinating mix of cultures. 

I have spent the last 2 years of my life visiting the avenues of my soul with a pen, paper, and guitar; turning their contents into notes, chords, lyrics, and finally songs. I am now ready to record my first album. 

Thank you for stopping by and reading about my music. You have probably heard one of my songs, seen one of my videos, or engaged with my social media. If so, you already know how much music means for me, and today I am thanking you all for being here along the way. All my experiences have left their mark on me; having many places to call home taught me how music was a universal way to express who I was.

Album Launch press release: 

The new album from Richie Gomez, "The Light we Needed", is a melancholy yet cathartic mix of post grunge, alt rock, and soulful vocals. Gomez touches on universal themes such as love, forgiveness, and self acceptance, yet also spirals deeper into a thoughtful, brooding state which looks at the problems of the world with a soundtrack of big guitar and piano riffs. 

Gomez’ first full release, the album has been made in collaboration with pro names such as Joshua Rouge, Matt Dougherty, and Jared Kvitka; playing off contrasts, "The Light we Needed" is a highly enjoyable collection of modern alt rock tracks which pushes the possibilities inherent in a setup of four instruments to a huge extent. Richie and his band create both satisfyingly heavy tracks and clear, melodic lines for guitar and vocals which counterbalance the harder elements. "The Light we Needed" is not just focused on creating a solid alt-rock album; instead, Richie wants to bring out the emotional potential of heavy music, and his clean yet powerful vocals work in synergy with the guitars. 

With screaming riffs in Alive; the funk-like syncopated strumming at the start of Broken; or the harmonious, gentle backing vocals cleverly placed throughout, the new album is a full exploration of the darkest lows and most uplifting highs of alt-rock, subscribing to Richie’s philosophy that music should be both introspective yet empowering. Fully in-step with the emotional focus of much present day creativity, it takes a much-loved genre and uses it fully for the 21st century. Mixing emotions like sound waves, Richie opens up a world where sadness, happiness, anger, fear, determination, and courage can all coexist – and does it with all the punchiness, energy, and drama of alternative rock which have continued to ensure it has a keen fanbase even to this day.