A contemporary singer/songwriter who earned an audience after becoming a social media viral sensation, Ricky Montgomery splices mellifluous melodies with emo melodrama, tying it all together with an earnest, quivering voice that's somewhere between Owl City and Morrissey. Montgomery showcased this blend on "Line Without a Hook" and "Mr. Loverman," songs that went viral in 2020, nearly five years after their initial recording. Warner offered Montgomery a contract in the wake of the sudden success of these old tunes, so the singer polished and streamlined his attack on the 2022 EP It's 2016 Somewhere.

A native of Los Angeles, Ricky Montgomery was born on April 3, 1993. He relocated to St. Louis, Missouri at the age of 14. He dealt with the move by diving into music, his listening obsessions spawning his own body of work. Montgomery started to post songs on a popular video app, punctuating his songs with comedy, a combination that earned him a following.

In 2014, he released his first official EP, Caught on the Moon. Shortly afterward, he returned to his hometown of Los Angeles, releasing the album Montgomery Ricky in 2016 after getting his bearings. The next year, he played in the Honeysticks with an old friend, releasing an eponymous EP by the group in 2018, then he spent the rest of the year on hiatus. Montgomery tentatively returned to action with "Out Like a Light 2" in 2019, but after releasing "Cars" in 2020, he was uncertain about whether he'd continue to pursue music. That's when the singles "Line Without a Hook" and "Mr. Loverman" became sensations on social media in 2020, four years after their initial appearance on Montgomery Ricky. With a new viral audience in hand, Warner signed him to a recording contract.

"Mr. Loverman," his first single for Warner, appeared in 2021, just after the release of "Line Without a Hook." "Talk to You, "Sorry for Me," and "This December (slow)" all followed by the end of the year. Montgomery began 2022 with "Line Without a Hook (slow)," which was quickly followed by the EP It's 2016 Somewhere, which showcased a slicker, sweeter sensibility. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, Rovi