10 years ago on April 1, 2026, Ricky Montgomery released his first album made up of 10 songs. It was this debut portion of his discography that first began his career online, as snippets of “Mr. Loverman” and “Line Without a Hook” became popular audios on TikTok in 2020, four years after their release.

For the anniversary of this first album, popularly self-titled as Montgomery Ricky, the indie singer announced a celebratory tour that would span from March 26 to April 1. Within minimal time, tickets were depleted and venues were often sold out.

“I think it’s very special to see a favorite artist at in person concerts because the experience feels surreal…It makes you appreciate all the talents that have gotten the artist there and all of the moments you looked [to] their music for an escape,” junior Aimee Garza said. “The only term that comes to mind when thinking of live concerts is emotional effervescence.”

For Montgomery’s fans specifically, his music is praised for its almost upbeat sounds despite the often resigned yet almost melancholic resilience in the lyrics.

“I like that [“Get Used to It”] talks about not being able to afford a house to have a garden so they have to make do with an apartment balcony,” Ricky Montgomery fan Caden Stone said, speaking on his favorite song in the Montgomery Ricky album. “It’s realism with a melody.”

Many, including Montgomery himself, have acknowledged the support TikTok has given to the artist’s music career. It is seen as recognition alongside subtle negative drawbacks.

“[Decontextualization is] the primary drawback of gaining popularity through TikTok. Ricky Montgomery’s career is the decontextualization of music, where a single catchy snippet becomes a viral tool for others’ content,” junior Kimberly Guler said.

The true grace of TikTok’s assistance can be seen in its aid to an indie artist’s promotion for their work, despite not having a big brand label. 

“Indie artists often receive less recognition due to limited marketing budgets, lack of industry connections and the intense, time-consuming need to manage both music production and business logistics,” Guler said.

Part of what makes Montgomery stand out as a person, alongside his art, is his humility when speaking to fans. 

“If you drop out of school like I did, make sure you have a good job lined up in an industry that isn’t prone to layoffs,” Montgomery said when prompted to add a quote for his showcase article. “Or you’ll just end up dropping out and then getting laid off.”

However, with disregard to all other aspects, true recognition for any creator’s music comes from its uniqueness, or how it connects with their listeners.

“Listening to music like his…was an outlet because it helped me feel understood,” Garza said. “Listening to somebody who can describe love and longing in such a beautiful way was particularly interesting.”