MANILA, Philippines — You may not have heard of No Rome (yet), but he currently has 80,300 followers on Instagram and more than one million monthly listeners on Spotify, with his biggest hit “Narcissist” raking more than 44 million streams worldwide. Definitely not an ordinary feat for an upcoming indie music artist.
But No Rome, or Rome Gomez in real life, is not your ordinary alt-pop singer-songwriter as he is currently signed with Dirty Hit, the same London-based record label that manages one of today’s biggest bands, The 1975.
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“I have mixed emotions, but quite excited for tonight’s show,” said Rome during a recent exclusive interview with Philstar.com at the backstage of the Mall of Asia Arena, where he opened for his labelmates The 1975 during their MMI Live-produced concert held last September 11.
We caught up with the 23-year-old Manila-born popstar who was getting anxious during the interview, admitting that despite performing with The 1975 in many shows and in some of the biggest venues around the world, his nerves still get the better of him. More so that he was to perform in front of his fellow Filipinos, the kind of crowd that doesn’t take music ever so lightly.
The neon-color-haired synth-pop singer and producer is currently on tour in support of The 1975 for their latest album, "A Brief Inquiry Into Online Relationships," his first ever tour, no less — and what better way to make a huge statement than bringing the live show in his home country.
Coming from a musically-inclined background, the singer grew up listening to the UK’s '80s music, with alternative rock bands like My Bloody Valentine and The Curve as among his biggest influences. No Rome started writing songs as early as 12 years old, creating lyrics that were inspired by the wonderful experiences that eventually helped shaped his artistry.
Despite starting so young in music, however, never in his wildest dreams did he ever think he would reach this level. His acceleration to international music scene did not happen overnight, but the buildup was quicker than he expected.
A smile crossed his face as he was recalling how he was hunted down by Matty Healy’s crew.
“I was in a party with my friends when I got a call from Dirty Hit. They told me they heard my music and would really want to meet me. I thought it was a joke, but the next thing I knew, I was already packing my entire life in a suitcase to move to London,” said No Rome.
That one phone call changed his life forever, shining light to a dream that had been looming in the youngster’s head for years.
Biggest break and becoming Matty Healy’s protégé
Releasing his debut EP, "RIP Indo Hisashi," last year was his ticket to getting noticed by international fans and getting picked up by various music websites like Billboard, among others. A four-track EP of glossy, chart-bound pop music full of character and a raging teen spirit, made his music very hard not to notice.
How would you describe your music?
My music always tackles things that are often not talked about especially by male artists. So, when it comes to writing songs, I like taking inspiration from real life experiences; from real people. And that’s the whole point of my EP "RIP Indo Hisashi" — it’s my creative platform to talk about certain things such as getting cheated on, which from a male perspective, it’s hard for us to open up. But people get hurt and music should allow you to express these feelings.
You’re one of the few Asian artists to have headlined O2 Arena in London and Rough Trade in New York, performing in front of thousands of screaming fans, and alongside one of the biggest bands of today. How do you feel about it?
Honestly, it can be very overwhelming most of the time. But I’m glad Matt is always there to mentor me. Sometimes, when I hear fans calling my name right before I go up to the stage, I would have this terrible anxiety — and excitement I guess — but then everything goes away the moment I’m on stage, doing what I love.
The pop scene is ready for No Rome
No Rome is ripe to be the artist that he always meant to be, and he did prove that point with the smashing success of his first EP, garnering international acclaim.
"Seventeen," one of his popular songs, easily distinguishes him from other artists of his generation. His sound is quite eclectic, with an ability to blend dense, atmospheric sounds you might hear from contemporary pop and R&B artists, yet his songs draw inspiration from nostalgia, teen love, melancholy and everything in between; a stunning resemblance with The 1975.
Just like The 1975, No Rome pushes the boundary when it comes to creativity — as seen in in his artistic approach in putting out visuals that maintain an aesthetic consistency — something No Rome and Matt Healy share an astute understanding of. We’ve seen this live during his Manila show where he performed all his hit tracks, thrilling his Filipino fans with a delightful mix of synth, futuristic and alternative pop music.
As an artist, what would you consider your biggest achievement so far?
Being able to perform in Coachella in front of thousands of people. When Matt Healy told me that they’re bringing me to Coachella, I was really excited. It was a big deal for me that I even had to fly early to Los Angeles to prepare for it.
How do you maintain a steadfast attitude, especially that you’re young, in an industry that is highly competitive?
As far as it goes, I’m still learning a lot. My formula, which I think has been working for me, is to just focus on what’s ahead and be open to new stuff, and of course, maintaining a high-level energy and enthusiasm for my craft.
Personally, do you think having an international status changed you?
In a way, I guess. Like now, I’m more conscious when I talk to people. It’s like you have these unwritten guidelines that you have to follow, which I think is good. And to tell you a little secret, I still get really nervous when I perform, and for me it’s a good sign. It means that I’ll work even harder to protect my music. — Videos by Seph Asong; YouTube/No Rome