Ramona (band)
Ramona | |
|---|---|
Ramona in 2017 | |
| Background information | |
| Origin | Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico |
| Genres | Psychedelic, indie, pop, alternative, synth, and acid rock |
| Years active | 2011–present |
| Members | As of May 2025:[1] Jesús "Chuy" Guerrero Omar Córdoba Edgar Moreno Dany Esquivel Eli Ponce Luis Reyes |
| Past members | Mauricio Villicaña (fl. 2011–2022) Sergio Méndez (fl. 2019) |
| Website | www |
Ramona is a Mexican psychedelic rock band from Tijuana, Baja California. Originally producing indie rock, Ramona developed its distinct mix by 2019, influenced by various artists and genres from the United States, Mexico, and Argentina.
History
In 2011, the band was formed in Tijuana by lead vocalist Jesús "Chuy" Guerrero, drummer Omar Córdoba, and other brief members. Following the release of their first EP Vamos a viajar (2011), Guerrero and Córdoba recruited guitarist Mauricio Villicaña and bassist Edgar Moreno.[2] They named themselves after Ramona Flowers from Scott Pilgrim vs. the World and Ramón Ayala in 2012 and began recording the indie rock album La Segunda Luz del Día (2015). Through their producer Alejandro Jiménez, it was picked up by Carla Morrison and her company Pan Dulce Productions.[3] Their influences by 2014 included Luis Alberto Spinetta, Fleet Foxes, The Beatles, Françoise Hardy, Bon Iver, and The Morning Benders.[2]
They produced their second album Cérès (2017) with Sierra León, whose members Seiji and Kenji Hino also recorded instrumentals for Ramona's Párpados (2018). The latter album marked the band's transition to psychedelic rock, with Guerrero noting the influence of King Gizzard, Boogarins, and Gaspar Peralta as well as Argentine musicians like Luca Bocci, Perras On The Beach, and Gustavo Santaolalla. He explained the Argentine connection from the relationship they developed with Tweety González at a gig in Guadalajara.[3] Around this time, they had moved to Mexico City and opened for artists like Natalia Lafourcade, Kinky, Hello Seahorse!, and Enjambre. However, general difficulty adapting and the COVID-19 pandemic prompted them to return to Tijuana.[4] By 2019, Romana developed its distinctive mix of psychedelic rock, bolero, and folk music.[5]
In 2021, they released Redes Sociales, which featured artists Gianna Sotera and Bandalos Chinos. In 2022, a live album with Little Jesus, Daniel Dennis, and Luca Bocci on Spotify.[4] The same year they performed at Vive Latino, a longtime goal and an event in which only Guerrero had attended to see Chicano Batman in 2019.[6] In 2024, they released Los himnos del amor, which Córdoba stated was centered on a Chicano couple and integrated elements from soul, psychedelic rock, and boleros as well as some pop and folk music.[7] In May 2025, they released Portales, a self-described "Mexican romantic ballad of the 1970s, but on acid," and toured the United States for a month. El Imparcial noted they featured in more playlists on Spotify and Amazon Music around this time.[1]
Discography
EPs
- Vamos a viajar (2011)
- Sobre una nube (2022)
Albums
- La Segunda Luz del Día (2015)
- Cérès (2017)
- Párpados (2018)
- Redes Sociales (2021)
- Los himnos del amor (2024)
- Portales (2025)
References
- ^ a b Ulloa, Claudia (3 May 2025). "Ramona estrena álbum "Portales" y comienza gira de un mes en Estados Unidos" [Ramona releases the album "Portales" and begin a month-long tour in the United States]. El Imparcial (in Spanish). ProQuest 3200558631.
- ^ a b Velazco, Paola (26 March 2014). "Ramona: desde Tijuana con amor" [Ramona: from Tijuana with love]. VICE News (in Spanish).
- ^ a b Villegas, Richard (11 October 2018). "The Psychedelic Escapism of Ramona's New Album Will Transport You to a Balmy Tijuana Paradise". Remezcla.
- ^ a b Noriega, Perla J. (13 July 2022). "Ramona no cesa y acerca un trocito intangible de Tijuana al mundo" [Ramona does not stop and brings an intangible piece of Tijuana to the world]. Noro.
- ^ Guerra Velásquez, Viridiana (22 May 2019). "Banda Ramona da toque psicodélico al bolero" [Band Ramona gives psychedelic touch to bolero]. Capital México (in Mexican Spanish). ProQuest 2228861369.
- ^ "Ramona: from a childhood dream to Vive Latino 2022". Infobae. 19 March 2022.
- ^ García, Andrea (31 July 2024). "Ramona se posiciona con nuevo material 'Los himnos del amor'" [Romana takes a stand with new material 'The hymns of love']. El Imparcial (in Spanish). ProQuest 3087088496.
Further reading
- Bravo, Yolotzin (23 May 2016). "Entrevista con Ramona". Indie Rocks! (in Mexican Spanish).