Tomas Pagan Motta

From a “warm, folksy fusion of twangy acoustic guitar and slick pedal steel laced with pulse-setting shakers,” (CAREY HODGES—DC CITY PAPER), to “demure indie-pop gone Skynyrd” (BALTIMORE CITY PAPER), the eclectic singer-songwriter and his “amazing vocal — which conjures up Tim and Jeff Buckley and somehow, Led Zeppelin,” (VICKY GREGOR— NPR), continues to defy musical categorization and build on his already rich catalogue as the frontman for alt folk group <a href="spotify:artist:2mFxBXIjQGygSg877FgSbt" data-name="The Sympathies">The Sympathies</a>.

Born in southern Maryland to Puerto Rican parents, Motta was exposed to roots music and contemporary radio hitmakers at a young age and picked up the trumpet in middle school. His family moved to Puerto Rico in the middle of his freshman year of high school, exposing him to reggae, ska, salsa, dancehall and Latin rock, shining a light on such luminaries as <a href="spotify:artist:2QsynagSdAqZj3U9HgDzjD" data-name="Bob Marley &amp; The Wailers">Bob Marley &amp; The Wailers</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:66wxdAaC0UG5y6I080pwwP" data-name="Fiel A La Vega">Fiel A La Vega</a> and <a href="spotify:artist:4Vo7jk7sjpIFMk14dedex5" data-name="Draco Rosa">Draco Rosa</a>.

Moving to Baltimore during the mid-2000s, he released three albums under the pseudonym The Petticoat Tearoom, supported by small Mid-Atlantic tours. National recognition came in 2015, when his song <a href="spotify:track:1CPTSNcBC2EpM81rXhdin1" data-name="Up and Away">Up and Away</a> was included in “The Complete List: NPR Music&#39;s Favorite Songs.&#34; He released the album <a href="spotify:album:7n2694ojorxkkTdF3KU8DU" data-name="Living a Lie">Living a Lie</a> in 2017 and the title track “<a href="spotify:album:4FJsVVeMHVMgEpYRMepnY3" data-name="My My (Living a Lie)">My My (Living a Lie)</a>” was featured on Netflix&#39;s &#34;<a href="spotify:playlist:7rVrOXc9Gc5Df4j4pYe21Q" data-name="Flaked Soundtrack - Netflix Soundtrack">Flaked Soundtrack - Netflix Soundtrack</a>.&#34; This led to a national tour and his first UK concert appearances in 2018. He released <a href="spotify:album:1xdwTX9FpUZr4xPoNEBo9s" data-name="Soul Loss Symphony">Soul Loss Symphony</a> in 2019 and <a href="spotify:album:7AoSnZsKWllx1DzfPdSpGN" data-name="Soul Loss Symphony (Live and Unplugged)">Soul Loss Symphony (Live and Unplugged)</a> in 2020.