Fresh off this season of American Idol, we’re excited to host Ron Bultongez, a singer-songwriter from Plano, Texas at Music Audience Exchange (MAX) for our monthly “On The Record” series.
Born in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ron’s story is an inspiring tale of immigration and overcoming a life of abuse and adversity. When civil war broke out in the Congo, Ron’s family immigrated to the United States to escape the turmoil of war. America provided better opportunities for Ron and his younger brothers, but they didn’t avoid turmoil at home.
Growing up, Ron struggled with an abusive home environment. He spent his time in and out of friends' houses, homeless shelters, and foster homes separated from the rest of his family. He credits his faith, his friends, and the city of Plano for shaping him into the man he is today. Ron still calls Plano, Texas home and released an EP called “Thank You Plano” in 2017.
This season on American Idol, Ron's journey almost ended during his initial audition when two of the judges chose not to put him through. After careful consideration, Lionel Richie asked to bring Ron back in and changed his vote to a yes. With an original yes from Luke Bryan, Lionel's change of heart sent Ron on to Hollywood.
Ron made it to the Top 24 where he got the chance to perform "Someone Like You" with Banners in the All-Star Duets.
Ron is working on new music and is planning a tour in hopes to share the messages of life, love, hope, and perseverance. We can’t wait to have him on stage at the MAX HQ for On The Record and hear his inspiring story!
On The Record is a monthly music event series hosted by Music Audience Exchange in Frisco, Texas designed to highlight talented artists and the great music they make. Every month we bring in an artist to the MAX HQ stage to share new music and talk about their careers, songs, and influences.
Music Audience Exchange (MAX) was founded in 2014 with a mission to help champion incredible music and the artists who make it through strategic, data-driven partnerships with brands. MAX brings brands into the music promotional space in a way that puts engaging content into the world through a value-exchange model that drives the brand’s objectives and elevates breakthrough bands along the way. If you’d like to learn more about Music Audience Exchange and what a music promotion program would look like for your brand, send us a note.