Palm trees, family, and a song called Back Nine

I’ve been in Florida this week. Palm trees. Salt air. The particular light you only get near the ocean.

But more than anything—it’s been family.
All my core people are here. The ones who’ve known me the longest and seen me through every season, every big leap and quiet collapse. It’s easy to forget how much you need that until you’re in it again—eating at the same old spots, telling stories that start with “remember when,” watching the younger ones get taller.

It’s been grounding.
A reminder of where I come from, and why I do any of this in the first place.

A few days ago, my new single “Back Nine” went live on streaming. I wasn’t sure what to expect—releasing music always feels like sending a paper boat into the current and hoping it doesn’t sink before it’s out of sight.

But the response has been… incredible.
Messages from people who’ve never set foot on a golf course but still felt the song. Streams climbing faster than I’ve seen in a long time. Even a few of you saying you’ve had it on repeat while driving or cooking dinner. That means more than I can explain.

If you haven’t heard it yet, here it is:
🎧 Listen to “Back Nine” →

If I’m honest, I thought I’d be further along by now.
More listeners. More shows. More proof that this dream has legs.

Some days, that gap between where I am and where I want to be feels like an ocean.
And it aches.

But that ache? It’s the thing that keeps me in motion.
It’s what sends me back to the guitar. Back to the notebook. Back to the studio.
It’s the reminder that I’m not done yet. That there’s still more to make, more to say.

And every time a song like Back Nine finds its way into someone’s day—and they write to say it made them feel something—I know I’m still on the right road.

So I’ll keep at it.

Keep grinding.

Keep making music.

Keep sending it out into the world, hoping that someday, the records will take off… the audience will achieve breakout velocity… the struggle will turn into momentum, and the long messy middle will be over.

Maybe someday I’ll be able to do this full time, unencumbered, unconstrained.

Until then, I’ll be here… fighting for a dream only I can see.

See you next Sunday. Thanks for being here. Really.

Write back and say hello,

Roman

PS
Joining my Patreon membership is the most direct way to help me keep making music—and eventually make this my only job. Every new member takes me one step closer.
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What’s New on Patreon

🎧 Late Night Drive (First Mix)
Fresh out of the studio—this one came together in a single afternoon with my brother. It’s raw, a little angsty, built over a beat that hits harder than my usual stuff. Not polished. Not overthought. Just pure creative energy caught in the moment.

🎥 The Story Behind “Looking For You” (Mini Doc)
Filmed at the edge of my Airstream, this is the story behind one of my most personal songs. It’s about searching—for connection, for belonging, for something just out of reach.

→ Step into the Patreon Membership

Explore the Music

If you’ve only heard the newest singles, there’s a whole journey waiting for you.
Albums written in small apartments, in borrowed studios, in the back of my Airstream. Songs from late-night sessions, cross-country drives, and places I never thought I’d find myself.

Some are quiet and intimate.
Some are bigger and cinematic.
All of them are pieces of the road that’s brought me here.

🎵 Listen to the full discography →