ABOUT RON

Ron Blakely is a Southern California-based singer, songwriter, actor, and recording artist of Black and Filipino heritage. With a passion for music from a young age, Ron participated in school talent shows, church bands, and karaoke competitions before studying voice and guitar in high school. They fell in love with theatre while pursuing their Bachelor of Arts at the University of Redlands and honed their vocal performance skills in summer programs at Berklee College of Music in Boston, MA.

Influenced by soul, R&B, folk, musical theatre, and pop, Ron has an eclectic range of musical pursuits. Ron has performed both solo and with various groups at venues and events across the Southern California area, including The Troubadour, The Hotel Cafe, Morongo Casino Resort and Spa, Downtown Disney, Riverside's Inland Empire Pride Festival, and the Joshua Tree Music Festival. In 2014, they joined forces with musician Nicholas Haklitch to form Blakely & Haklitch, where they went on to independently release an LP titled Who I Am. After parting ways with Haklitch, Ron independently released their single "The Last Time I Thought of You" in 2016 and followed up with an EP titled Lofi Soul, featuring singles "So Into You" and "I'm Ready."

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Ron would then put their solo music pursuits on hold to care for family, however, they would continue performing in local and regional theatre as well as a number of cover bands. In January 2020, Ron lost their mother to chronic kidney disease and then their father to COVID-19 in February of the following year. This moment of isolation and grief inspired Ron to write and perform their original music again. Their upcoming EP, BLUE explores their experience with grief, heartbreak, and healing.

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As a person of several different intersections of marginalized identities within the performance community, Ron is an advocate for creating inclusive spaces that prioritize diversity. In May 2024, Ron became a contributing author to Dr. Dustin Domingo's book With Love: What We Wish We Knew About Being Queer and Filipino in America which featured a collection of 68 letters written by 50 Filipino Americans to their younger selves. Ron's letter "The Softest, Sweetest, and Most Queer Love Letter" had the distinct honor of being the closing letter to the collection.

Ron aims to continue creating work that speaks to many walks of life. Keep an eye out for Ron's upcoming shows and collaborations, and stay tuned for the release of their anticipated EP.

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Ron is available for booking below: