On a warm evening at Point Loma Nazarene University, fourth-year commercial music major Jay Gomez transformed Ryan Learning Deck into a live music venue on March 22. His event featured stage lighting, a full band and home-cooked Filipino food prepared by members of his church.
The concert, which drew a crowd of about 100 friends, family and other PLNU students, featured a mix of original songs and creatively reworked covers.
Gomez, who played synthesizer throughout the performance, took on the role of producer and director rather than performing as a vocalist.
“I didn’t sing at all during my concert,” Gomez said. “I had four vocalists sing for me. It was more about hearing everything come together live.”
Gomez’s background in jazz band, concert choir and childhood piano experience influenced his sound, blending technical skill with contemporary production techniques.
Gomez showcased songs from his original EP, “B.O.K.” Each track explores a different genre and emotional tone, all centered around resilience.
One standout piece, “Heartbreak Hotline,” takes on a playful, 1950s-inspired sound built around the idea of a fictional hotline for heartbreak. In contrast, “Living On,” described as a “funk ballad,” tells a more emotional story of two friends facing loss, ultimately landing on a message of perseverance.
“Everyone has a moment in their life where they need to be told things will be okay,” Gomez said. “That’s kind of where the EP came from.”
For Gomez, that message is personal. At 16 years old, a serious gymnastics injury forced him to step away from the sport, redirecting his focus toward music.
“If I didn’t have that accident, I would probably still be in gymnastics and not music,” Gomez said. “Looking back, I see it as God’s plan.”
In addition to his original songs, the setlist included recognizable classics, such as “Let’s Groove,” “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough,” “Sweet Child O’ Mine,” “Don’t Stop Me Now,” “Hey Jude” and “How Deep Is Your Love.”
Gomez said he chose to cover these songs because his dad enjoys listening to older music. His dad encouraged him to not simply replicate the originals, but to reimagine them using modern technology.
“On the surface level, there are instruments [the artists] didn’t have back then, like synthesizers,” Gomez said. “I also used modern chords they wouldn’t have used—like 7th, 9th, and 13th extensions—to kind of spice things up.”
Gomez received help from fellow music department students and friends. Planning for the concert began during his junior year, when composition-based coursework pushed him to start developing original material.
“Getting to hear my music played live by a band — it’s such a surreal feeling,” Gomez said. “I’ve been in shows before, but never something that felt like it was mine.”
Gomez said he hopes to maintain the relationships he built through the music program and continue collaborating with fellow student artists after college.
“I’m really proud of my band,” Gomez said. “I’m just super grateful for everyone who helped make it happen.”
One of the vocalists in the band, second-year commercial music major David Whitley, said that working for Gomez was an “awesome” experience.
“I just enjoyed being able to make music with my friends and celebrate all the work [Gomez] has done throughout his time at Loma,” Whitley said.
Allie Nagel, a second-year education major, was in the audience during Gomez’s concert. She got to know Gomez this year through their involvement in concert choir, as well as other musical endeavors on campus.
“It was so much fun,” Nagel said. “[Gomez]’s super talented and I had a lot of my friends up there performing which is always fun to see. The talent was insane and the vibes were so good.”
Haven Sherman 
Adee Tulcan