Houston based musician Octavio Gonzalez opens up about his creative journey and upcoming mental health awareness show.
A New Chapter Unfolds
Octavio Gonzalez is stepping into uncharted territory. After years performing with his band, The Verdict, alongside guitarist Max and bass player Alejandro, the musician is embarking on his first serious solo venture—one that’s been eight years in the making. In a interview on September 16, Sorraya Gonzales sat down with the artist to discuss his songwriting process and musical solo venture.
“I have a lot of songs, small songs, that I finished, that I wrote. I think the oldest song I wrote eight years ago,” Gonzalez shares. “So I want to start out singles and doing a lot of my stuff.”
The transition from collaborative band work to solo artistry represents more than just a creative shift for Gonzalez. It’s a deeply personal journey toward authenticity and self-expression.
Music as Medicine
Gonzalez’s upcoming performance on November 8th at Sage Theater in Richmond, Texas carries special significance. Organized by a mental health awareness platform, the show will feature a unique lineup including a comedian, magician, and Gonzalez performing new solo material.
The connection between music and mental health runs deep in Gonzalez’s work. “Music is such a powerful thing for me, and it’s always been my outlet,” he reflects. “Every time I’m going through some stuff, there’s two ways for me, and either the healthy way or the unhealthy thing. And I’ve found that I have that vehicle, music, to express myself.”
His latest song, written with his best friend, explores themes of being lost and finding support. “Probably one of my proudest lyrics,” he says, describing how the track “talks about being lost in life, trying to find help, and knowing that there’s always someone there to back you up.”
At sixteen, Gonzalez immigrated from Mexico to Canada. His recent track represents the feeling of being immersed in a different culture and lost in one’s surroundings. The song has been years in the making, but as he performs an acoustic set prior to the interview, one feels the emotion Gonzalez felt all those years ago.
Early Beginnings and Emotional Expression
Gonzalez’s relationship with songwriting began remarkably early—his first composition came at age 12, a Spanish-language song about his first love. “I’ve always been a very sensitive person. I think it’s an advantage, and a disadvantage” he explains. “Like, good emotions, you feel them really. Then bad emotions, you also feel them.”
This emotional openness, particularly as a male artist, hasn’t always been easy to navigate. “I think especially with male artists, I think there’s a lot of pride, to express your emotions,” he observes. “I think it’s healthy. I think it’s more masculine. Express your emotions. Don’t let them make you crazy.”
Musical Evolution and Cultural Identity
While 90% of his songs are written in English, influenced heavily by American and British rock, Gonzalez hasn’t forgotten his Mexican roots. His upcoming first single will be in Spanish, marking an important return to his native language and cultural heritage.
In Spanish, it’s much more open,” he says about expressing himself in his mother tongue, though he finds English more natural for songwriting due to his musical influences ranging from male songwriters like Jeff Buckley to British rock groups like Radiohead and Oasis.
Looking Forward
As Octavio Gonzalez prepares for his November 8th performance, he’s optimistic about the future of rock music and his place within it. “I think there’s going to be a resurgence probably in five years,” he predicts, noting artists like Olivia Rodrigo bringing punk elements back into mainstream pop.
With his bandmates supportive of his solo endeavors and a catalog of songs spanning nearly a decade, Octavio Gonzalez is ready to share his most personal work yet—one honest, emotionally-driven song at a time. Follow Gonzalez on instragram @octaviogonzm for updates on upcoming projects.
I am from Richmond, TX and currently studying communications at the University of Houston. I enjoy drinking peach oolong tea and attending concerts!
