Today, Dominique and the Diamonds release their brand new single and video, “Lovely Dream,” a sun-drenched, emotionally rich track that captures everything we love about classic country with a fresh, personal twist. Led by Colombian-American frontwoman Dominique Gomez, the Diamonds deliver timeless country sounds with the tight, lived-in groove of a seasoned Nashville outfit.
The band originally came together in 2024 when Gomez was invited to perform a country set at LA’s popular summer series, The Grand Ole Echo. She called on friends from the cosmic country group Caravan 222 and psych-rockers Triptides to back her, and the chemistry was instant. Since then, Dominique and the Diamonds have built a strong local buzz with their heartfelt sound and charismatic live shows.
“Lovely Dream” blends the dusty romance of California’s backroads with Gomez’s raw, powerful voice and the band’s love for legends like The Flying Burrito Brothers and Townes Van Zandt. It’s a song that feels equally at home in a roadside bar or echoing across the wide-open desert. The video brings this feeling to life, filmed against golden landscapes and radiating a sense of freedom, heartbreak, and hope.
Gomez’s voice, often compared to Linda Ronstadt, is the emotional anchor of the track. Whether soaring or cracking with emotion, it carries the weight of her story and the spirit of the genre. Produced by Glenn Brigman (Triptides) in his mountain studio in Crestline, California, the track is part of the band’s upcoming self-titled debut EP, recorded with a blend of analog and digital gear. The record channels everything from lonesome ballads to playful barroom romps, all wrapped in the warmth and grit of classic country.
“I write country music and love to sing country songs, but I’ve always associated myself with the Colombian half of my identity more than the white side,” says Gomez. “When you look at me, you see a brown girl, and I fucking love that. It’s a beautiful thing to have the wisdom now to embrace both and just be me.”
Dominique and the Diamonds are proof that country music is alive, evolving, and ready to tell new stories.
Watch the video for “Lovely Dream” and dive into the full interview with Dominique Gomez below, where she shares more about her journey, her roots, and what it means to make music that’s true to who she is.
“Lovely Dream” evokes a cinematic feeling — desert nights, solitude, and longing. Can you tell us what inspired this song and what story you’re telling through it?
“Lovely Dream” is a silly little love song that I had written for an ex back in 2018, so it’s been sitting in the archives for awhile. The words ‘lovely dream’ were just the best way to describe the beginning of that relationship. Emphasis on
the beginning… Ha! I was in my early to mid twenties at that time; young, naive and only saw through rose colored glasses. I tie nature into my songwriting at any chance I can get. The relationship to me, at the time, was as harmonious as a budding meadow in the springtime— full of new life, color and energy just waiting to be embraced by the sun.
Your upcoming EP blends vintage country soul with contemporary experiences. How did you approach capturing that balance during the recording process in Crestline?
Well, I’m obsessed with the 70s—and so is the rest of the band! We’re all millennials, so combining our love for classic country with today’s current vibe of music comes naturally. Our keys player, Glenn Brigman (Triptides), produced the EP at his home studio in Crestline and he’s a total gear head for vintage equipment. We recorded on a Tascam 388 and mixed everything digitally.
You’ve described “For a Fool” as a modern ballad inspired by situationships and LA’s dating chaos. How do you translate such personal, present-day themes into a genre rooted in tradition?
I think women in country have been as outspoken as they were allowed to be back in the day. “It Wasn’t God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels” by Kitty Wells really paved the way for all the women in the 60s and 70s to push things even farther. “For a Fool” came really naturally to me, and I have Kitty, Loretta, Tammy and so many other women to thank for that.
You’ve spoken openly about your Colombian-American identity and the feeling of being “too white to be Latina and too Latina to be white.” How has that duality shaped your voice — both literally and artistically?
My identity had always been so confusing to me growing up. Mainly because of how opposite both sides are from a political lens. You have Colombian immigrants on one side and deeply rooted midwest farmers and southerners on the other. I’ve alway felt weird being a visually obvious brown girl who loves, specifically, classic country music. But I think those are my ancestors’ influences creeping in.
The formation of Dominique and the Diamonds was spontaneous — a one-off set that evolved into a full band. What clicked during that first performance that made you all want to keep going?
To tell you the truth, I was really sick when I had done that show. I was so excited for it but also so bummed that I couldn’t sing to my best ability. I’m hard on myself. So after the show, I thought I had done terribly. But people wanted to keep booking us because of it. I had been working on an indie pop solo project for about 7 years prior to the Diamonds and it felt like an uphill battle. But after that Grand Ole Echo show, I started getting recognition for my voice in country. So I figured, I love singing/writing country, so I might as well keep rolling with it.
With your voice often compared to Linda Ronstadt and your band drawing from Flying Burrito Brothers and Townes Van Zandt, how do you honor your influences while keeping the music your own?
My love for 70s music has always been a constant thing in my life, but I will admit that I didn’t really know Linda Ronstadt’s music until people started comparing my voice to hers when I was like 18 or 19 years old. I’d heard her popular songs, but I wasn’t studying her like I was studying Carole King. But once I started getting this comparison, I did my homework and started learning about how incredible she is. I’m very true to myself in my values and beliefs, so I think with my 70s-obsessive upbringing, it’s easy to honor these influences and make them my own.
There’s a strong narrative thread running through your songs — from heartbreak to revenge. How do you approach songwriting? Is it more confessional, observational, or a mix of both?
This is a great question. I’d say it’s definitely a bit of both. “For a Fool” and “Lovely Dream” are more so confessional, but there are some tracks on the EP that are definitely more observational. In general, I approach songwriting in whichever way feels right. Sometimes words just come out like a subconscious rant with no direct meaning at all. I’ll usually sleep on it and try to dissect its purpose the day after or so.
You recorded the EP using both analog and digital equipment. How did that hybrid process affect the final sound, and what drew you to record in the mountains rather than a typical studio?
I didn’t know Glenn all that well until my partner (Diamonds drummer and co-writer) Craig Jacobs introduced me to him. Tyler English (Diamonds pedal steel player) and Craig play with Glenn in his project Triptides. Craig had mentioned to Glenn that I’d wanted to record a couple Dom and the Diamonds singles, and Glenn offered to produce it. I just wanted to have fun recording a couple songs with the three of them and Hamilton Boyce (Diamonds bass player and singer), so we went up to Crestline and recorded at Glenn’s mountain home studio. He’s got a ton of vintage equipment he uses to record Triptides, so naturally, we used some of the same stuff. Glenn is an insane keys player and has a wild talent for music in general. Just one of those people that can do it all. He’s played a pivotal role as our producer for this EP, but also as our keys player.
Country music hasn’t always felt like the most inclusive genre. Do you feel like the space is shifting, and how do you hope to contribute to that change through your music and presence?
I do feel like that space is starting to shift, thank GOD. I love seeing artists from Charley Pride to Lil Nas X and Shaboozey who’ve made it, but it’s hard to pinpoint a true Latinx country artist. This journey with the Diamonds has helped me understand how much we’re contributing to this change. Within the past year of us being an active group, I’ve had the pleasure of working with Latina photographers that’ve expressed what this representation means to them to straight up fans who come and support every single one of our shows. I didn’t know it at first, but I was contributing to this racial change in country music that I’ve always longed for.
If someone were to take away one message from “Lovely Dream” or the EP as a whole, what would you want it to be?
“Lovely Dream” is nothing but a silly love song. And sometimes, we need to just let go and let ourselves be excited about being in love. It’s so scary and there’s so much to think about, but love is such a special feeling when it’s real.
Connect with Dominque and the Diamonds
Website // Instagram
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