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∆ February Updates & Imperfections ∆

Hi!

In the spirit of imperfection I’m going to commit to writing an update on my projects and curiosities on a more consistent basis starting today!

So much has been going on lately and figured it would be a good time to up date you on my projects and happenings.

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Dead Set FC Presents: Big Souse

I'm so excited to finally share "Big Scouse," a documentary about how a Liverpool lad built the football culture here in Richmond. Produced by Dead Set FC, this film tells the story of Terry O’Neal and the legendary Penny Lane Pub.

Terry is an absolute local icon. He went from being a bouncer at the legendary Cavern Club and hanging out with John Lennon to building a little piece of Merseyside right here in downtown Richmond. The pub is a huge part of the community and serves as a hub for football fans, journalists, and politicians alike.

It was so much fun helping in bringing this story to life with my Dead Set partner in crime, Kevin Carroll, and I hope you all enjoy it as much as we did.

You can watch the full video right here on YouTube!

Pete Rango Credits

• Director and Producer
• Cinematographer
• Audio and Sound Design
• "Maggie Mae" Performer
• Executive Producer

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New Album by CHERELE - "TALE OF AN UNDERDOG"

If you haven't already you definitely need to listen to Cherele's new album "Tale of an Underdog." This project dropped in January 2026 and I am really proud of how the final sound came together. These are some of the best bars Cherele has dropped and I couldn't be more proud of her. I spent a ton of time in the studio handling most of the mixing and mastering for the record.

"TALE OF AN UNDERDOG is a coming-of-power album that documents the quiet, internal moments behind becoming who you were always meant to be. It captures the emotional whiplash of growth; grief for old versions of self, joy in clarity, and the celebration that comes from surviving long enough to stand firmly in your own authority. Across the project, Cherele moves between reflection and resolve, tracing the path from marginalization to self-definition. The project doesn’t romanticize struggle; it honors it, then transcends it. Vulnerability and confidence coexist, revealing how strength is forged through loss, patience, and persistence. With two self-produced tracks anchoring the album, TALE OF AN UNDERDOG becomes not just a narrative of evolution, but an act of ownership sonically and spiritually. This is the sound of someone no longer asking for permission, but claiming space, voice, and vision on their own terms."

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Free Game

It’s never felt normal for me to create “content” by talking in front of a camera. It’s not natural or enjoyable for me. But I wanted to find something that would feel natural and help bring value to my community. So I decided the easiest way to do this would be to do a weekly series called “Free Game” where I invite an artist on an IG live and give them a free consultation on any topic of their choices. Last week we kicked off with local artist Khaos Ky. We discussed some of her release strategy for her latest project, how she’s keeping track and communicating with her top fans, how to bring more focus to her project release by cleaning up her IG feed, and much more.

This week we continued the series with Marilyn Pham. Marilyn has been writing and performing for over 6 years in the RVA music scene, and we’ve collaborated on some events in the past with @liv.corp and other artists I work with. She is currently pushing herself to release a song a month for 2026, and we dug into how to scale that without losing her creative soul. And not going to lie, she definietly inspired me to start releasing songs more consistently as well as commit to writing on my newsletter more often. I’ll be continuing this series as a commitment to providing value to my community and working on my consistency.

Spanglish @ Spacebomb Studios

Last weekend we kicked off recording for Spanglish’s first project at Spacebomb Studios in RVA. Spanglish is a Latin band from the DMV area which I had the chance of doing live sound for during Lake Anna Jazz Fest last year. They reached out to me after the festival looking for an engineer to help bring their first few records to life.

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Bobby Interview's Pete Rango

Recently I was interviewed by my friend Jarrod’s daughter, Bobby.

From the moment I met Bobby I knew there was something special about her. She’s so curious, creative, and insanely well spoken for a 9 year old. We chatted about everything from my first blue acoustic guitar to the work we're doing with my nonprofit, L.I.V., and even why creativity is the ultimate superpower. It was an absolute honor to be her very first guest!
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​Watch the interview here.
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With love,

Pete Rango

P.S. If you know someone who might enjoy these explorations, feel free to share this newsletter with them.

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