RICHIE JAMES FOLLIN

is an American musician, writer, actor, and filmmaker, and a proud member of the Cherokee Nation. His feature debut Crystal Cross which he wrote, directed, starred in, and did all original music for, premiered at Austin Film Festival in 2025. Since then, Crystal Cross has been screening at festivals across the U.S. including LA Skins Festival, Credo 23, Brooklyn Film Festival (Winner: Spirit Award Narrative Feature), SIFF, Phoenix Film Festival, BH Film Festival, Florida Film Festival, to name a few.

Follin began writing music at 12 after watching his stepfather Paul Kostabi (founding member of White Zombie) record with Dee Dee Ramone. He worked at his uncle’s art gallery in New York City while growing up, taking large format slide photographs to catalogue the art. He came to prominence in 2001, at the age of 18, after releasing a 7-inch record on legendary punk label Posh Boy Records (Black Flag, Agent Orange). Shortly after, Michel Gondry directed a music video for him and featured his music in the soundtrack to Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind.

Follin has toured the world and released music with The Willowz, Cults, CRX (with members of The Strokes), and Guards. He has scored multiple documentaries for CNN and ESPN, as well as commercials and major campaigns for brands including Chevrolet, Vice, HBO, Pepsi, and Wal-Mart.

As a filmmaker, he has directed music videos and short-form documentaries for artists such as The Hives and Christopher Owens (of Girls).

  • Richie being interviewed at premiere of "crystal cross" at austin film festival.

  • Outside "Crystal Cross" screening at seattle international film festival.

  • Q&A after screening of 'Crystal Cross" at SIFF/

    Q&A after screening of 'Crystal Cross" at SIFF.

  • Richie James Follin and Justin Bateman at Credo 23 Film Festival after richie wins prize for "Crystal Cross."

  • Q&A after "Crystal cross" screening at brooklyn film festival, winner of narrative feature spirit award.

GUARDS

is an American alternative rock band led by Richie James Follin since 2010. Follin, formerly of The Willowz, Cults, and CRX (with members of The Strokes), brings a cinematic sensibility to the band's raw, melodic sound.

Drummer Loren Humphrey has played with Florence + The Machine, Lana Del Rey, Tame Impala, and Arctic Monkeys, and recently produced Cameron Winter's acclaimed solo debut while also contributing to recordings by Geese, further expanding the group's creative pedigree.

Current Moment: Guards are experiencing a viral resurgence. Their song "Silver Lining" is the official anthem of the Big Ten college football season, becoming a stadium and TikTok favorite and generating millions of streams. Their track "I Know It's You" has become a beloved global FIFA anthem, chanted by soccer fans around the world.

The band's new album also serves as the original soundtrack to the award-winning feature film Crystal Cross, written and directed by Follin, further showcasing the band's ability to create emotionally resonant music that extends beyond the traditional album format.

“a band giving the anthem form more interest and gravitas than musicians with far more experience,” with “a sound deconstructed through the minds of musicians who look more to memories than to the future.”
— NPR

Guards have earned wide praise for their emotionally resonant, hook-filled sound:

“one of the year’s best”
— The Wall Street Journal
“Guards do what they do best: raucous rock with a retro edge and undeniable appeal.”
— The Los Angeles Times
“uncompromisingly raw... crafting tracks about birth, death and any emotional malaise in between.”
— Dazed
“it’s pretty fucking impressive”
— The Guardian
“widescreen indie-pop garnished with epic hooks and hum-along melodies.”
— Stereogum
“Richie Follin sets the group apart.”
— IFC
“monster choruses delivered with the confidence that tells you Guards know they have a hit on their hands.”
— Pitchfork
“Cali reverb scuzz kings”
— NME

  • LOS ANGELES, CA - OCTOBER 20: (L-R) Musicians Richie James Follin, Nick Valensi, Jon Safley, Darian Zahedi, and Ralph Alexander of CRX attend MTV's "Wonderland" LIVE Show

  • PARIS, FRANCE - OCTOBER 08: Richie James Follin from Guards opens for MGMT at l' Olympia on October 8, 2013 in Paris, France.

  • INDIO, CA - APRIL 13: Musician Richie James Follin of Guards performs onstage during day 2 of the 2013 Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival at the Empire Polo Club.

  • LOS ANGELES, CA - DECEMBER 10: Musicians of Guards (Richie James Follin and Loren Humphrey) backstage at the Ford artist connect series at Mack Sennett Studios.

THE WILLOWZ

Singer/guitarist Richie James Follin joined forces with bassist/vocalist Jessica Reynoza while in still in high school. Although original drummer Alex Willow is no longer part of the lineup, the group is rounded out by guitarist Aric Bohn and drummer Loren Humphrey.

The band’s self-titled debut album caught the attention of French director Michel Gondry, who included the band’s songs, “Something” and “I Wonder,” to the soundtrack for his 2004 quirky romantic comedy, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. The album earned a Grammy nomination for Best Score Soundtrack Album for a Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media in 2005.

CULTS

Richie co-founded Cults with his sister Madeline Follin (lead vocals) and Brian Oblivion (guitar) in 2010, contributing guitar and vocals on their first album and playing with the live band on tour. The band first rose to prominence after the release of their debut extended play, Cults 7" (2010), which was released on their Bandcamp page. They signed with English singer Lily Allen's record label In the Name Of, an imprint of Sony Music, to release their eponymous debut studio album (2011). Their song "Bad Things" was sampled by American rapper J. Cole for his 2013 single "She Knows", on which they were credited as featured artists. The band has since released another four albums: Static (2013), Offering (2017), Host (2020) and To the Ghosts (2024), as well as an EP, Motels (2018).

CRX

In 2016, Follin joined the American rock band CRX, formed in Los Angeles, playing guitar, keyboards, and backing vocals. He co-wrote the lead single “Ways to Fake It” with Nick Valensi, produced by Josh Homme, released on Columbia Records. The band released their debut album, New Skin, through Columbia Records on October 28, 2016

FOLLIN

Follin is a musical project formed by Richie Follin and his sister Madeline Follin (of Cults) in 2016. They released a digital single and cassette tape, “Memories” b/w “Roxy,” through Father/Daughter Records.