PREMIERE: Rising Irish-Welsh musician Dan B. Patrick drops raw debut single 'Waiting'

Hot Press are proud to introduce London-based singer-songwriter Dan B. Patrick, and premiere his stunning debut single 'Waiting' - out tomorrow, July 2nd.

Centred around Dan’s tender but raw vocals, accompanied largely by a dancing melodic piano with powerful string interjections, the delicately poised and sparsely arranged nature of 'Waiting' gives listeners an unadulterated insight into his raw and intimate form of songwriting.

Of his gripping first release, Dan said: “‘Waiting’ is a song about becoming completely lost in someone, consumed by them almost. First and foremost, it is a love song but it also explores the darker elements of a relationship. It is about being unashamedly vulnerable to a person, even if that person is careless with that vulnerability. I’m generally less interested in writing about the emotions that lie on the periphery of human experience and 'Waiting' doesn’t feel like an exception.”

“It took me about four years to finish this song," Dan continues. "I remember accidentally stumbling across the piano motif in one of my first piano lessons but I could never find the words to match the delicacy of the piano part. After constructing and deconstructing the song many times over those years, one day the chorus slipped out and I knew that it was finally finished.”

Hailing from Ireland and Wales, Dan B. Patrick's music thematically focuses on love, loss, mortality and hope.

“Out of all the songs I’ve written I probably feel the most connected to 'Waiting'. It was the first song I’d written that really felt like pure, honest expression. I wasn't trying to be too clever with it, nor was I trying to shoehorn a pop melody in that didn't fit. I just wanted to create a song that accurately reflected how I felt at that point in time. I think I managed that.”

Using his powerful voice as an effective tool for delivering visceral lyricism, Dan hopes his lyrics can stand up as their own body of work, separate from the music. The valuable gift of his vocals is something Dan doesn’t take for granted, especially since completely losing his voice at the end of 2018.

“I couldn’t say a word for two weeks. I had to go to a speech therapist and, when I was able, a singing teacher to learn how to speak and sing properly. It took about 5 months before I could sing live again. Though in the long run, it has massively helped me as I can now sing with proper technique.”

The emerging musician played his first gig in Belfast at the age 16, having been inspired by a wealth of Irish singer-songwriters such as Hozier, Damien Rice, and Foy Vance. After moving to London to attend university, Dan spent the next few years earning his stripes on the London gigging circuit, meeting other artists like Maisie Peters and Etaoin along the way.

Before the pandemic, Dan played a sold-out headline show in London and has also played gigs as far afield as Austin and Los Angeles.

“In a way I’m kind of just relieved to be releasing music," Dan tells Hot Press. "It is a bit odd being a musician with no actual music in the world. I’m excited to be able to have a place to point people to if they want to hear my songs.”

Listen to 'Waiting' by Dan B. Patrick below: