“Tax Season” is out now!
Pat Williams is an upcoming artist based in Toronto, Canada who is making waves with his music. The independent artist shows off his rap skills on new single “Tax Season,” which shows audiences what he’s really capable of.
The upbeat track is an impressive effort that follows a different path than what Williams has put out previously. “Tax Season” takes a more aggressive, direct approach to rap than what fans have seen from him before. It’s a great track to listen to and add to your playlist!
Keep reading to learn more about Pat Williams!
What city are you from/ Where are you based now?
I was born & raised in Toronto. Moved around the city most of my younger years & found a home downtown.
What is your artist name? What is your real name? How did you get your artist name?
I go by Pat Williams, which is my first & middle name. It was a bit of trial & error as far as alias’ go back in my teens. I ended up going with something that felt genuine & could encompass anything I felt like speaking on.
Has your upbringing played a role in shaping who you are and defining your sound today? If so, how?
Absolutely. As an only child growing up I got in my introspective bag really early. Both of my parents are fiercely independent & both had different taste. I got to skip most of the Disney flicks & fast track to the Scarface’s, Eternal Sunshine’s & so on. I think that generally acclimated me to search for different sounds or content when creating or writing, especially enjoying concept driven work.
What ultimately inspired you to dedicate yourself to a music career?
As typical as it may sound, I can’t see myself doing anything else. It just occupies me & I’d choose it over anything but love. Music has occupied my existence for a majority of my life & there’s still so much to learn. A peak curiosity is the key to feeling fulfilled & to continue providing something for others to feel & live with beats anything by a long shot.
What’s one reason you are passionate about music and what inspires you?
What makes me most passionate would be the self discovery. I’ve always felt music is a conversation, the dialogue is both through creation & through absorbing it. My thing has always been to give others the same relation & comfort I hip hop’s given me. Whether it be speaking on something you may only feel or a sound that just gets you. It can be easy to feel like your thoughts are only yours, so I’m here to create the gems that can pinpoint or trigger a feeling like a memory can. I’m tryna create think-pieces & help people heal through discovery.
Do you have any hobbies outside of music? What do you do to stay creative?
I’ve been getting into fashion lately. I’ve always loved it as a form of expression but recently my need for that expression has grown ten fold so I’m out here tryna outsource all the vintage spots I can. I’m a studio rat so I’m big on keeping sharp & finding new sounds & ways to create something refreshing.
Who are some of your main musical influences?
I guess the reason why this question is usually difficult for me is cause I love hybrids. I’m in search for something new quite often. I love Radiohead erratic beat switch ups, Alt R&B chords, clever rhyme schemes. Songwriting is key for me – whether that’s arrangement or putting words together. Right now I’m listening to a lot of Frank Ocean, Kendrick Lamar, Brent Faiyaz & Saba. Also been stuck on Mac Miller’s Swimming & Circles.
What are some of your music career goals for the future?
I’m looking to executive produce some projects. I love to be hands on & work with concept based work, plus with songwriting for others I really dig diving into someone else’s world & getting their vision across as best as possible.
Tell us about the project that you are promoting. What is it about? Is it a single or EP? Also, what is the name of the last project you released?
My latest single is “Tax Season” which strays away from the concept driven material I’ve been so focused on. Being that it isn’t attached to an album or EP, I wanted to flex on my rapper shit & let people know I really do this. It was a statement piece & serves as a reminder & ultimately was a lot of fun to create. My EP ‘Offline’ – which dropped in March – is closer to the sound I’ve been gearing towards for this next project, which we just wrapped up a few months ago. My team & I put a lot into this one coming, I think it’ll be a big surprise for those who are just getting introduced to the music.
What has the response been like to that project?
It’s been humbling. Prior to putting out either ‘Offline’ or “Tax Season,” all I had was a close circle & some people around the city who could vouch for what we had in store. As soon as we released, there’s been nothing but positivity. A lot of people said it felt different or it felt new, which is cool knowing that innovation still goes a long way in a world where creatives are on every street – especially in Toronto.
What are some projects you’ve done in the past that you are most proud of and why?
We’ve had this album damn near wrapped up for a while now & that’d be my favorite material to date. It encompasses where I’ve been at over the span of some years & I used my story to speak on some of the trials we deal with as a generation regarding love & it’s accessibility, social media & false ego, the list goes on. I won’t dive into it too much but it’s on its way shortly.
What’s next for you? Are you working on any upcoming projects we should be on the lookout for? Include some dates if you have them.
The album I mentioned above remains untitled for now – we’ve got a whole roll out underway so I’ll keep that as is. I’ve got some more music coming right afterwards. I’m back in album mode again so I’m figuring out some direction & steady creating some more records as well.
What message do you hope fans take away from your music?
That the problems we face as individuals are far more universal than we feel they are. I want fans to be immersed in an album or song the same way most would with a film. They can escape for that period of time. Once you walk out of that theatre, you think about that film & how it’s affected you. That would be the best analogy I have for it – A cathartic experience.
Where can we follow you on social media?
@patwilliamsound on Instagram & Twitter.
Stream “Tax Season” below.
