Älter

I've always pictured what it would be like to perform my own music to a crowd. At 10, I learned guitar and never looked back!

 

Up n’ Comin’ NI is excited to introduce this week’s artist from Armagh: Patrick Toal, aka Älter!

 

Patrick says, “Since I was young, I've had a lot of hobbies, most of which are in the arts. This led to me writing and producing music, as well as a few other things like album cover design.” In terms of music influences, he says it has always been a part of his life. Since the age of 10, he has actively participated in music making. 

 

While Patrick claims that he has a lot of outside influences and inspirations, in terms of his songwriting approach he named Bon Iver and Don McLean. At its core his music is driven by Folk and Americana, but “since I started writing I've started infusing different genres to get some variety.”

 

Patrick’s proudest achievement to date has been the release of his albums. He now has two albums that are available on Spotify and other streaming platforms.  He says, “it’s a long process and a lot of work so seeing the albums out is really cool.”

 

Patrick’s music explores lots of different moods and sounds. It comes as no surprise, therefore, that he says, “My process changes every time. I get too static if I write the same way over and over.” He went on to say, “Recently I've been trying to branch out into co-writing for a change of pace. I've always worked alone, more out of necessity, but recently I've wanted to write more with others.” If you are a musician who writes similar music, why not contact Patrick for a collaboration? You never know what can come from working with someone else.

 

While it is a basic concept, Patrick mentioned the quote, “Don't write words that sound cool, write ones that are true”. This is extremely important for any musician who is trying to connect with an audience on a deeper level. People turn to music to satisfy their emotional needs and this is the way to connect properly.

 

I asked Patrick about how much of his personal life is reflected in his music. He said, “I feel like that's where the good stuff is, but I like to keep it vague and allow others to apply their own experiences to it if possible.”

 

While Patrick is more active online with music releases, he does occasionally gig, describing it as “on and off.” While he tells me that he doesn’t actively seek gigs, he does say, “I love playing and will when I get the opportunity.”

 

When we were discussing previous gigs and performances, I asked him what his favourite one was. He said, “Definitely my end of year show in Southern Regional College. I just loved the songs and the scale of the show was super exciting.” 

 

So, what does the future look like for Patrick?

“I really want to change things up.” Patrick discussed his plans for a release of a new EP as well as potential collaboration plans. 

Make sure you follow him and keep up to date with all his songs, events and gigs: 

Instagram: a1l3r_

Facebook: Älter

Spotify: Älter

YouTube: Älter

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