Introducing: Paddy

Blending R&B, rap, pop, and Afrobeats with effortless versatility, Paddy is an artist on the rise. Hailing from the small village of Sawston near Cambridge and now making waves in London, his dynamic sound and larger-than-life stage presence have earned him a fast-growing fanbase.

From selling out headlining shows at iconic venues like O2 Academy Islington and the Star of Shoreditch to dropping infectious tracks like Time Out, Melanin, and Enterprise, Paddy is proving he’s got both the talent and the drive to take over the scene. With his next big show set for May 25, 2025, at the Star of Shoreditch, all eyes are on what’s next for this rising star.

Your latest single "Time Out" has a great mix of upbeat pop and rap elements. How did you decide on this fusion of styles, and what inspired the song’s message?

I wanted to make a positive, feel good song with some nice melodies whilst mixing it up with some rap. I feel not too many artists nowadays both sing and rap on one song, so I definitely wanted to incorporate this, with the rap almost making it so I am featuring on my own track! The song was inspired from everyday life, working a 9-5, trying to make money, and of course, need some time away from the grind. I feel this is something that everyone can relate to, which was my main goal for this track.

With your track "Melanin," you tapped into the Afrobeats genre, which is currently thriving globally. How did you collaborate with Nile Ezra on this track, and what do you hope listeners take away from its vibrant energy?

Nile Ezra is my producer, and one studio session I came to him with the instrumental and we basically went from there. I had the song name in mind, which I felt pays homage to the genre. I want people to just bop to this one and I feel it is definitely a summer anthem!

"Beg Your Pardon" brings a smooth mix of R&B and rap. Can you tell us more about the creative process behind this song and how you balanced the soulful vocals with the rap elements?

This song draws inspiration mostly from American west coast R&B artists such as Blxst. I wanted to make something that was nice and chill, with also some mellow rap thrown in as well, similar to Time Out. A lot of songs in which I sing on include some rap in either verse to show some versatility, which I think often works nicely. When writing and recording the rap section, I just wanted to sound much more chill and relaxed to compliment the vibe of the song.

You’ve been putting out some incredible tracks across various genres, including rap and Afrobeats. How do you navigate blending different sounds, and is there a specific genre that you feel most connected to?

I honestly will just listen to an instrumental that I like, think of a catchy melody and just write lyrics over it. I listen to lots of different genres of music, so I basically just make and release whatever genre I am feeling at the time, and by being multi-genre I feel like I have some music for everyone. I probably feel most connected to R&B and rap as I have been making this much longer.

Your music videos, like the one for "Time Out" filmed in Barcelona, bring an extra layer of storytelling to your tracks. How do visuals play a role in your music, and do you have any exciting visual projects coming up?

Visuals are very important in my music. In fact, we originally filmed Time Out in London, however the visuals didn't match the bright, uplifting vibe of the song, so we scrapped the entire video and re-filmed in Barcelona. This shows how important visuals are to me, and how I want them to be perfect! I do have a visual project coming up for an Afrobeats song in the coming months which is being filmed in Paris...so stayed tuned!