Patrick Saint James on performing in America, being bipolar and Derry queer icons leading the way

Patrick, who now lives in Manchester, recently headlined Western Oklahoma Pride in America, where he was the featured artist at Oklahoma City Pride, and has a new EP coming out later in the year. Belfast Pride will be his biggest show in Ireland to date and the Derry man can’t wait to be back performing on Irish soil.

Patrick said: “Western Oklahoma Pride was my first time in America and it was really great that my music took me there. I thought I was going there to introduce myself to people and obviously I was, but there was a lot of people who knew who I was already. Some people travelled for two hours to see me which was so surreal!

"I haven't been in Ireland since October and I haven't played there since I did my homecoming show last year in April. It always feels new every time I play at home and I will never take it for granted. Belfast Pride is going to be my biggest ever show at home, which is exciting.”

Although Patrick loves his hometown, he has mixed feelings about returning due to the discrimination he faced as a queer person growing up.

"The main reason I left was due to homophobia that I was facing going through school and then into day-to-day adult life,” he said. “Even up until recent years, on nights out there would be someone who would say something just for me existing as a queer man. When I left, it was because I needed some breathing space and a fresh start for my own mental well-being and even at times, my own safety. There are people who still feel like that, which is awful. I feel as though we are getting to a better place now, but I worry that people may be accepting where we are as the end goal, and it's not the end goal, certainly not for the trans community.

“That said, I am incredibly proud to be Irish and I love coming home to see the people I miss. But I think it’s completely understandable why so many from the queer community choose to explore other opportunities elsewhere.

“Belfast Pride’s slogan for this year is ‘Stand By Your Trans’ – which is something that I support 100% and I've been carrying that with me this entire Pride season. Its more important than ever that we stand shoulder to shoulder with our trans family and friends. I definitely see Belfast Pride as a real moment in my career, a full circle moment, where I've gone away and I've done what I've wanted to do and I'm coming back to headline Pride in Belfast. It doesn't really get much bigger than that within the queer community at home. Being given the opportunity to headline Belfast Pride makes this moment in my career even more profound. I am determined to use both my platform and music to advocate for a future where everyone can live openly and authentically, free from fear and discrimination, wherever they live. And I carry with me the memories of those who have fought tirelessly for the rights we enjoy today. I’m so grateful for the chance to contribute to this movement of love, acceptance and progress. I can't wait to come back and celebrate the queer community and our allies with everyone at home.”

Patrick’s music career has really taking off in recent years, supporting people like Kate Nash and Duncan James from Blue, as well as releasing new music. He completed his first ever UK headline tour last year, called the ‘Mood Swings’ Tour, which portrayed his journey of coming to terms with his mental health.

“Basically, I had been diagnosed with bipolar disorder in lockdown,” he said. “Writing is a huge form of therapy for me and that EP really shows the highs and the lows of such a turbulent time as well as the realisation that things will get better. I've just released the third single from my next record, which is a mixture of songs that I've written retrospectively and songs I wrote a while ago that I wasn’t brave enough to put out yet. The energy that comes from this record is so powerful and I can see it in people's faces when I'm performing. When I was in America, it was the first time I performed four of the five tracks live and the audience really connected with them. I’ve kept that energy and thrown myself into getting ready for Belfast Pride.”

Although Patrick moved to Manchester in 2015, he is very proud of his Irish roots and is proud to be among other queer icons from Derry.

“Us Derry girls really took over Manchester Pride last year. Nadine Coyle headlined one stage and I was across the road performing on the other,” he said. “I ended up missing her set though, which was sad. There’s been so many times I’ve nearly seen Nadine perform live but I always miss it because we'll both be performing at the same time or at the same thing on different days or whatever. We haven’t met yet but I always remember watching Pop Star's: The Rivals and wanting to be Nadine - and I still do!”

Patrick Saint James will be performing at Belfast Pride on Saturday, July 29. His new single, Broken Hearts is out now on all streaming platforms. For more information on his music or upcoming performances, visit https://patricksaintjames.com or follow him on social media.