Music
Patrick Paige II on leaving The Internet and finding his own sound
At Red Bull’s On the Record in Atlanta, the musician opens up about his new solo album, his creative evolution and why leaving The Internet has given him the freedom to explore his own sound.
Two words come up repeatedly as Patrick Paige II reflects on the last five years of his life: “transition” and “freedom.”
A bassist, guitarist, solo artist and former member of critically-acclaimed band The Internet, Paige has cemented himself as a staple in R&B and alternative music. His basslines have served as the bedrock for fan favorite songs from The Internet such as “Special Affair.” And, in 2022, a song he co-wrote for singer Sabrina Claudio became “Plastic on the Sofa” on Beyonce’s Grammy-winning Renaissance album.
The whirlwind success has only driven Paige inward, pushing him to reflect on what he wants to create next. This year the Los Angeles native released Love You, Mean It, his first solo project since relocating to Atlanta nearly four years ago. The musician also announced he’s stepped away from The Internet after more than a decade. “We are all still good. I still love them and we all still have matching tattoos,” he says of his departure. “I just took some time to myself. That’s it.”
Patrick Paige II brings his signature bass style to the stage
© Robin James
More Red Bull On the Record content
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Why Patrick Paige II moved to Atlanta
Paige discussed his musical future alongside Andscape’s David Dennis Jr. and performed songs from his new album at the latest session of Red Bull On the Record in Atlanta. The curated series offers an intimate live music experience designed to introduce tastemakers to emerging artists.
David Dennis Jr. interviews Patrick Paige II for Red Bull On the Record
© Robin James
A product of the Mid City neighborhood in Los Angeles, Paige moved to Atlanta in an effort to remove himself from his native environment and grow, both personally and creatively. “I be chilling. I go hiking. I be at the wing spots. We do regular sh-t,” he says. “That influence and those types of frequencies permeate in the type of lifestyle I’m living. It translates through the music.”
Love You, Mean It is an 11-song “ode to the South” and love, he says. A nearly six- minute visualizer for the project finds the artist performing in various locations throughout Atlanta, including in front of a spring within the Cascade Springs Nature Preserve, a bedazzled “Atlanta” hat displayed on a nearby rock. Paige says he’s hiked on the trail several times, gazing at the trees, spiders, birds and water in an effort to remind himself to remain grounded in the present.
“Hey, I got something to say that’s real and I don’t want to waste time,” he sings on the album’s title track. “I done held the mirror up to people. Now it’s time to face mine.” The introspective lyrics are a constant on the album, with Paige reflecting on love, internet culture, masculinity and more. “I don’t think there’s this general kind of idea of masculinity as much as it is just about being a genuine human being and showing up,” Paige told Dennis during the Q&A.
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Finding freedom through solo music
Patrick Paige II performs songs from Love You, Mean It
© Robin James
On Love You, Mean It, Atlanta serves as a backdrop for Paige as he seeks to better understand himself and discover his sound. He’s spent some time in therapy, too, working to remove mental blocks that were keeping him stagnant. Recording in a new city felt “uninhibited,” he says. “I think that just me as a person I’ve just been removing a lot of boundaries around myself, a lot of ceilings and just understanding what I’m capable of.”
Moving across the country for the first time was, admittedly, a bit of a culture shock, but Paige says he’d been a fan of Atlanta music—counting artists like Jeezy and Future among his favorites—since childhood. As a nod to his southern inspirations, the musician’s set during On the Record included an auto-tuned, hazy cover of Gucci Mane’s “Pillz.”
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What's next for Patrick Paige II
Patrick Paige II looks ahead to new music and collaborations
© Robin James
Paige insists he likes performing, but he really wants to collaborate with other artists. “The artist sh-t is cool but my favorite thing is producing and writing, if I’m being honest,” he says.
“He’s precise, but at the same time he understands the importance of creativity and freedom so he’s going to let you do your thing, but he knows what he wants,” Atlanta-based songwriter and producer Bowie says of working with Paige.
Despite leaving The Internet recently, the musician says recording their 2018 album Hive Minds in between playing laser tag and video games remains one of his favorite studio memories to date.
Leaving behind his closest collaborator was a major decision, but he insists he mostly feels “free.” It was a necessary transition that has allowed him to focus on his own music. “I’ve been trying to explore and find more of my own sound,” he says.
“I’m just excited to explore more of myself,” he adds. “I’m still learning, but so far I like what I see.”