Pat Hamilton Talks New Music, Playing BST Hyde Park 2026 And More

Jun 9, 2026 | Interviews

Words by Glenn Sargeant

Feature Image Photo Credit: Katy Mitchell

Rising Scottish singer-songwriter Pat Hamilton has just announced a headline UK and Ireland tour for September 2026 and will also support Maroon 5 at American Express Presents BST Hyde Park. He kindly chatted to us:

What is your earliest musical memory?

Wow. Good question.

For me, my earliest musical memory is of me listening to ‘Glad You Came’ by The Wanted on my CD player back in the day.

It was the first song I can remember being addicted to. I used to listen to it on repeat for hours. I haven’t listened to it in years, but it was my childhood soundtrack for a time!

When did you begin songwriting?

This is difficult as I view my songwriting as a constantly developing skill, so I can’t give you a definitive ‘start date’ with any certainty.

I remember messing about on the pianos of school practice rooms from about 14, but I wouldn’t say I wrote a proper song until 16. Even then, calling it a ‘proper song’ is probably overselling it!

Which of your tracks hear you at your a) happiest, b) angriest and c) most reflective?

A) Minutes are Lifetimes.

This is the first song I ever recorded at the age of 18. It was May of 2023. I was just leaving school and I was very much in love at the time. To this day it’s the only love song I’ve released. I don’t often play it live, but it’s a fan favourite all the same.

B) Never Forget.

Not proud of this one. Remember how I said I was very much in love? Well, yeah. That relationship ended in a really convoluted and prolonged way. I wrote it at the end of my first relationship (those breakups are always the worst, aren’t they!) and this song serves as a reminder of a time where I was hurt and lashing out through my lyrics. It’s painfully immature, but nonetheless a useful line in the sand to see how far I’ve progressed both as a musician and as a man.

C) Son of the Manse.

This is a song about my parents. Neither are practicing Christians, but they came from families and environments that were on opposite sides of the Catholic / Protestant divide. When my Mum moved from Cork to Glasgow to be with my Dad, it was a tumultuous time in Irish history, and this song documents the familial reservations held on both sides of the sea.

I should stress that both sides of my family get on really well and my parents have never been happier, but it was a really great theme to explore from a songwriting point of view!

One of your tracks is ‘Fool’s Gold’. What was the story/inspiration behind the track?

Fools Gold has been interpreted in a number of different ways and I have to admit, I’ve contributed to its misinterpretation through the way that I marketed it.

In truth it’s a song about love and longing for someone that isn’t there. It’s a song about knowing you’ll never find the resolution to the loss you’ve experienced, but viewing the pursuit as worthwhile on the off-chance that you can make things work.

In the end, things between us didn’t work out, but I got a great song from it!

Was it a difficult song to write?

Personally, I don’t think it was the most difficult song I wrote during that period of my life, but it still held a lot of emotional value to me.

Artistically, it’s the song that took the longest to finish in my career. My producer and I could tell that we were onto something good, so we were both giving everything we had to try and make it great. Because we both care so much about the music, it got a bit heated, but because we’ve known each other for so long we know where the lines are when it comes to arguing over musical direction. We’re like an old married couple that way!

To cut a long story short, we spent two days arguing over one line of the chorus. He eventually won after I relented to use the word “bittersweet”. I’m not a sore loser, but I admit that the commercial success of the song definitely made it an easier pill to swallow!

Do you have any further music releases planned for 2026/2027?

Yes. My upcoming album ‘RSVP.’ has been mixed six times. It’s almost there. Some might call me a perfectionist, but I’m just obsessed with the finer details. This music will outlive me, and for the sake of a few weeks I want to make it as good as it can be.

Alongside the album I have a few singles I’d love to get finished and out soon, but my producers dance card is pretty full as it is! Watch this space!

Where is your hometown and could you please describe it in five words?

Glasgow.

Authentic. Unapologetic. Passionate. Welcoming. Class!

How do you look after your voice?

Having recently toured with Finn Forster I’ve picked up an additional trick or two, but in general; if you can keep a lid on the post-show celebrations, have plenty of Manuka honey and steam your voice before and after playing, you’ll be good to go.

You will be performing on Friday 3rd July 2026 at American Express presents BST Hyde Park. How did that opportunity arise and how are you feeling about the show?

To be given the opportunity to play a show like Hyde Park a year or two into my career is amazing. I’m immensely privileged to have a brilliant team around me who’ve worked hard to ensure that I’m able to continue to make progress on the live side, and I’m really looking forward to the show!

Do you have any further UK/European dates for 2026/27?

Yes! I’m heading on my first ever UK and Ireland tour in September. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t a little nervous to see how ticket sales are across the different cities, but to have the opportunity to play is an absolute privilege in itself. Whether it’s 1 person in the room or 100, the best part of my job is having that genuine connection and I can’t wait to meet everyone who’s been supporting me from all over.

What two things do you hope to have achieved once you have left the stage?

By the time I leave the stage, I’d love to have repaid the faith of every person who believed in me and contributed to my career. I stand on the shoulders of everyone around me. Without my family, my friends, or my team, I couldn’t do what I do. To make them proud, and to have made their investment in me worthwhile is my greatest motivation.

On a more personal note, to headline TRNSMT Festival in Glasgow is one of my main career aspirations. I love my city. I love the people. I’ve loved the festival since I first went at 16. I cried when I got the news I’d be opening the smallest stage at the earliest possible time, so to headline the whole thing would be a huge moment for me.

Do you have any favoured stage instruments, effects, pedals, microphones etc?

I’m literally the worst person to ask about music technology. I’m wholly reliant on the people around me who know about this stuff to make things tick. I just write the songs and sing them, they do all the heavy lifting!

You are given the opportunity to write the score for a film adaptation of a novel that you enjoy. Which novel is it and why?

For some reason, I can’t shake the novel ‘Noughts & Crosses’ by Malorie Blackman from my mind. Because the actions and attitudes present in the novel transcend Blackman’s reversal of racial identities, I think there would be a lot of narrative depth to work with if I were writing the score.

Who are some of your musical influences? Do you have any recommendations?

Ed Sheeran was all I listened to for years. His influence is definitely identifiable in my music I’d say. I cried the first time I saw him. He opened his set at Hampden Park in Glasgow with ‘Castle on the Hill’ as part of his Divide Tour. I was in pieces. Funnily enough, I’ve since met members of his team (including those who were involved in that tour) who say I remind them of him. Hope I meet him someday. I’m his biggest fan and it ain’t close!

Dave is also somebody I’ve loved for years. His lyrical intricacy is second to none. He’s the best rapper in UK history in my book. His debut album ‘Psychodrama’ will never be topped, but his second, ‘We’re All Alone in this Together’ was unbelievable as well. I saw him at the OVO Hydro in Glasgow. He’s another great of the UK scene that I’d love to meet.

To be honest I think their versatility is the reason I resonate with them so much. It’s something I try to emulate myself. What does a genre matter to writers of that quality? They don’t need to stick to a certain sound because their lyrical content is so good.

In terms of recommendations, I’ve been listening to a lot of Goldford and Wild Rivers recently. Lyrically and sonically, their both brilliant in their own right. Sam Tompkins has a song out called ‘Beauty Queen’ that I’m loving as well. So good to see him back in the industry.

What makes Pat Hamilton happy and what makes you unhappy?

It’s probably not the healthiest, but I’ve got an insatiable hunger for progress. If I’m honest with myself, that’s where I derive most of my happiness. I love my family, my friends, and my team, but as somebody who spends a lot of time by himself, there’s nothing I wouldn’t do for progress.

I hate social media. It’s awful. It’s plastic, and if I could delete it all I would. Everyone (myself included) puts their best foot forward and pretends to live the perfect life. Naturally, we all fall into the same trap and emulate what we see other people doing, but it just leads to this soulless and damaging perception of ‘reality’.

In lower moments I, like many others, have been known to derive my own self value from the number of views I get online. That should never happen, but it’s the unfortunate reality. When you make success on social media the metric of success in an industry like music, there’s no wonder why so many artists have mental health or addiction issues.

I’m just grateful to have the right people around me to guide me through all of it. I’m still 20 years old and there’s a long road ahead, so I don’t want to burn out too early.

Feature Image Photo Credit: Katy Mitchell

Pat Hamilton will support Maroon 5 at American Express Presents BST Hyde Park on Friday 3rd July 2026.

Tickets are available here: https://www.bst-hydepark.com/

In addition, he will tour the UK and Ireland in September 2026 which will visit the following venues:

3rd September 2026 – Belfast Barge

4th September 2026 – Upstairs At Whelans, Dublin, Ireland

7th September 2026 – The Deaf Institute, Manchester, United Kingdom

8th September 2026 – Oporto, Leeds, United Kingdom

9th September 2026 – The Social, London, United Kingdom

10th September 2026 – Komedia, Brighton, United Kingdom

15th September 2026 – Sneaky Pete’s Edinburgh, Scotland, United Kingdom

General Sale – Friday 12th June 2026 at 9.00am (UK Time)