Let’s Meet: Skateland

Patricia Lim

Skateland returns to Studio 1A with new music!

Patricia Lim Skateland poses for a portrait after performing a live Studio 1A session on Jan. 17, 2025. Patricia Lim/KUTX

Welcome back to KUTX! We first booked you for our Free Week showcase in January of 2023 and then in Studio 1A the following month during your tenure as our February Artist of the Month, just before the release of your first EP, New Wave Revival. Get us up to speed with what you’ve done since. Any major milestones or shows you’ve played? 

It’s been a wild ride since then, I can’t believe it’s already been two years! I’ve played SXSW a few times, played some shows in LA, released a new EP, had songs on a couple of big Spotify playlists, gotten into some really cool publications like Ones to Watch, shot two short films, and the biggest thing by far was opening for Foster the People at a sold out Emo’s last October for ACL Nights.

We heard you got asked to play a lot of UT frat and co-op parties because we mentioned that you’re a UT student, but left out the detail that you are enrolled as a PHD candidate. Tell us what you’re studying, How long till we can call you Dr. Skateland and how do you balance PHD student life with musician life? Plans to hit the musician life hard when you complete your PHD?

I’m a third year PhD student in the advertising department! It’s not what it sounds like though, I don’t necessarily do ad campaigns or stuff like that, it’s more like behavioral psychology and consumer research. If all goes to plan I’ll be done in the spring of 2026, so I’m working towards that. Doing this program and being a musician can be brutal at times, but I love both so I’ve made it work.

In an earlier interview with KUTX, you discussed the difficulties of transforming songs written in your bedroom studio into a stage production with other musicians. Has your songwriting process evolved at all since those first singles?

I’d say that’s where I feel like I’ve grown the most since we last spoke. Playing live was something foreign to me when I first started, and now I’m really starting to get a feel for it and (dare I say) enjoy it. I have a great live band with some really talented guys, and they make it easy to bring a song to the rehearsal room and build it out for a live performance. As far as writing songs I don’t think the process has changed, I think I’ve just learned to lean into my strengths and be myself instead of trying to be everything and everyone all at once. 


Your second EP Joyce Howell, How Are You? was released this past November and we gotta ask – Who’s Joyce Howell?

Joyce is fictional! This EP is basically a series of letters I’ve written to people in my life, and it became easier to finish them when I created this imaginary figure in my head who would be “receiving” the finished product. I think I saw the name Joyce Howell on a painting at a gallery one time and it just felt right to me.

“Sunset Cinema” and “Postcards” seem to revolve around powerful feelings of nostalgia, reliving moments that created strong emotions—both good and bad. Are you revisiting personal memories in these songs, or are you channeling a broader sense of self-awareness and reflection?

Both! Sunset Cinema is definitely a self-reflection for me, touching on a personal relationship I had that came to an end. Postcards is more of a broader commentary, reflecting on some of the bad habits I think we as humans have when it comes to being on our phones and screens all the time and living online.


January is Love Austin Music Month. Got any favorite local acts you think our listeners should have on their radar?

Holy Wire, Claude Immanuel, Mune, Mockjaw and Go Machine are all amazing.

Do you have a favorite Austin music experience?

I’ll give a two part answer for this one. My favorite music experience in Austin was seeing the Vampire Weekend matinee show at Moody Amphitheater during the solar eclipse last year. 10/10 communal experience and an amazing show from one of my favorite bands playing songs from an incredible new album.  

My favorite Austin music experience is probably Free Week! Red River is home to so many of my favorite music venues, and getting to walk up and down the street all night with your friends hearing local artists play for free is as good as it gets in my opinion.

Anything else you want us to know about? Where can folks find you next?

I’m releasing a ton of new music this year that I’ve been working really hard on for a long time now, so keep an eye out for that! Going to be laying pretty low until SXSW as far as live shows, but that’s where you can find me next.

FOLLOW SKATELAND


Musicians:

Dorian Williams II – vocals, guitar; Chris Daschkey – Bass; Marshall Kummer – drums

Credits:

Producer: Deidre Gott; Audio Post Mix: Jake Perlman; Video Edit: Michael Minasis; Audio Engineers: Jake Perlman, Rene Chavez; Cameras: Deborah Cannon; Michael Minasi, Patricia Lim; Portraits: Patricia Lim; Session Host: Trina Quinn

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