Dorian Williams II, known professionally as Skateland, is an American singer, songwriter, producer, and multi-instrumentalist based in Austin, TX. After moving from Las Vegas to pursue a degree at the University of Texas, Williams began writing songs and experimenting with various instruments in his bedroom and Skateland was born.
Drawing from a wide variety of musical influences, he combines melancholy lyricism and new-wave instrumentation with pop production techniques to create a sound that is equal parts past, present, and future. With Skateland, he often writes about autobiographical experiences, confiding, “I take emotions or feelings that I’ve gathered from certain experiences and package them into a format that’s accessible to anyone who listens. I think that’s why I love writing and recording music in non-traditional places as opposed to a fancy studio, writing a guitar part on my porch, jotting down song lyrics at a bar or cafe, tracking vocals in my bedroom etc., it feels like returning to the scene of that major life event and there’s an emotional power in that!”
Self-produced and recorded, his debut EP New Wave Revival was shared in early 2023. The six-track collection has received praise from the likes of NPR’s KUTX which proclaimed it to be, “sensationally mellow cross-genre bops” and stated that it “has the fuzzy charm of shoegaze but filtered through a pop lens”.
Skateland’s single “Postcards” is a highly relatable and important narrative of the often toxic comparison that occurs from being on the internet and social media. “Postcards” features dreamy soundscapes, layered breezy melodies and a kaleidoscope of hazy synths for an intriguing listen.
His new single “Autobahn!” explores the hills and valleys of love and relationships. He confides, “The narrator begins the song with what he presumes is a breakup speech, but somehow along the way concedes that for better or worse he will always love this person and that the tough parts of loving someone are what make it worth it in the end.”
In just over a year, Skateland has already performed multiple showcases at the coveted SXSW festival as well as garnered praise from several media platforms. This rising artist hopes his music inspires people to delve into their passions. He proclaims, “Fear of failure or a perceived lack of “the right resources” are the biggest reason why people hesitate to try something. Instead of dreading those butterflies in your stomach, embrace them and use them to lift you up. I hope my music inspires people to do “the thing” whatever the thing is.”
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