Polish guitar prodigy Marcin Patrzałek blends virtuosic technique with a unique flair, captivating millions online with his acoustic renditions. On his European tour, he proves that his breathtaking skills are real, not trickery.
Traditionally, artists take to the stage to connect with their audience. For Marcin Patrzałek, a Polish guitar prodigy, there’s an added drive: to prove that his jaw-dropping technique, which has garnered tens of millions of views on Instagram, is no trick. “It bothers me a bit that people think it’s fake (...) but it’s good that it gets people talking,” says the 24-year-old virtuoso, who bears a striking resemblance to actor Timothée Chalamet. He’s currently on a European tour, with around forty dates across the continent, starting in Paris.
Whether he's playing Chopin, Nirvana, Dr. Dre, or Stevie Wonder, Marcin’s acoustic guitar alone mimics the sound of an entire band. His Ibanez’s body serves as a percussion instrument, which he strikes with his right palm or taps with the precision of a flamenco guitarist. Meanwhile, his fingers race along the fretboard, recreating basslines, harmonies, and rhythms in one seamless movement. “I didn’t want to imitate anyone, so I tried to create something unique,” says the poised young artist, who remains grounded despite his online fame.
On Instagram, his short clips of virtuosity regularly surpass one million views, with some completely breaking records. His passionate, percussive rendition of L'Amour est un oiseau rebelle from Carmen has been viewed nearly 27 million times, as has his solo performance during an NBA halftime show in 2024. His tutorials, where he methodically explains his technique to awe-struck celebrities, have also gone viral.
Fame and Dilemma
The astonishment of former Fugees member Wyclef Jean when Marcin reinterpreted Stromae’s Alors, on danse reached over 28 million views, as did a demonstration in front of Will Smith. So impressed, Smith recruited Marcin for his recent rap track, First Love. Yet, with fame comes a dilemma.
“Guitar has always felt natural and fun,” Marcin explains. No musical parents or early lessons; the native of Kielce, Poland, picked up the guitar at age 10 and had a classical teacher who "saw something special" in him. As a teenager, he won the Polish version of America’s Got Talent, Mam Talent!, and in 2019, made it to the semifinals of America’s Got Talent after moving to the U.S. to study.
While his virtuosic skills continue to attract millions of clicks, they can also be a trap. “People have a very short attention span and scroll endlessly on their phones,” Marcin notes. “Showing off your technique is a good way to impress them... If they hear something and think, ‘Wow, how is that possible?’, they’ll want to know more.”
But the downside is that it can get repetitive. “It can’t always be fast and technical,” he adds. This presents a dilemma: “On one hand, if I post something online, I want it to be seen by millions. On the other, I want to release new things and evolve.”
Instagram-friendly
On his latest album Dragon in Harmony, released last September, there are moments of simplicity, which are less “Instagram-friendly“ but complement his more spectacular pieces, with classical tunes always present. “Classical music is the foundation,” Marcin asserts.
At La Maroquinerie, a small Paris venue where he performed on Monday, Chopin’s Nocturnes or Bach’s Toccata received the same raucous applause as his Nirvana cover. “It’s a happy coincidence that people who don’t usually listen to classical music enjoy it,” says Marcin, though it’s not his main focus. “I just want to play the music I love, and do it in my own way.”
With AFP
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