NINTEEN-YEAR-OLD Cy Walker known as ‘King Drac’ is multi-talented and ambitious. He is an electronic dance music (EDM) producer and a final-year Chemistry major at the University of Guyana (UG).

Hailing from the mining town of Linden, this local basketball star has over 210,000 listeners from over 140 countries on Spotify. He was also nominated twice for the Linden Music Awards.

EDM is a popular range of music that is intended for dancing in clubs typically having a repetitive beat and a synthesized backing track.

There are many subgenres of electronic dance music but among the popular ones is disco, house, techno, hardcore pop, ambient and break- beat.

It is produced by DJs for nightclubs, festivals and dance parties and is made up of tracks which are designed to flow seamlessly into one another.

During an interview with the Buzz, Walker explained that his love for EDM started while in fourth form at the McKenzie High School when he first began listening to Christopher Comstock known as “Marshmello,” an American electronic music producer.

He recounted that this “kick-started” his love for EDM, followed by his first keyboard, a Christmas present from his parents.

“Since then, I have been playing and learning different songs. But eventually, from playing I wanted to add other stuff like drums and different instruments.

“I came across somebody from school using a software and I downloaded it and started using it. I was already into EDM music, so, I said let me try to produce the same music,” the young man recounted.

He added that during the coronavirus pandemic when everyone was forced to stay at home, he used the opportunity to focus more on what he loved.

“I just had ideas in my head and tried my best to recreate it on the computer. You could get inspiration from anything. You could be sitting down in a car, and hear a sound and get any idea for a song,” the young musician said.

Walker added that after producing some music, he submitted them to people in different parts of the world, which resulted in him becoming friends with other EDM lovers worldwide.

Now, his music is popular in United States, Germany and several other European countries.

However, Walker wishes that EDM could be used more in Guyana where dancehall, soca, chutney, among other music genres are very popular.

Among the songs he produced are “Open up your heart”, “Think about it”, “Let me in”, “My meaning”, “Always you” and his most popular track, “Save me” which has over 488, 000 streams online.

“Locally, I have never met anybody that wants to produce EDM music, but it got couple artistes who want to collaborate on an EDM track. I get other friends from Iran, and Hong Kong … they also make EDM. I get a lot of support from people from other countries. I try to show people (locally) my music, but nobody really follows it up,” Walker said.

The young lad has been able to balance his love for music and his books. He is currently pursuing studies which will give him the opportunity to work in a lab as a chemist.

Walker explained that music takes his mind off of schoolwork and helps him express himself.

“Every free time I get, I put it towards my music,” he said.

He hopes that his music triggers a “specific type of feeling” or memory of something that makes his listeners happy.

“I wanted people to listen to my music and get that type of feeling,” he said.