We recently connected with Manuel Lopez and have shared our conversation below.

Manuel, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. When did you first know you wanted to pursue a creative/artistic path professionally?

At first, I didn’t know I wanted to be an artist; I just wanted to learn to play an instrument. At a local party, I saw a drummer playing with such joy that I wanted to do the same. I remember asking my mother to buy me a drum set, but at that time, we didn’t have the resources to afford one. So, I started playing on buckets with some sticks I found, spending many afternoons doing that. Eventually, my mother bought me my first pair of drumsticks, and even though it wasn’t a real drum set, it made me feel like a professional drummer.

I began practicing by watching videos of live shows, trying to imitate and follow the rhythm of the musicians. Over time, I managed to get a real drum set, and my desire to become an artist grew stronger. I visualized myself playing my own songs on stage. Back then, I was more focused on rock and metal music, and during that period, I started playing the guitar and bass. I composed riffs and tried to write complete songs.

As time went by, the dream seemed more distant, partly due to my age, between 16 and 20. I lacked discipline, and there were no other people who wanted to join the dream, especially in the genre I wanted to pursue. After turning 20, the desire to be a musician was still there, but I saw it more as a hobby. After the pandemic, like many others, I reflected and thought: it’s now or never.

At that time, I became more interested in electronic music. I already knew some classic songs from the genre that I used to listen to with a friend during childhood. But it wasn’t until I started exploring the genre more and discovering new artists that I got hooked on it and wanted to try producing my own songs. The more I learned from tutorials on YouTube, the dream began to grow again. My material started to improve and sound good, and I realized something I had been ignoring: being a producer and DJ would allow me to do it on my own. I mean, I wouldn’t need other musicians to rehearse like I would in a band in another musical genre. That’s when I defined that I wanted to be an artist and that it was worth trying.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

My name is Manuel Lopez and I create music. I was born in Chiapas, Mexico, into an indigenous community, called San Juan Chamula. I speak three languages now – Spanish, Tsotsil and English. I immigrated to the United States in 2018, lived in Atlanta, GA for a year before moving to the wonderful city of Charleston, SC. First, I started by playing the drums and eventually I learned other instruments like the guitar and bass. I even joined a rock band at one point and had the opportunity to record in Monterrey, MX with them. I took a pause from music after moving to this country and trying to adjust and then during the pandemic, I picked it up again and started producing music during my free time and I haven’t stopped since. I started by producing Hip-Hop and Trap beats. then I expanded into EDM music, more specific genres like techno, Melodic Techno and Tech House.

I am proud of the fact that I am just starting my career as an EDM producer and I am already gaining attention, as one of my recent tracks was featured on several important Spotify playlists in the Melodic Techno genre. This is thanks to the discipline I have been working on. My sound is improving every day, and I truly envision great things for myself in the future. I hope that in the next three years, I will be performing regularly in clubs and eventually playing at my first festivals.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

I believe the most rewarding aspect is what it takes to become a great artist. It requires discipline, and discipline requires commitment. Commitment starts with changing a lot about yourself, stepping out of your comfort zone, and often reflecting on who you are as a person. If you want to become great and maintain that position, you need to rise to the occasion and become a better person in all aspects.

Is there mission driving your creative journey?

Of course, first is fulfilling my childhood dream of being on stage, playing my music in front of many people, and having a great time. The mission I believe this dream has is to show people that even if you often feel lost, no matter when, you can still get back on track. And although this is always said, it is true: dreams come true, you just need to believe in yourself.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://distrokid.com/hyperfollow/espesk/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/espe_sk/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EspeSK
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@espe_sk
• Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/espe_sk