The older a person gets, the harder it is to break out of established patterns and follow their dreams. Young people, though, often have the opportunity to pursue those dreams before the pressures of life bear down on them. So many young people in our communities are doing exactly that—following their passions by working hard to develop themselves as artists—and this month we’ll be highlighting some of these extraordinary youth.
A 17-year-old musician from Niverville is using his music to connect with listeners on a more emotional level. The artist, who goes by the name Valac, is currently in his final year at Niverville Collegiate and produces music in a style he describes as progressive metal, usually instrumental. He says he wants to place more emphasis on the melodic and qualitative aspects of the genre.
“I prefer instrumental music because it leaves a bit of a wider gap for personal interpretation, and lets people create their own stories in relation to their own emotions and stories within their lives,” Valac explains. “My music varies from raw and aggressive to softer and more melodic, expressing a wide swathe of emotional moods and feelings. I enjoy using my music as an outlet for emotions, both positive and negative, and seek to capture those emotions in a medium in which others can enjoy.”
The artist has dabbled in music since middle school, although he finally began taking it seriously five years ago, when he decided to focus on the genre that affected him emotionally.
With his newfound appreciation for progressive metal and metalcore, he was able to work on his musicality and production skills. He recently recorded an album entitled “Our Hazy Future” in his parents’ basement, demonstrating that it doesn’t always take expensive equipment to explore your artistic abilities.
“[This album] is more of a collection of emotional pieces written to convey my personal feelings at the time of writing them, from being hopeful and sanguine about the future, to feelings of dread and existentialism,” he says.
Valac hopes to make the move out of Niverville soon after graduation, although he wants music to remain a part of his life—in whatever capacity that might mean.
“While I don’t plan on studying music academically, I do plan on letting my music dominate the majority of my free time, and I want to take it as far as I can,” says Valac. “If that turns out to be playing small local gigs and turning to a small base of fans, then I’m fine with that. If it blows up and I manage to make a fair chunk of money off it, then that’s fine too. It’s about the art, not the fame, and I want to continue making art the way I want to for as long as possible.”
