T-LUXX on stage. Courtesy/D. Dominguez Photography

Los Alamos High School Senior Brian Johnson, aka T-LUXX, has been producing electronic music since age 8 and DJing professionally since age 13.

Last year, he won the New Mexico Sun City Music Festival DJ Contest. This year, he’s competing against DJs from around the U.S. in Sun City Music Festival National Contest. He’s currently ranked No. 1

Fans can support the hometown DJ by voting by Aug. 10 at https://wavo.me/suncitymusicfestival/sun-city-music-festival-dj-contest. Vote from a computer, voting from a phone won’t count, Johnson said..

The winner will perform at the Sun City Music Festival in El Paso over Labor Day Weekend in front of a crowd of 200,000 fans. The experience will get exposure for the winner’s music as well as an opportunity to be mentored by some of the biggest names around.

This is more than just a DJ set. This is the opportunity to play the festival as well as get his music exposed through new channels, get the full backstage experience, and be mentored by some of the biggest names in the game.

“All my favorite DJs will be there,” Johnson said.

Johnson said he identifies his music as “progressive house.” In case you missed the 80s and 90s, house music takes disco’s use of a prominent bass drum on every beat and develops a new style by mixing in a heavy electronic synthesizer bassline, electronic drums, electronic effects, funk and pop samples, and reverb- or delay-enhanced vocals. “Progressive” indicates a more experimental, less commercial style.

Already a musician, Johnson heard a song in 2008 that knocked him out. He knew this was the kind of music he wanted to make, and around age 8, got his first equipment.

“When I was 13, I had a cancer scare,” Johnson remembered. “That was when I got serious and started doing the kind of music I do now. It helped me get through the treatment. Music saved my life.”

Johnson currently attends Berklee College of Music online. He gigs two nights a week at clubs in Albuquerque, Fridays at Lotus and Saturdays at Gravity. Coming soon, he’ll be at Buffalo Thunder Sundays. Johnson also has played in El Paso and Las Vegas, Nev. as well around in New Mexico. His agent is Rami Perlman of Red Light Music, who manages a number of top names.

Johnson is well on his way to his dream. “I’m chasing where I want to be,” he said.

Listen to T-LUXX on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/ONETLUXX/timeline.