Many music fans have posters on their walls depicting bombastic lead singers and electrifying guitarists. Many, therefore, neglect some of those artists that keep the rhythm in place and our bodies in movement. One of these artists already pushing the envelope is Thornton drummer Porter Bliquez, a freshman majoring in popular music performance. And he’s just getting started.

For Bliquez, his main goal has always been clear: to make music and play the drums for a living.

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“I always wanted to be a musician, it’s just a part of me,” Bliquez said. “I don’t remember when I didn’t want to make this a career and put everything I [have] into this.”

A big step in this direction for Bliquez was moving south to Los Angeles from the Bay Area, and from home to USC. While he spoke on his hometown’s lively music scene, he says it’s no contest between there and the City of Angels.

“There’s no better place to be [than L.A.] for wanting to make music a career,” Bliquez said. “This is like San Francisco on steroids … a lot of people go out of their way to make it a special place for musicians.”

However, Bliquez isn’t just your average drummer next door. His talents have already caught the eye of one of L.A.’s most respected musicians and legendary drummers: Andy Prado Jr. Prado has played alongside a wide gamut of recording artists and continues to have residency at Universal City’s iconic jazz venue, The Baked Potato, where he had a full circle moment when he saw Bliquez perform there Nov. 21.

“I got to see him play with other musicians for the first time,” Prado said. ”You can see he’s very adamant about giving his all and giving his 110%, not only through what people are just listening [to], but also watching.”

What has become a self-described teacher-apprentice relationship between Prado and Bliquez began, perhaps unsurprisingly in 2023, through social media.

“He started following me,” Prado said. “Then I finally saw a video of his and I was like, ‘Oh my God, I need to follow this kid back,’ because he has so much potential. He has a bright future ahead of him.”

To hone that potential and realize that bright future, Bliquez has already started to visualize his path to professional musicianship alongside fellow Thornton freshman Zach Meyer, who divides his time between majoring in music industry and managing Bliquez’s drumming career. Meyer says their skills complement each other perfectly, leading to their bond and eventual working relationship.

“He’s very artistically savvy … but he doesn’t like as much of the business side,” Meyer said. “He would much rather have someone handle logistics … It was just kind of a natural relationship.”

As one of Bliquez’s closer peers in academia and music, Meyer has been able to identify what he thinks separates Bliquez from other similar musicians, and what makes his ceiling so high. Meyer says it’s Bliquez’s choices in phrasings, not just ‘going fast,’ that makes him a standout drummer.

“What distinguishes drummers from one another, it’s [how] they’re able to speak their own truth through rhythm,” Meyer said. “[Musicality is] what definitely separates [Bliquez] from the rest, and obviously he’s not even at the top of the game yet.”

With inspiration and mentorship in one ear and supportive management in the other, Bliquez looks poised to build on his performance at The Baked Potato and continue to rise to the top. However, he doesn’t want to restrain himself to just playing for the sake of playing. Bliquez said he does not underestimate the value of the friendships he can make and the strides he can take in L.A. and at USC.

“I want to really prioritize making real connections with people, not just to try to push myself further in the industry but just because musicians are amazing,” Bliquez said. “[Getting] a touring gig, that would be the dream … making money playing drums … the farther I can go with it, the sky’s the limit.”

Beyond what may happen in his career or in his time at USC, Bliquez has one thing very clear: He wouldn’t do it if he wasn’t passionate about his music. The fuel that keeps him going is his love for his craft and the promise of adding to a storied artform.

“[I want to] contribute to the language of drums, innovate new phrasing, new energy to the drums and to music,” Bliquez said. “It’s not just drums, it’s music, it’s people’s souls … it’s important to know why I play and why I started, which is the love and the passion I have for this instrument.”