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Within the days main as much as February’s Grammy Awards, Canadian music producer Cirkut was not targeted on the seven nominations he was up for.
Somewhat, there was a extra urgent concern for the musician who spent a number of years residing in Halifax throughout his teenage years..
Musician Woman Gaga — whose 2025 album Mayhem was co-produced by Cirkut — had a request. She’d requested him to play bass for a stay Grammy efficiency of her hit tune Abracadabra.
It had been a couple of decade and a half since Cirkut, born Henry Walter, had performed a stay present. Within the late 2000s, he was the DJ in an electro rap group referred to as Let’s Go To Struggle. The expertise taught him he most popular making music behind the scenes and did not need to be a performer and tour.
However for this Gaga gig, he’d be taking part in synthesizer bass — and he was nervous.
“I obtained extra comfy with it main as much as it as I used to be rehearsing my half and I knew what I used to be doing and it obtained to the purpose the place I used to be simply so comfy with it,” mentioned Walter. “I simply obtained to have enjoyable with it and simply be up there and benefit from the second.”
WATCH | Henry Walter (Cirkut) performs synth bass at this yr’s Grammys on Woman Gaga’s Abracadabra:
For Walter, there have been plenty of moments to take pleasure in in 2026.
In January, he received the Songwriter-Producer of the 12 months award on the NMPA x Billboard Grammy Week Songwriter Awards.
At February’s Grammys, he received two awards within the classes of Producer of the 12 months, Non-Classical and Finest Dance Pop Recording for Gaga’s Abracadabra.
Final weekend, he received the Jack Richardson Producer of the 12 months on the Junos.
“I have fun it and I admire it and benefit from the second, however then I simply get back-to-back to work and attempt to simply take into consideration the explanation why I do that … I like making music and I like collaborating with folks and dealing with wonderful proficient artists,” he mentioned in an interview earlier than heading to a recording studio in Los Angeles.
Walter’s a sought-after music producer and songwriter who’s had a hand in among the greatest songs of the previous decade and a half, together with Katy Perry’s Roar, Miley Cyrus’s Wrecking Ball and The Weeknd’s Starboy.
However within the early 2000s, Walter was a young person attending Armbrae Academy and later St. Patrick’s Excessive Faculty in Halifax looking for his musical footing. He credit the experiences he had in Halifax and the musicians he interacted with right here as vital for his musical improvement. Walter’s father nonetheless lives within the province.
Walter mentioned he was unable to attend the Junos as a result of he had commitments deliberate even earlier than the nomination was introduced and he felt badly about not being there.
“To be acknowledged by my fellow Canadians and friends there, it means quite a bit,” he mentioned.
This yr is shaping as much as be one other busy one for Walter. Whereas he prefers to not identify the artists he is working with till their initiatives have been launched, there is a FIFA World Cup album he is concerned with.
The tune Lighter simply got here out. It is a collaboration between artists from the soccer event’s three host nations: Cirkut (Canada), Jelly Roll (United States) and Carín León (Mexico). There can be different songs launched by different artists that Walter helped make.
WATCH | Henry Walter produced this Jelly Roll and Carín León tune for the World Cup:
Requested which artists he hasn’t labored with however wish to, Walter mentioned he would not have a bucket checklist, however he talked about British singer-songwriter Raye and Beyoncé.
As effectively, he’d wish to work with an up-and-coming “subsequent expertise.” Walter mentioned discovering the artist might come from phrase of mouth or them sending him materials.
“I like working with established stars and all the most important, you understand, artists that everybody loves, however I believe it is also fascinating to see what’s subsequent and to seek out that and nurture it and develop it,” he mentioned.
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