Johnny Castro may be more than 1,600 miles away from home, but he’s brought the sounds of home with him to Bowling Green.

Castro, a senior from Bonao City, Dominican Republic, has introduced reggaeton to this area of Kentucky. He has been performing reggaeton, which blends Jamaican influences of reggae and dancehall with Latin American and hip hop music, for about a year and a half now.

Although he listened to the music growing up, Castro said he didn’t even consider writing or performing until the summer of 2005, when he just started writing to a beat. The lyrics flowed and became a song, and he was hooked instantly.

“Reggaeton has its own flavor,” Castro said. “It is such a mix of different vibes, like chill reggae and salsa rhythms and rap; but it is able to become its own sound. It’s almost a perfect blend.”

Since his first song, Castro has written many others, mostly about love and romance. He said he can usually write a song within a couple of hours. He then records it on his “MC starter kit” in his apartment.

Castro’s first public performance was at the 2005 International Festival. He enjoyed it so much that he performed again at last month’s festival, where he rapped about six or seven songs in front of a crowd of about 100 people. He brought others on the stage to perform with him, including Hopkinsville junior Torrence Douglas, a rapper known as “TKD.”

Douglas said he loved doing the show with Castro, because the duo blended well and they had onstage chemistry. He said Castro’s passion for his music was obvious to anyone who watched him.

“We fed off each other’s energy, and it went extremely well,” Douglas said. “His intensity, enthusiasm and audience involvement make him a great entertainer. I’m confident that he will take the reggaeton explosion to another level.”

Castro will take the stage next at a club in Fort Knox this Saturday. He said he will have dancers accompany him during his performance and plans on bringing along about 10 friends for support.

Although he doesn’t have the necessary amount of time to devote to his music right now, between working two jobs and being a member of the Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity, Castro said he hopes to one day dedicate all his attention to music. His dream is to become a famous reggaeton performer.

Bowling Green freshman Chris Withrow, Castro’s friend and musical adviser, said he believes that dream will become a reality.

“With his work ethic and talent, I can see him being on TV and being famous,” Withrow said. “He has such a distinct flair about him, and he’s going down a lane that not a lot of performers are taking. He’s a trendsetter in the reggaeton movement.”

Reach Ashley Maines at features@wkuherald.com.