By: Isabella Brownlee
It’s just like any other school day; teachers are buzzing desk-to-desk, teaching students who have barely gotten an hour of sleep. Students talk with their friends and act as if life is anything but a struggle. Nathan Brown can be seen shrugged into his seat with a pair of headphones drowning out the outside world. These days seem to blur together, the only way out through the lyrics and beats of the music.
“Not a lot of people know about my SoundCloud that I made with my friends,” Brown said. “When people find out they immediately go and check it out because I think it’s a shocker that someone like me would make music.”
Brown, a senior, produces music using his own lyrics and collaborates with friends who have also taken a part in it. Brown believes that the music is just another way for him and his friends to have fun and cure boredom.
“Making music with my friends is a way I can be creative,” Brown said. “It’s like no matter if it’s the best or the worst it still shows that I tried.”
Toward the beginning of his music career, Brown was unsure of how to create the beats and add the lyrics in order for it to flow properly. However, with much practice and help from his friends, Brown has created a personal SoundCloud account with multiple hits.
“Sometimes while I’m listening to music it makes me feel creative,” Brown said. “I think of short phrases and beats that could become a song I can produce. It’s where I just want to write but sometimes – like right now – I don’t have the words or at least the words I want.”
Although Brown was at first focused on having fun and creating music, he felt that his writing had become stronger than before. Earlier this month, Brown found himself an internship with the Daily Journal where he writes for the sports article.
“Writing for the Journal isn’t really hard but it isn’t something that you just do without putting in the effort,” Brown said. “I enjoy writing so when I heard about the job I thought I’d at least try it and see what would come out of it.”
Brown says that not many people know who the real “Nathan” is outside of school. He can be found writing for the Journal two to three times a week and on the side is continually searching for the words that will produce a one hit wonder.
“Nobody really thought of me as a “sports” guy but I think I’m pretty good at it,” Brown said. “It’s all about trying new things because I think it helps doing things you’re not familiar with. Once you do things over and over you’re no longer are afraid of it.”
Today, Brown can be seen in the back of a classroom quietly focusing on his words and the music that runs through his veins. He says he looks forward to the future and what will come, whether it involves his music and writing or something completely different.
