Ayush Sahoo is a senior at Lambert High School. He moved to Canada from India in 2015, and moved to Georgia halfway through his junior year. In school, he’s involved in many different activities, with his ultimate goal being Mercer University’s computer engineering program.
“I am currently following the computer science pathway, and I’m in Beta Club, Startup Club, Photography Club, and a couple [of] different others,” Sahoo mentioned.
However, the most impressive thing about Sahoo’s extracurricular profile is his involvement in music production.
“My main [activity] is music production,” Sahoo explained. “So I produce music and publish it using multiple record labels and distributing agencies, and I have amassed over 225,000 streams on Spotify alone. I’ve released with artists from all over the world and have released a record label from Spain.”
Sahoo’s main genre of music is electronic dance music (EDM), which involves various instruments and melodies that he both samples from online and plays himself. Many of the voices in his tracks come from artists with whom he has collaborated as well. His collaborations span throughout the world, including people from Germany, the United Kingdom, and Spain.
“I got to contact people from all around the world just using online tools like Discord,” Sahoo said.
With the extensive dedication it requires to build up a consistent schedule of putting out music and creating different sounds, there is the matter of where a musician starts in their artistic process. For some, it is certain melodies, and others pull inspiration from various places. For Sahoo, his process is dependent on this inspiration.
“Each song has its own journey, and each song has its own vibe that I go for,” Sahoo explained. “Usually they start off just me experimenting or me having this cool little idea in my head, or sometimes even when other users collaborate with me they send me ideas, and we work together from there.”
This process requires a lot of dedication, and it can take Sahoo anywhere from 40 to 50 hours. After finishing his homework, Sahoo can go up to 2 or 3 a.m. to work on his music. Another huge task is self-promoting, which is very important when he self-releases as opposed to releasing with a label.
“With self-releases, you get to have more control over yourself,” Sahoo mentioned. “When you self-release it you own the master, and you get all the main income, however, you might not have the promotional leverage that a label does.”
Making EDM music also requires an extensive knowledge of technology and music, which Sahoo has experience in. Sahoo has experience in both guitar and piano, which he samples in his music. Being a computer engineering major, learning how to use all of this technology has definitely helped him in his future career.
As of right now, Sahoo is working on an album in which he wants to capture certain feelings in the form of music.
“Recently, I’ve been working on a song that’s going on the album that is trying to recreate that feeling [innocence].” “Your childhood innocence of running between everyone’s feet, just that carefreeness and trying to do this using not just words but instruments.”
Making this feeling translate requires playing instruments and using voices a certain way, which is something Sahoo is experimenting with. This passion definitely goes further than a hobby and took him far in terms of experiences that students usually have later in life. This includes networking, using technology in different ways, and dealing with financials and promotions.
The world of music and production can be foreign to most, but what Sahoo proves is that with dedication and time, your hobbies can turn into something truly amazing.
