Music is an age-old art form. A universal language. Walk around the city, a school, even the grocery store, and one may spot someone wearing headphones. These people submerge themselves in the melodic and harmonic universe created through music compositions. Ranging from country rock hits, to the newest and grooviest remix – people are spending their time focusing on music.

Walking in our halls are two increible individuals who are producing music of their own, sophomores Dallas Landeros and Mitchell Hoffman.

Dallas Landeros has been producing music for quite some time. His passion for producing became prominent in sixth grade after listening to the musical artist ASAP Rocky. Hearing the futuristic stylings of ASAP, Landeros was captivated and began to act on his newfound passion. Although he does love producing, during the football season it gets put on the back burner.

“I try to put sports first, but only during the football season. When it is not the football season, I put everything into producing,” Landerso said.

Landeros said that being on the varsity football team as a sophomore is incredibly stressful and also fulfilling. He finds producing as an escape from all of the voices directing him.

“Making music makes me feel like I am in charge of what I do because no one is telling me to add anything or take anything away,” Landeros said.

The ability to express his internal emotions through his own tracks compels him to keep following this hobby. He hopes that someday his music will take him places – whether he becomes the next Coachella headliner or street performer, he wants to follow his love for music producing.

What would it be like to produce music? This is the question that sparked Mitchell Hoffman’s devotion to music producing. He says that there wasn’t a specific day the idea of music producing popped into his mind. All he can remember is wanting to be a part of the music industry. However, hearing a trap remix of Donald Trump’s voice opened a path on Hoffman’s mind that the musical world was abstract and he could add to it. Hoffman is in the middle of a project, neck deep in focus, he feels “euphoric.”. Hoffman feels a sense of security when he produces that he doesn’t feel otherwise.

“I feel euphoric, like I traveled to Mars,” Hoffman said.

He finds inspiration through the musical talents of HimeHime, Internet Money, and Denzel Curry. Although many don’t know these artists, he believes that their music is powerful (at least powerful enough to drive him to start producing). Hoffman releases his tracks on Soundcloud, a music app and website where new artists can release their music.

Both artists enjoy music producing but also admit that they didn’t develop their talents overnight. Learning the different gadgets in their producing tool belts and how they work is only a minor challenge in this process. Finding the motivation to keep powering through the different hardships in producing and learning to do so doesn’t measure up to finding the inspiration for the music.

“It’s hard at first and most of the time you don’t have an incredible amount of ideas. But when you let the life you’re living inspire your music, that’s when the beauty of it comes through,” Landeros said.

Getting recognized for musical talents may have become easier as more platforms have become accessible; however, that doesn’t make it any easier to become successful in the music industry. Hoffman believes that his music is influential whether it has one thousand listens or ten; the most important part of music making is his personal fulfillment.

“Every track is different, making me become the artist I once aspired to be” Hoffman said.

If one loves to create music, then creating music should be enough for the artist. Although this is a tough field to ‘make it’ in, don’t get discouraged and give up – the world works in mysterious ways.