Robert Nay: The production of passion

BY ELENA VALDEZ

Not many know his name, or his face, yet sophomore Robert Nay has started to make his mark at CCHS. Nay keeps to himself and stays on the low. A few friends know him as Robbie and others don’t know him at all. But that doesn’t mean he has gone completely unrecognized.

As an avid music lover, Nay decided to broaden his musical horizons and began to produce his own music. Utilizing social media platforms such as Instagram and Soundcloud, he puts his music online. Nay is an upcoming music artist that began in the electronic dance music (EDM) scene and more recently, started focusing on melancholy hip-hop.

In his earliest producing days, he looked to artists like Skrillex and Marshmello for inspiration. Eventually, as his skills progressed, he honed in on the production of music. With the rise of artists like Lil Peep and Jurrivh, Nay turned his focus to emotional rap accompanied by piano and occasional rapping.

As an avid music lover, Nay decided to broaden his musical horizons and began to produce his own music.

“I wanted to find a way to express my emotions,” Nay said. “Ever since I was really young, I loved listening to music. I never had the idea to actually create music until recently.”

As he advanced his skills and progressively became more serious about music, he discovered early grunge like Nirvana and modern rock stars like Black Veil Brides. Dabbling in piano and guitar gave him a greater understanding of what it means to be a musician.

“At first, I was bad. I mean everyone starts off bad,” Nay said. “[But by] practicing every day, I eventually got good.”

He was drawn to the melancholy, often furious beats of the alternative music scene. At the beginning of 2018, he left school for two months to focus on pressing issues in his life. While away, music proved to be his anchor in the hazardous seas of life, keeping him steady and afloat.

“[Music] helps me cope, basically,” Nay said. “I can put my feelings into the music I make. It gives me a purpose.”

“I wanted to find a way to express my emotions,” Nay said.

Nay was not always a musician. For most of his life, he wandered aimlessly from one hobby to the next. He never felt he was particularly good at anything.

“I enjoy making music. I can express my feelings in a way not many people can,” Nay said. “Music is definitely my thing. It makes me feel good about myself, like I have talent.”

With a newfound love for producing music and mixing beats, Nay now has the drive to do well in other areas of his life. He often felt small in comparison to his peers, and not just because of his height. Academics are not his strong suit and it has proven to be a troublesome endeavor. Although many view him as another troubled teen in the school system, he has great potential in a different scene.

Music has provided him an outlet to express himself. Through many mixes and beats, Nay has surrounded himself with a community in which he no longer feels talentless and ignored.

“I can put my feelings into the music I make. It gives me a purpose.”

“I [am] finally able to do something that makes me happy and other people happy,” Nay said. “Music has been my escape from the world, especially when things aren’t going fantastic.”

At the start of the 2017-2018 school year, Nay created a band with fellow student musicians Diego Bergollo, Angel Prado and Joaquin Lopez. They worked together under the title “The Skeleton Project.” However, due to certain complications and differing views, the band fell apart.

“He’s a cool guy and a cool musician,” former bandmate Bergollo said. “I admire what he does.”

Selling homemade beats online, Nay has made a mark on South Florida’s upcoming underground electro punk scene. Through Instagram and Soundcloud, Nay has marketed his music around the internet, impacting aspiring musicians alike.

“If you have a passion for music, you may not start off good but if you work hard toward it and dedicate time to it, there’s a guarantee it’ll pay off,” Nay said.

Photo by Colin Camblin