Teens of Bay Area

For Lynbrook High School senior Sushanth Nayak, music isn’t just a pastime, but a creative outlet that’s been four years in the making. What started as playing around in GarageBand during a family trip to Hawaii has grown into a passion that now lives on Spotify.

“I started out just remaking songs on my phone, then slowly I made my own music,” Sushanth said. “One of my close friends also made music, and he inspired me to start releasing mine too.”

His friend, Sriram Upadhyayulahas, became one of his biggest collaborators. Together, they’ve explored new sounds and pushed each other to grow by introducing different ideas. 

“It’s really nice to have someone with a shared hobby,” Sushanth said. “It gave me the confidence to actually put my music out there.”

Sushanth describes his style as versatile and experimental, blending genres like electronic, EDM, and hyperpop with melodic influences. When working with his friend, they make more R&B music, while on his own he leans towards more niche, electronic styles. It is less so about committing to a genre but letting each song evolve into its own experiment, creating variety in his music that allows for anyone to find something they enjoy. 

He produces his tracks using Logic Pro, Apple’s professional music software. The process of each song varies, with some songs coming together in just a few minutes, while others take days of work and multiple creative bursts. 

“I usually start making a song when I’m inspired by something I’m listening to,” Sushanth said. “Sometimes it’s a melody, other times it’s just one sound that catches my ear. Every song has its own process, it’s not like following step-by-step instructions.”

Despite his growing catalog, Sushanth admits that one of the hardest parts of making music is knowing when to stop refining a song. 

“It never really feels finished,” Sushanth said. “You always find something new to fix. But learning to live with those imperfections and still releasing your work — that’s the biggest challenge.”

His most recent release, a two-song EP, is one he’s especially proud of. 

“I spent a little more time on that one,” Sushanth said. “Even then, the decision to release it was still a little impulsive. But at some point, you just have to appreciate your work and put it out there.”

Collaboration and feedback play a huge role in his creative process. Sushanth often shares his work with friends who listen to different genres to get a range of perspectives. Among those who have supported his musical growth is Ms. Isola, his music teacher at school. 

“I took her class last year, and I showed her a lot of my music,” Sushanth said. “She gave me helpful feedback and listened.”

Outside of music, Sushanth balances a busy schedule that includes playing water polo and keeping up with schoolwork. Still, he finds time to create. 

“Sometimes I get lost in the creative process,” Sushanth said. “It’s just fun — something I do in my free time.”

His favorite quote, from basketball player Kevin Durant, sums up his mindset: “Hard work beats talent when talent fails to work hard.” For Sushanth, it’s a reminder that persistence matters as much as inspiration. 

“With music, a lot of things cost money — software, plugins, connections,” Sushanth said. “But the time and effort you put in really make the difference.”

Sushanth hopes to continue releasing music, collaborating with other artists, and growing his audience. 

“My goal is to get recognized by other artists and work with more people,” Sushanth said. “I definitely want to keep making music for a long time.”

What started as a hobby has become a way for Sushanth to express who he is, one track at a time. 

Interested in hearing Sushanth’s music? Visit his spotify page linked here