Everyone has their own creative side. Whether it’s art, dance, or music, we all enjoy letting loose and allowing our brains to run free. Senior Johnny Benson, under the alias Jahony, has channeled his creative energy into writing and producing his own music.
Since he was young, Benson knew he was made to play music. His gift, one that he always doubted he had, is playing guitar. Benson started as a homeschooled student and often found comfort in musicians’ voices on the radio. Car rides with his father helped him escape into a world he never knew existed. One guitar solo particularly stood out to Benson, and the rest is history. “I told my dad about how the music made me feel, and next thing I knew a guitar came in the mail,” said Benson. “I remember sitting in my room for hours trying to mimic the sounds from the radio.”
Once he got older, Benson attended the Greater Atlanta Christian (GAC) School in Norcross, Georgia. The school’s amazing music program fueled his passion more. After middle school, Benson transferred to Atlanta Public Schools (APS) to pursue an education at North Atlanta.
In addition to being an International Baccalaureate (IB) candidate, he is also able to fit AP music theory, one of his favorite classes, into his tight schedule. Being able to analyze the pitch, rhythm, form, and design of music helped the young artist flourish. “The music programs offered at North Atlanta are great for anyone interested in music,” he said.
Playing music is one thing, but being able to write, record, and produce it is a whole other domain. Capturing emotion in lyrics as well as instruments and beats is something Benson is great at. Incorporating different styles and ideas from ranging genres allows him to reach new heights in his music, however, he enjoys rhythm and blues the most. Benson mainly focuses on the emotion of love, which is an intense feeling he feels many can relate to. Writing the music may come easily, but production can take up to a week per song. “Being able to convey my emotions through my music is one of the best feelings ever,” he said. “It’s a lot of work, but totally worth it at the end of the day.”
In the future, Benson hopes his work will inspire other young artists to follow their dreams. As a dedicated North Atlanta student, he knows the power of hard work and is excited to see what music he comes up with next.
