From School to Spotify

Olivia Kim• October 28, 2025

Despite growing up surrounded by the sounds of classical music, sophomore Davis Yi-Naito has begun exploring another side of music: composing original rap songs. From writing light-hearted diss tracks about his friends to releasing singles, Yi-Naito’s passion for rapping has become so much more than a hobby. He picked up rapping in middle school, and it soon became his new creative outlet as he began releasing songs on music platforms including Spotify, Soundcloud, Apple Music and YouTube Music under the artist name “2dayvis!”. While Yi-Naito shares a unique passion for rapping, his style of music also sets him apart from other rappers.

Yi-Naito’s music reflects his individuality and allows him to express his feelings about topics varying from working hard to achieve a successful future to finding love. Junior Annika Abelido described his personal style of music.

“[His music is] very versatile and very different,” Abelido said. “Sometimes [it is] very hype and sometimes he’s more mellow and chill. I think his style [reflects] his current mood. The beat and the rhythm of his songs mirror his current feelings.”

Behind Yi-Naito’s style of songs lies the creative process of making raps. With just a laptop and a microphone, Yi-Naito can write a whole song in just one hour. He uses the software “FL Studio” to form his songs, starting with the beats and then the lyrics. By taking inspiration from artists like Usher, Drake and Rich Brian, Yi-Naito formulates his music by listening to rap as well as different genres like pop. Then, he chooses songs that stand out to him and uses the songs’ instrumentals in his raps, while also adding his own unique spin to the song by creating new beats and original lyrics. His methods have proved successful and enabled him to release seven singles in less than a year. However, while Yi-Naito has become a productive young artist, he still faces challenges during the creative process of composing raps. When Yi-Naito struggles to find inspiration, he often takes a month-long break from music to clear his mind and let new ideas flow in. He also combats writer’s block by watching Korean dramas on Netflix to find creativity for lyrics through the shows’ unique storylines. Beyond this, just like any high schooler, Yi-Naito struggles with feelings of self-doubt. Yi-Naito experienced criticism in the beginning of his new pursuit and felt that he was not skilled enough to continue with music. However, as he continued rapping, he learned to let go of the criticism and turned music into an exciting outlet for himself. These challenges then helped shape his growth as a rapper. Avid supporter and friend, sophomore Dhruv Gujjari detailed how this growth has occurred over the years.

“I met Davis after hearing his SoundCloud music. Around Thanksgiving [in] 2024, Davis started taking [music] more seriously, changing his name from ‘4day’ to ‘2dayvis!’ [and] making more serious music instead of just diss tracks or songs with his friends,” Gujjari said. “Davis’s first song, ‘2025’ was not a big hit at first, but Davis kept trying and experimenting and eventually made some bangers. He is a really hard worker and he really put in the work for his music career. Davis just needs to keep doing what he is doing and I think he could make a big name for himself in the industry.”

Yi-Naito’s musical growth shows no signs of slowing anytime soon. He plans to experiment with different styles by collaborating with fellow Peninsula sophomore and musician Aaron Matharu, who composes rock songs under the name “Airoez”. Additionally, Yi-Naito plans to release more songs in different music genres like R&B and pop. He hopes that his music, no matter the style or genre, will make listeners feel relaxed and comfortable. With these goals set, he continuously strives to reach them and looks forward to his music’s future. Although he has shared that he does not plan to pursue rapping full time in the future, the joy and freedom he finds in rapping ensures that he will continue evolving as an artist. Yi-Naito shared how music has become a creative haven to escape from the busyness of day-to-day life.

“Making music is [a way for] me to test how creative I can get,” Yi-Naito said. “ It [may sometimes] get boring, but as I listen to more genres and artists, I keep finding more inspiration. The whole process of making my own beats is something that makes me feel relaxed and [like I am] in my own world. It is like I can make [that world] whatever I want it to be.”