While his friends were out clubbing on the weekends, budding music producer Rian (8 Track) Williams was working hard making beats.Many people didn’t understand why he was constantly in the studio back then, but it’s probably more clear now that he is making a name for himself in the record business in Atlanta, Georgia.Mr Williams, 29, is currently signed with label Street Executives Management, which represents popular rapper ‘2 Chainz’ and hip hop group Travis Porter.But success didn’t come easy for him after he left the Island in February 2012 with little more than a few dollars in his pocket and a dream of getting his music known internationally.“I took a leap of faith leaving the Island, and left on a wing with a prayer,” he said.“I went to Toronto to see what possibilities were out there for me and really nothing happened.“I returned to Bermuda in May 2012 and that’s when I found out some music I had sent to 50 Cent was actually going to get used for one of his songs he released, thanks to [local singer] Twanee Butterfield.“I was hoping that was going to be the start for me and people could get to know who I was and see a project by me, but that didn’t really happen.”After that, Mr Williams picked up his bags and rerouted himself to Atlanta. However, he said it was a “super duper hard time” for him as he continued to struggle financially.He spent his days networking all throughout the area and sent his music to any studio that would listen, even those in some shoddy parts of the city.Eventually he started meeting some recognisable names in the business, like rapper Lil Scrappy and DJ Don Cannon; and an opportunity arose to work with Street Execs to produce some songs for the hip hop group Travis Porter.He said: “I must have made like 18 beats and had a studio session with them about two days later and was playing music with the group.“They ended up liking at least 16 of the 18 songs I played and started to record some of them, and that was that.”He said it was an overwhelming moment when he realised his hard work and risks were starting to pay off and he was signed to a label.“It was a lot that I went through that a lot of people don’t even know about, to just get to this point,” he said.“For a long time I was looking for some sort of backing, but only got help from the handful of people like family and close friends who believed in me and told me not to give up.“And once I officially got signed it was an unreal feeling and I was like ‘wow’ and since then I have been getting a lot of support from people back home who contact me to tell me how proud they are and how I am their inspiration.”Mr Williams said one of his biggest goals is to encourage young people to pursue their dream wholeheartedly and not wait for the opportunities to be handed to them on a silver platter.“I just want to contribute towards the positive young people in Bermuda,” he said. “It’s very important because our generation is breaking sound barriers, with artists like Twanee.”He encouraged those with ambition to foster enough courage to take a leap in their own careers and hopes others will be inspired by his story.“From my perspective, people start taking you serious when they see you accomplish things, so at this point in my life they see that all the sacrifices, like staying home and working on Fridays and weekends, always making music, it just paid off.“And that’s the mentality that I want to covert into people if you want something, go for it and make the sacrifice.“Don’t indulge yourself in things that are not going to benefit you and you also have to believe in yourself.”When asked if he felt like he made it, Mr Williams replied “not yet”.“I am still focused on the grind because I am not going to be satisfied until I come back with a Grammy for Bermuda.“I am not the type of person that wants to get complacent and comfortable.“I want to challenge myself and always improve, but to be able to say right now that I am living off my music and it’s my career is totally great and is more of a relief than actual happiness.”To follow his progress visit him on Facebook at www.facebook.com/rianw or twitter or Instagram @8track. You can also listen to some of his music on www.youtube.com/mr8trackbermuda.