Scituate High School is home to many talented students in sports, music, theater, and more. However, one student stands out for his unique skills and impressive talents: Will Larson.
Larson is a junior who does a lot in his free time. Widely known for his photography skills, he also demonstrates remarkable musical ability. In addition to being classically trained in opera, Larson plays numerous instruments, including drums, guitar, piano, and saxophone. Perhaps most notably, he produces and releases music in the rap genre under the name “Yung Prodigy.” He currently has projects on Soundcloud and Spotify, most recently his album XVI and his single ‘86 Lexus.
Larson began creating music in 8th grade. When asked about his mentors, he responded, “Kendrick Lamar was a huge inspiration–he’s probably my favorite rapper.” As for Larson’s stage name, “Yung Prodigy,” Larson wanted to allude to a popular educational game he played in elementary and middle school: “I enjoyed playing the math game Prodigy during my lower school years and needed a rapper name. I thought of Yung Prodigy because it sounded cool,” he explained.
Producing music—especially an entire album—is challenging. It’s a long process, from creating a beat to writing and singing songs. XVI took eight months to complete; however, Larson said he’s proud of the results, which made him want to make more music.
Larson’s immense talent has caught the attention of students at SHS: “He’s a very motivated guy. He’s turned himself into quite an artist,” SHS junior Corbin Ward remarked.
Larson said he encourages other students to branch out and put themselves out there while taking advice from others. He stated, “Get yourself out and talk to people. Talking to people who know more than you is how you learn things, and I wouldn’t be where I am today without those people.” He added, “I used to think I was the best. Don’t do that. I know I’m not the best, and there’s always room for improvement. If you want to be good at something, learn from others.”
According to Larson’s SHS music teacher, Bill Richter, “Larson is music all the way.” On Saturday, January 11th, Larson participated in the Southeastern District Choral Festival at New Bedford High School and qualified to audition for All-States. “He’s developed nicely not only as a musician but as a singer as well,” Richter commented.
Larson’s interest in the creative process also extends to his pursuit of photography.
He uses a Nikon D7100 for photos and Lumix DMC-FZ300 to create videos that SHS athletes can use to post on their social media or create recruitment videos. He also posts numerous images and videos on his Instagram account @wlphotography08. Although the majority of his photography is sports-related, Larson also photographs families and portraits. “Will just takes great pictures,” junior Dan Beaudin remarked.
Larson’s inspiration for photography developed when he was a freshman and started taking pictures with his phone, but when he received his first camera for Christmas, a new hobby was born. “It just took off. It was something that I found very fun and also refreshing in the way that I could create content for people,” he said.
Larson decided to focus on sports photography because he’s always enjoyed athletics, especially wrestling during the winter. Larson wrestled for the SHS varsity team during his freshman and sophomore years. “I’ve never really been that good, so it’s a fun way to be close to something I enjoy without having to be good at it,” he commented.