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There was a time when Myles Moraites felt stuck. It was 2009 and, at 20 years old, all he had was a laptop, his family and a dream to chase.
That changed last April, though, when Beyonce unexpectedly released her album, "Lemonade" on HBO, and Moraites of Fort Lee spotted his song on track list —his name in the credits: "Myles William."
"I was free from trying to prove to people that I could be successful," Moraites said. "This was going to set me free — it was going to change my life."
And it did.
The song, which Beyonce performs on her "Formation World Tour" coming to MetLife Stadium next month, earned Moraites an RIAA Platinum Award for selling more than a million copies.
The song is a soulful and powerful anthem for the black culture, complementing the album's message as a whole.
But for Moraites, "Freedom" is a reflection of his journey from a small basement studio in his parents house to, rented space in Bogota, to the top of NYC skyscrapers.
"Imma keep running 'coz a winner don't quit on themselves."
Moraites plays the verse in his head often, shuddering at the dark days he spent holed up in his room churning out beats.
He sent them to producers, unsure of if they were even opening his emails. It didn't matter — he sent them anyways.
"I felt like I wasn't going anywhere," Moraites said. "I felt lost."
The day he woke up with 47 missed calls in the summer of 2013, Moraites knew something good was on the horizon.
Producers had, in fact, been listening: they wanted to sign him to a record deal after placing a song on a major album.
The song didn't end up making the final cut for the album, but in turn opened the door that led Moraites to where he is today.
Moraites has gone on to work with multi-platinum and Grammy Award-winning artists such as Lil Wayne, Kendrick Lamar and Estelle — to name a few.
He also had his music featured in the blockbuster film "The Other Woman" starring Cameron Diaz.
These days, Moraites, SNL's Jay Pharoah and Westwood artist Titus are in the infancy of launching "Future Moguls," a company that aims to inspire young talent.
"It was tough to stay focused when none of the people around me shared the same vision" Moraites said, recalling how he'd been mocked and laughed at by some of his best friends for attempting to pursue a music career.
"Before I ever accomplished anything I was just 'some kid' trying to be a music producer. Now I feel like I have voice and platform to help others."
After reaching certain personal goals, Moraites is now redirecting his focus toward inspiring others.
"I want to encourage other people to believe in themselves and follow their dreams," he said.
"I want to show kids that your weirdness is your coolness — and I want them to embrace that."
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