For its users, social media can be quite a noisy place to exist in. The constant comparison, rampant consumerism, and addictive nature of it all makes it quite a controversial pastime. However, in the midst of all the negativity, three noteworthy individuals have created their own niche on the internet, amassing a considerable following in the process.

We interviewed NJIT students Sehajpreet Singh, Audrey Kormann, and Teeshane Shah to discover what led them to becoming a local internet celebrity, or influencer.

Sehajpreet Singh

Singh, a third-year Business Administration major, garnered a passion for playing the tabla, a traditional hand-drum heavily used in Indian classical music, and Indian music from a young age. A few years back, he started exploring jazz, eventually combining his love for his instrument and the genre to create a fusion with which he could play around.

Initially, Singh posted videos for family and friends. However, a few months ago, he posted a tabla cover of the jazz song “Caravan,” from the movie Whiplash. The video went viral, receiving 1.2 million views and 123,000 likes — it increased his following by a few thousand people.

A year and a half ago, Singh posted his debut original release, “Flow State,” and landed his first brand sponsorship with Leovici. These opportunities have him feeling excited to see where his social media page and music career will go next: “I can say that I always had a passion for music, but as my page and followers grew, I can [now] actually put real time and effort into this passion.”

Post graduation, Singh hopes to continue the page and one day be able to monetize his content and music. For now, you can follow his journey on Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube @sehajpreetunofficial and listen to his song “Flow State” on Spotify, Apple Music, and YouTube Music.

Audrey Kormann

For Kormann, social media is just one of the many activities she juggles as a second-year chemical engineering student and D1 basketball player. Her love for basketball started during first grade when her parents coached her through games. Kormann credits her basketball coach in seventh grade who saw potential in and told her about an opportunity to play at the collegiate level. From then, Audrey began going to the gym at 5 a.m. before classes and continued training. Once she reached high school, she played for a competitive basketball club from which she was scouted.

She first started posting in the summer of 2023, sharing what summer training looked like for a D1 basketball player. Kormann also posted motivating content to inspire high school students to “follow their dreams and work hard to reach their goals.”

Posting on TikTok and Instagram with the handles @audballer and @audreykormann, respectively, she focuses on life as a student-athlete at NJIT, whether it be going to class, studying, or goofing around with her teammates. Kormann also posts vlogs, especially on away game days.

When Kormann first started posting, she was quite scared to put herself out there. However, when her first TikTok video about her D1 basketball conditioning test received over 400,000 views, it provided her with the confidence needed to continue posting content. Kormann used to be more conscious of what others thought about her posts, but she is more so focused on being authentic and sharing her message with her viewers. She finds her social media presence rewarding, especially knowing that it benefits the younger athletes who look up to her as a role model.

Though Kormann is the sole editor, producer, and actor of her videos — excluding the occasional feature of her teammates — she also works with TRG Sports & Entertainment, a social media agency that connects her with brands, like her current sponsor BUBBL’R, and develops her marketing strategies.

Kormann shares most of the pressure she feels about posting comes from herself: “I only have the opportunity to be a college athlete for four years, so I want to utilize this time to build a following the best I can and reach as many people as possible.”

Kormann hopes to continue posting after she finishes her career as a collegiate athlete and one day start a blog. She is interested in making more mental health-focused content to foster greater conversations regarding mental health in student athletes.

Teeshane Shah

Shah spends his days designing buildings and his nights belting his heart out. A fourth-year Architecture student and what he calls a “bathroom singer,” Shah posts covers of him singing in his friend’s car or in parking garages.

He mostly posts covers of Bollywood songs, occasionally making room for an English song or two. His first viral post was a cover of “Tune Jo Na Kaha,” featured in the movie “New York.” He loves to listen to Bollywood and R&B music for inspiration.

With no former vocal training, Shah has been singing recreationally since fifth grade, but his voice has garnered millions of views on his short Instagram reels.

With an impressive following of over 40,000, Shah says that he has been contacted to join potential boybands and judge a singing competition in India but cites his current residence in the U.S. as barriers to being able to take advantage of these opportunities.

As a student and content creator, Shah finds it difficult to balance his interests parallelly, but he believes that when you really enjoy something, you make the time for it.

Although studies are taking priority for the time being, he hopes to continue his music career post-graduation. He also wants to experiment with different types of content, besides music. “I feel there is another side to me which I think people would like,” Shah notes.

You can follow him @teeshane_shah on Instagram, where he will be posting more covers soon.