novelraw Chapter 3 I'm stacking buffs on the "Queen of Pop"!
Chapter 3 I'm stacking buffs on the "Queen of Pop"!
On his way out of the school, Li Shuo pondered how to forge this positive connection with Zheng Xiuwen and obtain the system reward.
Thinking about the landscape of the Asian music scene in 1998.
That year, the giants were locked in fierce competition.
Universal Music Group's acquisition of PolyGram propelled it to global dominance, and its rising star Kelly Chen, whom it is heavily promoting in Hong Kong, is poised to become a major player.
Warner Music, despite its attempt to break the deadlock by acquiring Formosa Records, has fallen into a slump due to internal team turmoil.
This prompted the urgent appointment of Zhou Jianhui to head the Greater China region, and his personal trip to Singapore, ostensibly to visit Zheng Xiuwen on set, but in reality to search for promising talents in Singapore, a city teeming with new faces in the Chinese pop music scene.
It's important to understand that the music scene, especially in Hong Kong, is very commercial and pragmatic.
After leaving Capital Artists, Cheng Sau-man joined Warner Music with Lee Jin-jin. Within a year, she rose to the top tier of pop stars, and within two years, she became a top female singer.
Although it has blossomed in all directions, no one could have predicted that because it has become so popular, trouble would begin at this point this year.
Now both Universal and Warner are making moves on the chessboard...
However, in recent years, Cheng Sau-man has been criticized by Hong Kong media for being bad at socializing and often having a "black face" during interviews.
In the eyes of giants who need absolute control, it seems to have become a pawn whose position needs to be "corrected".
Adding to the problem is her manager, Li Jin, who was so audacious as to embezzle a huge sum of public funds originally intended for promoting Madonna's ambitious work, "Ray of Light."
That's Madonna, Warner Music's global superstar, and her phenomenal album that sold 1400 million copies and won the 41st Grammy Award the following year!
Recalling their initial conversation, it seems that Warner headquarters' handling of the situation is now becoming apparent.
Zheng Xiuwen's album release this year will be postponed, and the second half of her world tour will be canceled.
When the scandal was fully exposed at the end of the year, Li Jin was kicked out, and all the criticism turned to her.
"A diva built on money," "Warner's discarded daughter"... The media's verbal attacks, coupled with the backing of rivals, have made Hong Kong Island's position precarious.
Li Shuo knew that although she had managed to survive through sheer hard work, this long siege had also sown the seeds for serious psychological problems in the future.
So if you're going to help, you have to offer her something she can't refuse when she most needs to prove her worth.
Suddenly, I remembered that the reason Madonna's album won widespread praise from previously reserved music critics was precisely because of her successful attempt to shift her musical style to electronic music.
What about electronic music at this point?
Then a damn, mesmerizing, brainwashing memory suddenly attacks!
Li Shuo's eyes lit up!
You know what, there really is one!
Besides, the peninsula woman who will become a sensation in Asia next year by relying on this style is the kind of person who criticizes the chef after eating her fill of "Chinese cuisine".
In 2000, Cheng Sau-man also bought the adaptation rights to several of the Peninsula Women's songs, and her new album was a huge hit!
If this series of works were given to her now, it would not only prove her worth, but it would also boost her popularity in Asia to new heights!
…but some preparations still need to be made.
He's just a teenager, he can't just rush up and talk to me like that...
It was already pretty awkward when we first met, and if I went over and said these things like that, I'd definitely be seen as a weirdo or a pervert...
It just so happens that this afternoon was during the record company's interviews with the school's students...
He needs to demonstrate something to gain the other party's approval before he can be persuasive.
The scene of him being taken away by the Singapore police before he could even finish his accompaniment performance in his previous life, which happened suddenly and left him speechless, flashed uncontrollably back into his mind...
The silence of Principal Li Weisong and teacher Li Sisong, the incomprehension of senior student Sun Yanzi and other students, and the sidelong glances and sighs of the president of Warner Music Taiwan and his entourage... those gazes would replay in his later life memories.
But now, Li Shuo, reborn, felt certain.
He wanted those present to no longer be indifferent bystanders, as they had been in his previous life.
It must also be able to become a "protective charm" for him when facing a crisis!
However, his immediate priority is to find that senior student at the music school who has a rare connection to him, and who was also interviewing that afternoon. This senior student comes from a family that runs a shipping business and sells telecommunications products, but who later mentioned in an interview that his family background is very "down-to-earth"...
Unexpectedly, a delicious aroma wafted over, and a row of bustling food stalls lined the street in front of me.
"The sun always shines after the storm... Please believe there will be a rainbow..."
Xu Meijing's singing could be faintly heard from a radio in a Hainanese chicken rice restaurant.
The past two years have also been a time when her songs and artists were very popular in the Chinese music scene.
This song, "The Sun Always Shines After the Storm," has truly encouraged many people in the future.
What impressed me most was the Chinese women's volleyball team. The scene of them facing adversity and making a miraculous comeback, accompanied by this song, was really inspiring!
Unfortunately, this inspiring song... failed to dispel the gloom in the heart of the original singer, this stubborn woman.
Just imagine her heartbroken state in the future... what a tragic fate.
Inside the food court, it was a bit noisy with Mandarin, Hokkien, English and Malay mixed together.
Li Shuo spotted his senior brother, whom he had arranged to meet there, sitting in a corner with a guitar case next to him.
He walked over casually and sat down directly opposite.
Before me was a face that still had baby fat.
Wearing glasses, with an overly neat "3/7" parted hairstyle.
Li Shuo was a little uncomfortable with the sight, but then he thought that his own half-length messy hair, which imitated Guns N' Roses guitarist Slash, wasn't much better looking either.
So she used the shiny tabletop as a mirror and casually tied her hair up at the back of her head.
"Hi, Brother Jie!"
His senior is none other than JJ Lin Junjie, one of the two "Gods of War" under Ocean Butterflies Music in the future, also known as the "Drainage Ditch God of War" and one of the kings of Mandopop.
At that time, he was also a student in the senior class of the "Li Weisong Music School" in Singapore, one year ahead of him.
Lin Junjie was slightly taken aback when he saw his junior brother across the table suddenly tie up his hair, revealing a clean and refreshing face.
"Li Shuo?!"
He used to tease his junior brother, saying that his messy hair made it hard to see his face, and that his features were all hidden in the shadows.
Now that his hair is tied up, his face is instantly clearer, with sharp brow bones, a well-proportioned nose, and a smooth jawline, giving him a youthful and handsome look that is also a little nonchalant!
Unaware of Lin Junjie's surprise, Li Shuo's gaze fell on the slightly oversized suit jacket he was wearing.
In my reborn mind, the radiant image of that Chinese music scene overlaps with the awkward young man in front of me trying so hard to act like an adult... It's a bit cringeworthy and I want to laugh, what should I do?
"Brother Jie, are you wearing this outfit this afternoon?"
"Huh? Is...is there a problem?"
Lin Junjie stared at Li Shuo's handsome face, which seemed to be suppressing a smile, and couldn't help but think to himself, "I want to kill him."
I'm perfectly fine with this style~ Many male celebrities have been dressing like this lately.
Laughing...still laughing?
Why does your smile look like it's radiating light?
This overwhelming friendliness... quickly extinguished the murderous intent in my heart.
Lin Junjie subconsciously tugged at the large collar of his Cuban-collar shirt.
"Mr. Hsu from Ocean Butterflies said I have a 'baby face,' and that I should dress more maturely for formal performances so I can command the stage."
Li Shuo stopped teasing, coughed lightly, and changed the subject, emphasizing that business was more important.
"Senior, I need to talk to you about something. Do you think it's possible to ask Teacher Sisong to move our group's performance order to the front?"
"What? Are you in a hurry?"
Li Shuo waved his hand.
"No, I've recently had some inspiration and some new works, and I thought I'd accompany your performance and then showcase them to you."
Li Shuo knew that the afternoon's student performance, arranged by the school, was mainly for Warner Music to audition and discover promising talents.
As for Lin Junjie, who had already secured a contract with Ocean Butterflies Music, he didn't really care about his audition results...
Although she had no intention of interviewing or signing with a record company, she knew that only her senior's cooperation could attract Zheng Xiuwen's attention and showcase her abilities.
Upon hearing this, Lin Junjie's face did not show any excitement for the new musical work; instead, a complex expression appeared on his face.
"You're doing another original song?!... How about we hold off this time? I heard a record company boss came to see some promising talents this afternoon. The principal and Teacher Sisong are both planning to give special recommendations to Sun Yanzi, and Huang Yida, who is highly regarded among the male trainees... Maybe we should call it a day, in case something goes wrong..."
Li Shuo knew what he was worried about...
Sigh, his previous works, with their self-proclaimed individuality and childish, manic behavior, are truly embarrassing to think about now...
"Don't worry, this time it's not Rock'n'Roll..."
Lin Junjie looked at him suspiciously, unable to imagine what else this junior brother, whom he had known for more than half a year and whose personality was cold and whose writing style was "unconventional," could possibly do.
Li Shuo didn't explain directly, but casually asked, "Brother Jie, have you... recently broken up with your boyfriend?"
Lin Junjie's pupils contracted!
"No way! Don't talk nonsense! How could that be!"
Tsk tsk tsk, such a strong reaction...
"After the previous rehearsals, I saw you play that melody on the keyboard several times, humming along as you played, and the emotions were quite different... I could tell."
Lin Junjie remained silent for a few seconds.
"Actually... it's a girl I've been very close to since childhood... You know, in Singapore, all boys have to serve in the military when they reach adulthood. Ocean Butterflies Music advised me to go as soon as I reached the age... and then debut when I came back. So there are some things I can't help, and I sometimes think about it and feel a bit emotional..."
In his previous life, Li Shuo unconsciously uttered vulgar and offensive language.
"It's okay, Brother Jie! Heartbreak is so you can love more people in the future!"
"Um, thanks... I understand... Ah?!" Lin Junjie, who was feeling quite comforted by his junior brother's seemingly reassuring words, suddenly realized something was wrong.
"No, what do you mean by loving more people... I'm not that kind of promiscuous person!"
He sized up his senior brother, who was eager to explain.
Ha... I almost believed you. After you debut and become famous, do you still dare to say you're not good enough?!
"Ah...yes, yes! Senior, the melody you inspired me to write is really great, so I tried to write some lyrics for it."
Lin Junjie was taken aback by these words, and then he saw his junior brother reach into his guitar case, take out the guitar, and skillfully tune it.
With a light touch of his fingers on the strings, a prelude tinged with a touch of melancholy flowed out—it was indeed the melody he'd been humming casually lately.
But Li Shuo immediately started singing, only managing to utter two lines of lyrics…
Lin Junjie, who hadn't really cared at first, suddenly opened his mouth in an "O" shape.