Closing In on the Target

After the first round of auditions ended, Song Ya submitted the list to Daniel.

"Have a seat. We'll have a quick meeting in a bit."

Behind his desk, Daniel cross-referenced the list while checking something on an Apple Macintosh portable computer. "Are you still set on Mira?" he asked.

Daniel's office was large but narrow. A long bookshelf filled with trophies, photographs, and vinyl records took up most of the space. Aside from his desk, there was barely room for a low sectional sofa.

"Mira fits what I'm looking for."

Song Ya sat down. The sofa was so soft that he sank into it, his backside feeling as though it was about to hit the floor. "Hasn't her mother already moved her under your management?"

"Yes. It's often like this when a close relative manages a star. They lack professional expertise, so they can't see the heart of the matter. They'll often miss the forest for the trees, and they make decisions very impulsively." Daniel hadn't thought much of Mira's mother's "defection." He looked up. "But since you've done what I asked, I'll say it again: I have no problem with it. However... a lot of people are watching the second round of auditions. Your decision has to be convincing, with as little room for doubt as possible."

"I understand. I'll find some time over the next couple of days to give Mira some intensive training or something," Song Ya replied.

Daniel chuckled but didn't say anything.

Just then, the door was knocked on and opened. Six or seven people walked in, filling up the sofa. Most of SBK's middle and senior management were longtime collaborators. Like Daniel, everyone who came in was white, male, and in their thirties or forties. There was no small talk or beating around the bush; they went straight to business. Even after the meeting ended, Song Ya still hadn't figured out anyone's name or what they were responsible for. Of course, he wasn't particularly motivated to spend the effort finding out.

Releasing a single involved much more than just finding someone to record a song. Every aspect had to be considered. As an independent producer temporarily working with SBK, Song Ya didn't have to handle anything beyond producing the song, but his opinions still mattered when it came to setting the overall direction of each task.

So the main purpose of this meeting was for Song Ya to field all kinds of questions and doubts.

"That's right. She's Black, she came from Broadway, and there's no question about her singing ability. But she's not right for this song. Her voice and her delivery make it sound like an impassioned protest, and that's absolutely not the effect I want."

"Please keep in mind! This song is a very personal work. It expresses my attitude, and that's the basic condition for me working with you. The title can't change, and the style can't change."

"No, no, no. We don't need any flashbacks, we don't need Dr. King or Kennedy, and I don't want any political figures in the music video... Let me put it this way: I am expressing my views on the situation in South Africa, but at the same time, the audience needs a very clear hint that my thinking is naive, the immature thoughts of an ordinary American high school student. So the music video should make people forget about the recording industry. Keep it simple, even a little rough. Don't make it look deliberately polished. A young man walking along the road of life, softly singing as he goes—that's enough."

"Because de Klerk is our friend. The song is criticizing him, but he's still our friend. He freed Mandela and advanced the cause of equality in South Africa. I just think he should move faster."

"Right. I want a sense of contrast: a song about equality, but with a lighthearted tone. I don't want to stir up hatred toward de Klerk..."

"I have some personal resources for promoting equality..."

"Of course, of course, you have more influence... Right, if it's handled properly, we'll get both buzz and exposure..."

"You can decide which version... Do you mean that if we focus on event exposure early on, there'll be lots of opportunities to perform live? So it's important for the singer and the band to work well together, and they'll need to get used to each other while recording the studio version. Is that right?"

"OK, I have no objections to the band lineup... Delay is fine. We can keep using him as the keyboardist."

"Everything's going smoothly. Isco set us back a day, but I made up for it by moving the second-round auditions earlier."

The "quick meeting" went on for a long time, until everyone finally stopped talking.

"So..." Daniel spread his hands. "Have we reached an agreement?"

They looked at one another. Some nodded, and others voiced their agreement.

"Good. APLUS, you did well. Get back to work." Daniel stood up to see his guest out.

Song Ya had been holding it in for ages. As soon as he got outside, he hurried to the restroom and shut himself inside a stall.

"Does that boy want to be president someday? He's got a whole routine down." A man's voice came from the sinks outside.

"The White House isn't called the White House just because it was painted white," another man replied. His voice sounded familiar; he must have been one of the people in the office earlier.

"Heh, your girl's in danger. Judging by the first-round results, that boy doesn't seem to like her tone."

"I don't care."

"Really? Your girl seems pretty anxious lately."

"Fuck! Even you know about it?"

"Are you implying I'm the least informed person at SBK?"

"You have been a little out of the loop lately."

"My wife keeps a close eye on me. Anyway, never mind that. Back to your girl."

"You willing to help?"

"Of course, but there's a condition. You have to..."

Their voices gradually faded into the distance.

"Looks like the fight to make it through the second round has already begun..." Song Ya came out of the restroom with a frown. The competition for opportunities at a major New York record company was far fiercer than he'd expected.

When he returned to the recording studio, Hayden was waiting for him inside. "How'd I do?" he asked, immediately fishing for praise. "It only took a few words to convince Mrs. Jovovich."

"Not bad, not bad."

Song Ya was very pleased. "She acted unbelievably fast. Your persuasion worked really well."

"Ha ha ha!"

Hayden laughed. "It actually wasn't that hard. The person backing her had gotten Mira into the second round, and then Daniel forced her back out. She'd have to be stupid not to realize who really had power at SBK. Besides, with so many people competing for your song, she couldn't have missed the opportunity it represented. Switching sides was only natural."

"Anyway, thanks. You did me a real favor this time." Song Ya gave Hayden a little praise. "What arrangements did Mrs. Jovovich make?"

"She rented a private music classroom near Brooklyn..." Hayden took out a map and looked around. "It's pretty far from here."

"Mira must have made a lot of money, right? Where did her family's money go? I've noticed that Mrs. Jovovich drives a car worth a little over ten thousand dollars. She had the same one in Chicago and in New York, so they must be driving between the two cities." Song Ya knew the South Side of Brooklyn wasn't very safe either. It held roughly the same place in New York as the South Side did in Chicago. They'd rented nearby for no reason other than the lower cost.

"Who knows? Mira's earnings over the years..."

Hayden did some mental math. "She must have made over a million bucks."

The recording industry didn't have a nine-to-five schedule. After guiding the band through their first rehearsal and grabbing something to eat, it was already nine at night. Song Ya and Eric got into a cab and headed straight for the agreed-upon meeting place.

"Taking a cab is so expensive." After paying the fare and tip, Song Ya felt a pang of regret.

"Hello, APLUS..."

Mrs. Jovovich had been waiting anxiously outside the music classroom for a long time. She finally relaxed when she saw Song Ya. "I thought you weren't coming. And I owe you an apology for what I said that day. I misunderstood you."

"It's fine. We're both on Mr. Daniel's team now, so it's only right that we help each other." Song Ya walked into the music classroom. Mira was sitting on the bench in front of an upright piano. When she saw him come in, she immediately looked away. She was still ignoring him, but she wasn't as furious as she'd been that day.

Hayden had pinned the whole thing on Daniel, and Daniel hadn't set the record straight. The mother and daughter should have a much better impression of Song Ya now.

"Uh... Mrs. Jovovich, could you tell me where the restroom is?" Eric, his wingman, made his move.

"This way..." Mira's mother was led away.

"Hi, Mira." Song Ya quickly closed in on his target and plopped down beside the beauty. "You've only got two nights, so I'll skip the small talk. Are you ready? If you are, we'll start with the first verse."