Chapter 65: Level Up
Time flew by, and three days had passed since the phone call from East Records. Following the initial conversation with East Records, there had been no further correspondence or updates. For Miaoyi, these days went by swiftly without any noteworthy surprises.
There had been a lack of recent communication from East Records, and nothing significant had occurred elsewhere. The only interaction from the outside world came as a casual check-in from her mother two days ago - a moment of long-awaited affection where her mother inquired about recent developments.
Aside from that, there was a serene stillness.
However, Miaoyi embraced this situation wholeheartedly. It was delightful to finally experience a period of tranquillity and a chance to devote herself entirely to refining her work.
The production of "Levels" had officially entered a new phase. The foundational bass tones had been meticulously crafted, and all the essential single-note samples had been recorded.
The process had been genuinely fascinating.
There was one element that still required attention; the vocals. The melody, which was almost universally recognized, played a pivotal role in making "Levels" the world-class masterpiece it was.
Unfortunately for Miaoyi, the vocals were sourced from a song that did not exist in this world. Therefore, she had to recreate the sound using the limited tools at her disposal, which necessitated a quick visit to Song Ziyin's studio.
Capturing that particular vocal tone demanded considerable effort from Miaoyi. Due to technological limitations or perhaps due to artistic preference, the original singer of the sample song, Etta James, sang slightly off the conventional pitches, called a "Blue Note" in jazz or R&B. Her voice possessed a distinctive warble that rendered the sample unique, and likely the reason why Avicii and a few other artists had utilized it in the first place. Replicating that uniqueness proved to be a challenging task, disrupting Miaoyi's string of flawless recording sessions.
Thankfully, after a few dozen attempts, she found a version she was satisfied with, and the production process proceeded smoothly.
On this third day, around noon, Miaoyi found herself in her room, fully engrossed in her music. She made subtle adjustments to the effects using the newly connected turntable.
Adding the DJ equipment considerably streamlined the production process, enhancing Miaoyi's overall comfort. While it was possible to replicate all the turntable effects on a computer, utilizing the physical equipment proved much swifter and more efficient.
Upon successfully completing the final track, Miaoyi exhaled deeply, removing the monitoring headphones from her head. A sense of accomplishment washed over her, mingled with a hint of fatigue.
An Qiuying, who had been engrossed in her phone nearby, seized the moment to finally speak up, her eyes reflecting a mix of admiration and sympathy. "Is it finally done?"
"Yes, I just finished today. It's been quite exhausting," replied Miaoyi, setting the headphones aside and sinking back into her chair. She released a sigh, feeling the weight of the intense creative process. "Whoever said music was easy was lying through their teeth."
"Well, you still got it done," Qiuying said with a smile. "By the way, I need to tell you something."
Miaoyi's curiosity was piqued, and she sat up eagerly, her eyes fixed on Qiuying. "What is it? Please, do tell."
"Just a moment ago, I received a message from East Records regarding the contract. After some negotiation, I managed to secure it," Qiuying revealed with a glimmer of excitement in her voice.
"What?!" Miaoyi's eyes widened in disbelief, her shock giving way to delight. She leaned forward, facing Qiuying, a mixture of surprise and joy dancing across her features. "You actually secured it? That's incredible!"
Miaoyi couldn't help but feel stunned by Qiuying's revelation. After all, when she had proposed the condition of a 3% stake in East Records before joining, she had thought of it as a test, an opportunity for East to gauge her ability. She had anticipated a few days of deliberation and a subsequent round of negotiations after East discussed the matter with their stakeholders, explaining why the previous offer was unfeasible.
Considering the magnitude of East Records as a multinational corporation with numerous investors, that 3% stake held much more weight than it initially seemed. In a smaller business, where the CEO owns 50% of the company, 3% might be perceived as insignificant. However, in a global enterprise with a vast web of shareholders, even securing 1% would be considered generous, given the complexities of share distribution.
Therefore, the 3% stake had merely served as a starting point for Miaoyi, a strategic move to leave room for future negotiations. Her actual bottom line hovered around 1.5%, which equated to half of the current offer.
If there had been another round of negotiations, Miaoyi would have had no objections to joining forces with Qiuying at that price point. It was a compromise she was willing to make, understanding the intricate dynamics of the business world.
However, An Qiuying's statement caught Tang Miaoyi entirely off guard.
They had agreed to the 3% stake...
"Was there another round of negotiation?" Miaoyi asked, her eyes widening with curiosity.
"Yes, indeed. I managed to persuade them to honour their word," Qiuying replied with a self-satisfied smile, her expression practically radiating a desire for praise.
Miaoyi looked at Qiuying in awe. She had never realized Qiuying possessed such remarkable negotiation skills. If that were the case, if she had let Qiuying handle the initial negotiation, she could have made billions!
"That's how it unfolded," Qiuying admitted, a hint of embarrassment colouring her tone. "My dad taught me a few things, but I never really paid much attention..."
Miaoyi's amazement was palpable as she responded, "So, it turns out you have some boss skills up your sleeve. I'm thoroughly impressed."
However, Qiuying's demeanour suddenly shifted, and her tone grew more serious. "But there's one condition they imposed during the negotiation. They requested that we refrain from interfering with East Records' decision-making process. We won't have any authority to influence their choices; our rights will be limited to profit sharing."
Miaoyi made a sarcastic comment regarding this condition, saying, "Are they worried about creating a power struggle? Who cares? As if a mere 3% stake could have such a significant impact on the company. I had no intention of meddling in their affairs anyway, so it's perfect. Let's take the money and avoid all the unnecessary hassle."
Miaoyi's personality was never inclined toward meddling in such matters. She had no desire to be involved in the first place. Therefore, East Records' request posed no significant problem for her. It aligned perfectly with her intentions.
"Alright, that settles it then. I think we should freshen up and visit East Records' headquarters soon. They want to lay eyes on the talent they've signed!" Qiuying declared, placing her phone down and suggesting, "Once we've made up our minds, I'll book flight tickets to the capital right away."
"See who they've signed?" Miaoyi looked puzzled.
Qiuying clarified, "It's about giving them a chance to see the person they've signed the contract with. It's different from your deal with Light Cloud. This is about your brand. How can they trust you if they haven't even met you in person? They're making a significant investment in you."
Miaoyi let out a soft sigh after contemplating for a while. "Can't we just send them a photo? Why do we need to... 'meet' them?"
"Come on, think of it as a two-day getaway. They'll cover all the travel and accommodation expenses, and most importantly, they'll make arrangements for us. As for agents and the team, I declined. We don't need any additional idle individuals," Qiuying explained, her smile gentle as she rose from her seat.
Reluctantly, Miaoyi realized she had no choice but to compromise. "Alright, let's do it tomorrow then. Go ahead and book the flight tickets."
She covered her face, feeling like she was stepping out into the world right then, exposing herself to the public eye.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone