Reset Life with Infinite Talents - Chapter 65

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Infinite Talent Reset Life Episode 65

 

 

18. Recording

 

 

A large white building overlooking Malibu Beach.

“Stop.”

Will.i.am of the Black Eyed Peas, a black man with an impressive large gold necklace, furrows his brow and waves his hand.

The employee standing in front of him quickly operates the laptop.

Boom boom!

The beat echoes through the office.

Will.i.am frowns.

“Next. Next. Next…”

“Should I play the next song?”

“…Let’s take a 10-minute break.”

Will.i.am gets up, takes his cold coffee, and stands in front of the large window.

Whoosh, whoosh – the sound of waves rolling in cools his heated head.

‘Should I call it quits?’

Continued success since debut.

The pressure kept increasing with each album production, and it reached its peak with this 4th album production.

Being so careful to achieve perfection resulted in a gap of 4 years.

‘Thanks to that, I did manage to fill it with fifteen songs…’

This album where every single song is perfect without exception.

He’s confident it will completely change the Black Eyed Peas’ image by 180 degrees, but despite being an album, something feels lacking.

He wants to include even one more song for the fans who waited so long.

“I wish just one song would fall from the sky…”

Knock knock knock!

“Will!”

Will.i.am furrows his brow at the slender white woman who bursts through the door.

“Fergie?”

Stacy Ann Ferguson.

A vocalist and rapper who joined the Black Eyed Peas in 2003.

“You know why I’m here, Will?”

“…Oh, my God. Fergie.”

Will.i.am holds his forehead at the childish words.

The sound of grinding teeth flows from his mouth.

Startled, Fergie quickly opens her mouth.

“I, I’m not asking you to release an album right now!”

One of the promises Will.i.am made when he scouted her.

He would release an album at least once every 3 years.

This year was the 3rd year since her first solo album in 2006.

“If the album succeeds, give me one! That’s our promise!”

“…Do you think this album will succeed?”

“Of course!”

If this album doesn’t succeed, then all Americans must have something wrong with their ears.

“Ahem.”

Will.i.am, who was feeling good, frowns.

“No.”

“Why?”

“The economy is too bad.”

People’s wallets closed due to the subprime mortgage crisis.

Honestly, this 4th album is also a huge adventure.

So much so that he’s considering stopping everything and releasing it a year later.

But songs have a lifespan.

Even if it feels perfect now, after a year passes, songs become outdated and old-fashioned.

“Unless it succeeds to the level of Billboard #1 for at least 5 weeks, releasing your album will be difficult, Fergie.”

Billboard Hot 100, Billboard 200 #1 for 5 weeks.

It was an almost impossible goal.

“…Then I’ll sing the sixteenth song.”

“I was planning to do that anyway.”

Though he had never thought about it before, Will.i.am tells a small lie for the final piece of the Black Eyed Peas.

‘I can hide it as a bonus track.’

A bonus track completely unrelated to the album.

That would make the 4th album 17 songs, but considering Fergie’s fans, it’s not a bad choice.

Swoosh!

“You’re the best, Will!”

Will.i.am clicks his tongue at the sweet scent brushing his nose and pats her back while looking at the employee.

“I, I’ll play the next song… Oh.”

“What’s wrong?”

“So, sorry. We’re out of songs.”

Demo songs pouring in from across the country, saying they’d be fine with just being included on the album.

All the carefully selected songs from among them were rejected.

“Will?”

“…Ah! There’s a site called SoundCloud that’s getting a bit hot these days, should we take a look there?”

Though it hasn’t been around long, it has over a million users.

“Do it.”

Before Princess Fergie gets upset.

“Yes!”

The employee quickly accesses SoundCloud and speaks up.

“There’s currently the hottest composer on SoundCloud…”

“Start with that person.”

The employee nods and plays a recently uploaded song.

Zing!

“Hmm?”

A violin melody that stabs the heart like a knife called tears.

Thump thump!

“…Whoa?”

Will.i.am’s eyes widen as he looks at Fergie, and she nods repeatedly.

It seemed the bonus track for the 4th album had been decided.

 

* * *

 

“Pfft!”

“Pwoop!”

Bruno Mars spits out the beverage he was drinking.

Emily does the same.

“Wh, who? Fergie? Do you mean that Fergie I know?”

Fergie, an amazing singer who is not only successful on Billboard but worldwide as a guest vocalist and called the 4th member of the 3-person hip-hop group Black Eyed Peas, and who herself achieved tremendous success as a solo artist, reaching #2 on the Billboard 200 chart.

“That Fergie from Wild Orchid?”

A former member of Wild Orchid, a three-member female group that was active from 1990 to 2001. All members were white women, and their attractive voices and slender figures were enough to form a strong fanbase.

“…Wow.”

“What do you think?”

Bruno Mars lets out a hollow laugh at Andrew Pearson’s words.

Was there anything to think about?

This was an album by the Black Eyed Peas, no less.

And even a solo track just for Fergie.

“I’m definitely in favor of it!”

Refusing such an offer would be something only a fool would do.

Bruno Mars looked at Johann, saying this was now the fourth time, but Johann was looking at Emily.

“What do you think, Emily?”

“…Me? Why me?”

Emily, who had been preparing to congratulate Johann, was startled.

“I told you. ‘For Victory’ is your song.”

A song for Emily to sing when her voice was perfected in the future.

Naturally, Emily also had a share in it.

No, it was a song he had given to her.

“Ah…?”

Emily stares blankly at Johann.

‘My, the song I sang is going to be sung by Fergie?’

Her heart begins to beat like crazy.

Her head becomes hot and dizzy.

Then she notices Johann quietly waiting for an answer and cools down.

“You? What do you think?”

“Me?”

“What did you think when you first heard this offer?”

Though he says it’s a song he gave to her, the people who actually created ‘For Victory’ were clearly Johann and Bruno Mars.

She was truly grateful that he asked for her opinion, but that was as far as it went.

“Hmm. I was bewildered.”

Though he had vaguely thought such a moment would come someday from absorbing ‘Eagles, Joseph Fiddler Walsh’, he never expected such amazing people to say they wanted to buy the song.

“That’s still the same now.”

He didn’t know what decision to make.

Still, there was one standard.

“If we sell it, I’d like ‘For Victory’ to receive its proper value.”

It was a song created together by several people: ‘Eagles, Joseph Fiddler Walsh’, Josef II, Bruno Mars, and even Emily.

That’s why it was a song he had intended to give to Emily, a member of the group.

The offer was impulsive, but because it was Emily, he didn’t find it wasteful.

But if they were going to sell it, its value should be properly recognized.

“I see….”

“Hmm…. Mr. Pearson, may I answer again?”

Bruno Mars, whose expression had hardened, continues speaking.

“I’d also like to receive proper value.”

“Me, me too!”

Andrew Pearson smiles slightly and nods.

“Understood. Then I’ll proceed with that in mind.”

After Andrew Pearson leaves, Bruno Mars ruffles Johann’s hair.

“Yeah! Little Jefferson! That’s right, no matter how big the Black Eyed Peas are, we can’t just hand over the song!”

No matter how much it was just a track on the album, they had to examine it carefully.

“Johann….”

His consideration touches her heart again today.

Johann, puzzled by her seeming about to cry for some reason, opens his mouth.

“Want to eat ice cream?”

When a woman’s emotions are turbulent, feed her something sweet.

It was a maxim he learned from watching Ada.

Coincidentally, an ice cream shop had opened nearby.

“…Sigh. Fine!”

“What about Gene?”

“Oh, you’re including me too?”

The three of them got up.

‘For Victory’ had now left their hands.

From now on, it was business.

Business should be conducted between people who understand business well.

And Andrew Pearson was someone who understood such business very well.

 

* * *

 

“Twenty thousand dollars, you say?”

“I think that’s a reasonable price.”

When the employee from Will.i.am Music Group, under Interscope Records, a subsidiary of Universal Music Group, pushes up his glasses, Andrew Pearson furrows his brow.

“Not at all. Bruno Mars is a composer and producer who has put two songs on the mainstream rock track charts.”

“He got lucky.”

Would the current success have been possible without the recommendations from Usher, Justin Timberlake, and Victoria’s Secret Angels like Adriana Lima?

It would have been impossible if they hadn’t recommended him because they found the genius boy Johann, who participated in Giselle Buncheon’s wedding, impressive.

There was also the Long Beach, LA incident that occurred due to conflicting opinions about whether Johann was an active singer or not.

“No matter how much of a genius he is, if it’s a genius that management was determined to hide, it would take a long time and even luck for this to be possible.”

The young genius, Wolf Boy Johann Jefferson, whom other labels would have desperately tried to get on broadcasts.

If the president of this management company hadn’t been his father, Johann would have either fallen out after being forced down that route or achieved great success.

In other words, Bruno Mars is just a composer and producer who succeeded because of such a young genius.

“…You did your research thoroughly.”

“Isn’t that what anyone getting paid should do as a basic requirement these days?”

No. It was because they lacked spare money after working on the album for too long. But there was no need to say that.

The smiling employee continues speaking.

“You might think the price is low, but this is going on a Black Eyed Peas album.”

The Black Eyed Peas, an already successful hip-hop group.

Just being able to get their name on the bottom of that album would raise their recognition incomparably to now.

“And it’s even Fergie’s solo track.”

Any of Fergie’s fans would download the music.

“It would be a bonus track.”

Andrew Pearson twists his lips.

“I heard that Will.i.am is taking on a new challenge.”

Electronic music-based songs and albums in a style quite different from what they’ve done so far.

They surely would have filled it only with carefully selected songs.

But they’re suddenly coveting ‘For Victory’, which hasn’t been uploaded for very long.

And as Fergie’s solo track, no less.

“I’ve heard a lot about Will.i.am’s personality.”

A perfectionist.

He was someone who had such aspects behind his gentle appearance.

“If he liked ‘For Victory’, he would have had all four members sing it. Isn’t that right?”

Flinch!

That’s correct.

The employee whose weak point was hit twists his lips.

“Is that a problem?”

“It’s not.”

Even if it’s a bonus track that’s treated almost like a post-credits scene in a movie, it’s still going to be included in a Black Eyed Peas album.

The merit was significant.

‘But that’s not a reason to sell it cheap.’

Currently, Bruno Mars’s song commission fee alone is at least $20,000, and Johann is a genius whose future potential is impossible to predict.

Considering that future value, $20,000 was far too cheap.

“Hmm. Fine. We’ll give you $30,000.”

“At least $150,000. If you guarantee copyright fees and royalty on top of that, I’ll consider it.”

“…You’re being greedy.”

Has there ever been anyone in this music industry who succeeded by being unreasonably greedy?

At that meaningful look, Andrew Pearson shrugs his shoulders.

“Our composer is worth that much.”

The employee in front of him who came running here just days after the upload is proof of that.

“…I understand. I’ll contact you again soon.”

The employee brushed off his clothes and left, and Andrew Pearson downed his still-warm coffee.

“Universal seems to be having a hard time these days.”

“Indeed. They’re quite desperate, aren’t they?”

The Universal Music Group that the Planning Team knew wasn’t a place that worked this hard for a contract for an album track, not even a singer’s title track.

“Will this be okay?”

Rocky Management could be crushed with a finger by either Universal Music Group or Black Eyed Peas.

“We don’t need to worry about that employee.”

Judging by his working style, he seems like an employee dispatched from Universal to Will.i.am Music Group.

If that’s the case, it’s fine.

Universal Music Group isn’t lenient enough to tolerate a mere component making arbitrary decisions that harm others, no matter how angry they get.

“The problem is Fergie.”

“Fergie?”

“Yes. That prideful princess.”

‘It was a contract to release an album once every three years, right?’

The contract between Black Eyed Peas and Fergie that he heard about from a friend at Universal.

This solo track was definitely meant to fulfill that contract.

‘She must be looking forward to it…’

“…Well, she’s not crazy enough to throw a tantrum over something like this, so we don’t need to worry.”

Even if she’s prideful, she’s a woman who knows her place.

‘She’s a woman who knows well that she can’t succeed without Will.i.am.’

Recalling his friend’s assessment, Andrew Pearson decided to stop worrying.

 

* * *

 

“$150,000?”

“They saw right through our situation.”

A talent who shouldn’t be at such a small management company.

“Andrew Pearson. Someone who used to work at Universal.”

“…The subprime mortgage crisis changed many people’s fates. Let me think about it more.”

“We don’t have time.”

One week left.

Since they’d already signed a contract with Universal, the album had to be released on March 30th.

Otherwise, a massive penalty would occur for breach of contract.

“Even if we ask for understanding, we can only extend it by about a week.”

Black Eyed Peas had at most ten days left.

Considering the time needed to produce the album, they had to send the completed album at least 4 days early.

“It would be better to choose from the candidates…”

Several candidate songs set aside to use as the 16th track.

They had proceeded with the contract because these candidate songs existed.

Will.i.am just hadn’t recorded the 16th track yet, wondering if there might be an even better song.

“Just two more days.”

It felt a bit wasteful to spend $150,000 on a bonus track.

He needed time to think.

“Understood.”

The employee who left Will.i.am’s office sighs.

‘That stubbornness is holding things back again.’

Black Eyed Peas’s 4th album would have been released already if not for that.

Of course, thanks to that, amazing songs were created that even Universal Music Group had expectations for, but as time ran short, it was the salary workers like themselves whose blood ran dry.

If they violated the contract, they might not get paid. Black Eyed Peas already had that track record during their 4-year hiatus.

“Excuse me.”

“…Yes, Fergie.”

The employee approaches at Fergie’s gesture.

“How did the contract go?”

“They’re asking for $150,000, so he’s thinking about it until tomorrow.”

“What? $150,000? Are they crazy? …But he’ll sign the contract, right?”

The song he liked that much, ‘For Victory’.

That was her song.

“I’m not sure. Well then.”

As the employee left, Fergie looked at Will.i.am’s private office and gritted her teeth.

‘How long do I have to be dragged around?’

She knows it too.

That without Will.i.am, there’s no Fergie.

Just as she’s the lacking part of Black Eyed Peas, the only entity that can fill what she lacks is Black Eyed Peas.

‘But how long do I have to do this? Forever?’

She didn’t want that.

Fergie’s eyes darkened.

 

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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