Behind The Spotlight Chapter 222
'It's clear that Renee is talented. The audience loved his performance and he sang it well. I didn't know the song at first, but by the second chorus, I could sing along. It has a catchy melody. Yet, for Collin, all he saw was nothing. He had no reaction.'
Gabriella stared hard at Collin, studying him. She knew that Collin was handsome, he had been a model for a few years. Even now, he was still attractive. No, he was more attractive. Collin had grown up and matured. His movements, his vision, and his mindset had transformed. He was so charismatic that even Gabriella was impressed.
Gabriella swallowed nervously. Perhaps...
"Is there something on my face?"
"Hm?"
"You kept looking at me. Is there something on my face?"
"N- No, you're fine. You're really fine." Gabriella showed her practiced smile, hiding her fluster. Collin was indeed a fine man.
"I noticed that you're not impressed by Renee Denver's performance. Is there a reason why? He's clearly talented and his songs are amazing. I want to hear his songs again."
"Well, let's just say that I've seen better," Collin answered matter-of-factly.
Because Collin could see through Renee's talent, he was not surprised that he performed well.
"Indeed, his songs are great, but Princess Chantal is better than him." Gabriella nodded. She compared the two artists, and Princess Chantal had a star factor in her performance. Fans couldn't help but fall in love with her music and stage presence.
"What do you think? Does Renee have an agency? Will he agree if someone invites him to sign a contract?" Gabriella became interested in Renee. Even though the first winner of The Singing Voice was incomparable to Princess Chantal, he was still a promising client.
"You didn't know his story?" Collin asked.
"Well, I'm not completely sure. I just heard that Renee and his record label had a fallout."
"He offended an influential figure, and the record label sabotaged his career," Collin answered. He was also not certain. The information he had came from others, and he didn't know the specifics.
Renee's issue was complicated. He had been invited to a strange party hosted by Papa Daddy. The party had drugs and questionable activities, yet many celebrities attended it.
It was a terrible day for Renee because he was targeted by Papa Daddy.
When Renee entered the room his manager told him to visit, he found the black rapper oiled up and naked. The bed had a box of baby oil bottles for an obvious purpose.
'I want that booty,'
Those were the exact words Papa Daddy said to Renee.
Naturally, Renee refused and left the party in fear. He was traumatized and never attended celebrity parties again.
Because he refused, his record label retaliated and stopped promoting him. Papa Daddy was a major shareholder of the label.
He had a five-album contract and had released two albums so far. However, his catalog remained unnoticed because the record label never supported him, making it seem like his decision not to get butt-fucked had ruined his career.
If Gabriella was determined, she could sign Renee and move him to another label. However, she would have to pay damages for breach of contract, and the penalties alone could bleed her agency or record label dry.
Gabriella had both an agency and a record label, but money was not meant to be spent carelessly.
In Collin's opinion, it was not worth it, not with the baggage Renee carried.
"If you want to sign him, you must be prepared to handle his issues. As an agent, I see him as a liability. His potential is not enough for me to take the risk," Collin said calmly. It would be a different story if Renee's talent were gold. Until then, his initial fame would fade into nothingness.
"Wow, so that's how you see people... You base it on potential," Gabriella teasingly gasped.
"Aren't we the same?" Collin looked at her. His gaze was quite cold, which made Gabriella shudder.
Gabriella shut her mouth and bit her lip.
'I knew it, he could see through me. He knows my intention. No wonder he's not opening up to me.'
Gabriella was slightly right.
She looked at the stage. Suddenly, the atmosphere changed, and a new rock band stepped onto it.
It was Pulse Static.
Gabriella knew about this band, although she didn't know their potential. She had only heard from Princess Chantal and Jolyne that Arnold and Moonrise Music had signed an emo punk rock band.
Collin stood up to show support, and Gabriella followed suit.
For tonight, Pulse Static performed a song written by Niko. It was the only song they had fully mastered so far. The album was still incomplete and needed polishing before a public release.
The song was titled "I don't wanna live."
Yes, it was a depressing title, fitting their demographic of teen angst. Sad teenagers might find it relatable.
They had practiced the song and were confident performing it on stage.
The whole band wore black attire and heavy black eyeliner.
They started with a bang, and Gabriella was stunned. The first chord struck her heart, followed by Mikael Wagner's heartfelt screamo.
"W- What is this!?"
Her voice cracked, half shock and half excitement.
She was not a fan of rock, but for the first time she found herself headbanging and joining the fun. She jumped whenever the rhythm progressed, caught in the beat.
The first song, the second, until the last, Gabriella was completely swept up by the rhythm. Her heartbeat raced, syncing with the drums.
When Pulse Static finished their performance, Gabriella was breathing hard, panting as if she had run a marathon, having spent all her energy during the show.
She thought Renee Denver was already impressive, but it seemed Pulse Static surpassed him with ease. It wasn't even a fair comparison. Pulse Static shook her to the core.
"Looks like you're having fun," Collin said, his expression composed and calm.
Gabriella was surprised to see Collin calm throughout the performance. His hands were in his pockets, and he hadn't even jumped once.
"You... What is wrong with you?" Her cheeks were flushed and her hair messy. She sounded more bewildered than judgmental.
"There's nothing wrong with me. I'm simply watching."
Most of the time, Gabriella controlled the pace of the conversation. But Collin was doing it now. Perhaps she was affected by the songs. She had also come unprepared today, which affected her mentality. She was vulnerable.
"You didn't find their performance fun?"
[Thank you for reading this novel.]