With "Ocean Eyes" steadily building its mystique and critical acclaim, Alex felt it was time for Billie Eilish to take her first steps into live performance under the Echo Chamber banner. Not big venues, but carefully selected, intimate spaces that would suit her atmospheric sound and allow her to gain confidence.
He leveraged some of his own burgeoning industry connections – contacts his father had made or ones that had approached Echo Chamber after Alex's string of hits. They booked Billie (with Finneas accompanying her on keys/guitar and providing backing vocals) for a couple of opening slots at trendy, small LA clubs known for showcasing emerging indie artists. These weren't widely publicized; more like industry-insider gigs.
Alex flew out to LA for her first show, partly as label head, partly as a supportive mentor. He met with Billie and Finneas, and their parents, beforehand. Billie was visibly nervous, pale and quiet, fiddling with the rings on her fingers. Finneas was his usual composed self, trying to reassure her.
"You're going to be amazing, Billie," Alex said gently, crouching down to her eye level backstage. She was still quite young, and the reality of performing live, even to a small crowd, was daunting. "Just feel the music. Sing it like you do in your bedroom. They're here because they want to hear you."
The [Maestro's Codex] flashed a brief note: [Performance Anxiety Mitigation: Positive reinforcement and focusing on intrinsic musical connection are key for Subject B. Eilish at this stage.]
When Billie and Finneas stepped onto the small, dimly lit stage, the crowd was initially just a handful of curious onlookers and a few industry scouts Alex had discreetly invited. But when Billie opened her mouth and the first ethereal notes of "Ocean Eyes" filled the room, a hush fell. Her voice, even more captivating live, wove its spell. Finneas's minimalist accompaniment was perfect. They played a short set – "Ocean Eyes," an early version of "bellyache" with its playful darkness, and "sHE's brOKen."
[ many people may have not listened to sHE's brOKen, do try it, you won't regret it ]
By the end of the set, the small crowd was mesmerized. The applause was genuine, enthusiastic. Alex saw a couple of A&R reps scribbling furiously in notebooks. Billie, flushed and almost surprised by the reaction, gave a tiny, grateful smile.
"That was… incredible," she whispered to Alex afterwards, the adrenaline still coursing.
"You were incredible," Alex affirmed. "This is just the beginning."
Back in his own home, Alex started bringing Olivia Rodrigo into his home studio for proper recording sessions. Olivia, who had only ever recorded rough voice notes on her phone or laptop, was wide-eyed at the professional setup – the Neumann microphone, the large mixing console (even if it was Alex's compact home version), the soundproofed room.
"This is so cool!" she exclaimed, bouncing on the balls of her feet. "It sounds so… real!"
Working with Olivia in person was different from the remote sessions with Billie. Olivia was a firecracker of energy and enthusiasm. She was less guarded, more overtly eager to please and experiment. Alex found himself laughing a lot during their sessions. She had a natural comedic timing and wasn't afraid to be goofy, which helped lighten the sometimes intense atmosphere of recording.
"Okay, Liv," Alex would say, trying to maintain a professional tone despite her infectious giggles after a flubbed take. "Let's try that chorus one more time. Really hit that high note, I know you've got it."
He was patient, guiding her through vocal techniques, layering harmonies, and helping her find the emotional core of each lyric. He recognized her nascent talent for conveying vulnerability, even amidst her bubbly personality. He started sketching out arrangements for her songs – cleaner, pop-leaning but still piano-driven, distinct from Billie's atmospheric electronica and his own more eclectic releases.
A genuine friendship began to blossom between Alex and Olivia. They were close in (perceived) age, both navigating the strange world of early musical success, albeit on different scales. They'd share snacks during recording breaks, talk about school (Olivia was still in regular school and loved to share dramas), favorite TV shows, and of course, music. Alex, careful not to reveal his future knowledge, would talk about older artists he admired, subtly influencing her musical palate. Olivia, in turn, introduced him to the current teen pop landscape he was mostly oblivious to.
She was impressed by his calm demeanor, his knowledge, and how seriously he took her ideas. He, in turn, was charmed by her relentless optimism and raw talent. There was an easy camaraderie, a shared passion for creating.
David Vance observed this developing dynamic with a knowing smile. "She's a talented kid, Alex," he said one evening. "And you two seem to work well together. Good chemistry."
Alex nodded. "She's got massive potential, Dad. And yeah, she's fun to work with."
He was careful to keep their relationship strictly professional and friendly, especially given Olivia's age. But he couldn't deny a growing fondness. It was different from the almost reverent respect he had for Billie's artistry; this was lighter, easier.
Meanwhile, his own music continued to dominate. He released "All of Me" (John Legend), another sweeping romantic ballad that solidified his status as the undisputed king of heartfelt pop in this 2015. The song dropped without fanfare at midnight on January 8th. By sunrise, it had already crossed 4 million plays on Spotify. By the end of the week, it was charting at #1 in eight countries and sitting comfortably in the top 5 in over a dozen more. YouTube's trending page featured the minimalist, piano-driven music video, racking up 15 million views in ten days.
Critics couldn't get enough. Pulse & Pitch called it "a masterclass in restraint and sincerity," while The Vinyl Report dubbed it "the proposal song of this generation." Even The Guardian featured a rare profile on Alex, headlined "The Man Who Made the World Cry Without Trying Too Hard."
Mira sat on the cold tile floor of her kitchen at 2:43 AM, knees pulled to her chest, her phone screen lighting up her tired face. It had been a long day—one of those quiet, crumbling ones where nothing goes wrong loud enough to scream, but everything hums with weight.
She wasn't searching for anything, just scrolling through YouTube, letting the algorithm drag her through late-night piano covers and soft-spoken vlogs. And then it appeared:
"All of Me – Alex Vance (Official Video)"
The thumbnail was simple—a silhouette at a piano, bathed in warm light.
She clicked it without thinking.
The opening notes were delicate, hesitant, like someone speaking for the first time after a long silence. Then his voice came in. Not perfect. Not polished. Just honest.
"What would I do without your smart mouth?
Drawing me in, and you kicking me out
You've got my head spinning, no kidding, I can't pin you down
What's going on in that beautiful mind?
I'm on your magical mystery ride
And I'm so dizzy, don't know what hit me, but I'll be alright
My head's under water
But I'm breathing fine
You're crazy and I'm out of my mind"
By the second verse, Mira was crying.
" 'Cause all of me
Loves all of you
Love your curves and all your edges
All your perfect imperfections
Give your all to me
I'll give my all to you
You're my end and my beginning
Even when I lose, I'm winning
'Cause I give you all of me
And you give me all of you, oh-oh
How many times do I have to tell you?
Even when you're crying, you're beautiful too
The world is beating you down, I'm around through every mood
You're my downfall, you're my muse
My worst distraction, my rhythm and blues
I can't stop singing, it's ringing in my head for you
My head's under water
But I'm breathing fine
You're crazy and I'm out of my mind
'Cause all of me
Loves all of you
Love your curves and all your edges
All your perfect imperfections
Give your all to me
I'll give my all to you
You're my end and my beginning
Even when I lose, I'm winning
'Cause I give you all of me
And you give me all of you, oh-oh
Give me all of you, oh
Cards on the table, we're both showing hearts
Risking it all, though it's hard
'Cause all of me
Loves all of you
Love your curves and all your edges
All your perfect imperfections
Give your all to me
I'll give my all to you
You're my end and my beginning
Even when I lose, I'm winning
'Cause I give you all of me
And you give me all of you
I give you all of me
And you give me all of you, oh-oh"
Not sobbing—just quiet tears, the kind that fall slowly when you're not sure what part of you is breaking. The song felt like something she didn't know she needed. Like it had been waiting for her all along, tucked somewhere between grief and hope.
When it ended, she didn't replay it immediately. She just sat there in the glow of the screen, eyes damp, heart still.
Then she opened the comment section, scrolling through hundreds of strangers who had also stopped whatever they were doing, who had also heard something in that song that made them feel seen.
She typed:
"It's 2:43 AM. I didn't know I needed this. Thank you, Alex."
And then she hit play again.
----------
Concert offers were pouring in, but he was being selective, planning a small, curated tour for later in the year.
Echo Chamber Records was thriving. Billie's EP, dont smile at me (a collection of the songs she and Finneas had developed with Alex's guidance), was nearing completion. Olivia's first demo EP was taking shape. Alex Vance himself was a global superstar.
The bonds were growing, not just between Alex and his artists, but between the artists themselves, who knew of each other through the label even if they hadn't met. A small, powerful ecosystem was forming, all orchestrated by a young man with the wisdom of another lifetime and a catalogue of ghost-hits in his head. The first stages had been set, and the music was beginning to resonate in ways even Alex hadn't fully anticipated.