[Chapter 44: Reactions]
Orlando was on stage, pouring his heart out as he sang two songs.
The first was a pop-rock, slow-rock track called Counting Stars. It was perfectly timed to follow MJ's energetic performance, keeping the electric atmosphere buzzing both live and on television.
After finishing Counting Stars, when the crowd -- both at the venue and in front of their TV screens -- was still craving more, Orlando debuted a brand-new song written just last night: Peter Pan Was Right.
In reality, there were only about a thousand people present at Michael Jackson's Neverland Ranch that night. Aside from the stars and celebrities involved in the celebratory show, the rest were invited fans, some lucky kids, and nearby residents. Of course, former California governor Jerry Brown was there, along with many high-profile political figures from California.
Even though the crowd was just around a thousand, Orlando felt the atmosphere was more intense and pressuring than the 20,000 attendees at the South by Southwest Music Festival. Luckily, the response was excellent. After finishing the second song, Orlando took a bow amid thunderous applause and cheers.
Then Jerry Brown took the stage, smiling as he grabbed the microphone and shouted, "Hey, I'm Jerry Brown. I want to say, just like Orlando sang, Peter Pan Was Right, growing up is such a waste of time! But in those poor parts of Africa, many kids can't even afford to waste time growing up because they don't have enough food! They're starving, they're hungry, and they have nothing to eat!
Yeah, who here hasn't tossed and turned at night worrying about African children who can't get enough to eat? So, let's not let the music stop here! Let's prove that charity isn't just talk -- it's an ingrained American instinct!"
With that, the whole audience erupted into applause.
The fundraising portion began immediately. People pulled out their checkbooks, writing donations. Orlando followed the trend and pledged $10,000 himself. After chatting briefly with some industry friends he'd made over the past couple of days, the celebration show wrapped up quickly.
---
Later that evening was a party hosted by Jerry Brown -- just borrowing the Neverland Ranch for the occasion. But Orlando decided not to attend this politically charged event.
The reason? A call came in from his dear Daisy in Washington.
"It's my fault. I should've introduced you to a political advisor," she said.
"Uh, Daisy, I performed and even sang two songs -- just behind MJ's three. I hope that doesn't cause you any trouble?"
"Not really. But skip Jerry Brown's party tonight."
"I'll listen to you."
"I'll explain why later. But I really think you should meet a political advisor. They're a bit pricey, but definitely worth it."
"No problem. I still have some money saved up."
"Haha, got it. I'll send you the contact info later. Just reach out directly."
"When are you coming back to New York?"
"What's up?"
"I miss you!"
"..."
Daisy, watching Orlando's performance broadcast on CBS from Neverland Ranch, probably advised him not to attend Jerry Brown's party with the Black political crowd. Orlando gladly took her advice, knowing full well that his biggest ally right now was his dear Daisy.
Without Daisy, Warner Bros. might already be conspiring against him, trying every trick to hold him down -- just like Sony was doing with MJ, successfully pulling him back for years.
Without Daisy, Orlando wouldn't have had Frank DiLeo and Seymour Stein -- two major heavyweights in the music industry -- backing him right from the start. Each one alone was a big deal, but both supporting him together? That was like launching a music prince's career...
Even Michael Jackson, in a parallel universe, never managed to snag such powerful backing before his death. Orlando grabbed it right away.
He knew if he tried to shake off Daisy's help now, he'd be the biggest fool alive.
---
Compared with Daisy's keen focus on politics, the public -- or rather, the media -- were more focused on Orlando's performance during the celebration show.
Not because Orlando was stealing Michael Jackson's thunder. Being a super new artist was one thing, but he wasn't a bigger star than MJ, at least not yet.
The main reason was Michael had performed three of his signature dance hits during the celebration. These were classic songs that had been sung on his world tours hundreds of times over the past few years.
While they were still fantastic, the audience had already seen and heard them countless times. The excitement had somewhat faded.
On the other hand, Orlando sang two brand-new songs -- both with high quality and fresh, catchy hooks -- in a public showcase.
Right after the celebration, Warner Records released an official statement on Orlando's behalf:
[Warner Records proudly announces: Superstar newcomer Orlando's debut EP will be released worldwide soon!
This highly anticipated EP features several outstanding tracks, including the hot singles sparking buzz: Counting Stars and Peter Pan Was Right.
Orlando has emerged as a stunning creative force with a unique musical charm, and this EP will fully showcase his extraordinary talent and musical vision.
Fans worldwide, get ready for Orlando's first official EP release!
Warner Music / Warner Records
June 2, 1990]
This announcement caused a massive splash, stealing nearly half the spotlight from MJ's celebration at Neverland Ranch.
Sure, the quality and freshness of Counting Stars and Peter Pan Was Right were big factors, combined with Orlando's strong current popularity.
But the biggest reason was Warner Records' swift and decisive action.
Almost immediately after Orlando's performance, seeing how well the audience responded, Warner Records's CEO Doug ordered the publicity team to crank out press releases.
The release date for Orlando's self-titled EP had already been set in discussion with Warner before Orlando left for Los Angeles. Frank and Seymour were keeping a close eye on the process.
At this point, Orlando was Warner's hottest rising star.
His single Old Town Road alone accounted for nearly a third of Warner's sales in the first half of 1990.
If Warner didn't go full throttle on the promotion now, Doug himself would face serious questions from Time Warner headquarters about his competence.
---
Thanks to Warner's all-out promotion, by the very same night, nearly all of Orlando's fans already knew about his upcoming EP.
Many TV and radio stations aired clips from the Neverland celebration -- especially Orlando's performances of Counting Stars and Peter Pan Was Right.
But only snippets -- mostly the most exciting parts of the songs -- aired.
Listeners got hooked, wanting to hear more, but there was no full version available yet.
This kind of tease was very enticing and somewhat torturous for fans.
Remember, this was pre-internet era; people only had video games, TV, movies, newspapers, and magazines to entertain themselves.
Listening to music was a key form of escapism for many.
---
Meanwhile, some folks in this country were happy to see MJ's Neverland celebration partially overshadowed.
They weren't fans of Black artists; though Orlando's mixed heritage made him an exception.
He looked white enough, with Anglo-Saxon features.
Interestingly, a curious few discovered that his multi-ethnic mother might have a fractional Jew ancestry, about 1/8th. Orlando's maternal great-grandmother was a Jew!
Jewish lineage is traditionally passed down through the maternal line. Since his maternal great-grandmother was Jewish, he was also regarded as Jewish. The "one-drop rule" wasn't applied only to people of Black descent -- it extended to Jews as well.
Moreover, this thing is often thousands of times more effective on celebrities.
No doubt, Orlando was now a celebrity, irreversibly labeled a super music genius.
---
Encouraged and subtly supported by certain whispers and nods among some groups, the next day, Michael Jackson couldn't help but call Frank, complaining: "I felt yesterday wasn't a celebration of my Neverland Ranch at all. Honestly, it felt like a launch party for your new client's songs!
Frank, your Orlando stole almost all the spotlight!"
*****
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