After Ariana officially signed with Apocalypse Music, she reported to the company almost every day without any mandatory requirement.
More punctual than anyone else.
Vocal practice, dance, body shaping...
Without anyone's instructions, this girl filled her schedule to the brim, working so hard it was heartbreaking.
The entire company adored this girl who was not yet 18.
Bonnie would sometimes recommend her favorite crotch-less thong styles to her...
Surprisingly, this young girl didn't show any shyness about this.
Now, except for those inconvenient few days each month, she had been wearing Evil Angel brand products all the time.
A week later, Leon led all members of the Apocalypse label to fly to Los Angeles for the American Music Awards (AMA) ceremony, the last heavyweight award of 2010.
Since it was a full turnout this time, Leon asked Phil to rent a stretch Lincoln.
On the way to the Nokia Theatre, the excited Ariana talked non-stop.
"Oh my god... I can't believe I'm actually here!"
"There are so many cameras here... Is that the red carpet ahead?!"
Saying this, she hurriedly took out a small mirror to carefully check her makeup. Undoubtedly, this was the most significant occasion she had experienced in her singing career so far.
Cardi B let out a weird laugh and teased, "Relax, Little A~ No one will focus their cameras on you~"
Since Ariana joined the company, Cardi B had always complained that her name was too hard to read.
Rappers are usually gifted in giving nicknames, so Ariana got the nickname "Little A."
Secretly mocking her age and cup size.
Ariana rolled her eyes at Cardi B. She was just about to retort, but seeing the round hemispheres under the other party's deep V dress, she held it back.
She lowered her head and glanced at her own flat airport. The age difference between the two was only one year, but the developmental gap was ridiculously large.
While nervously fiddling with his phone, Phil said, "Today's performance is very important for you..."
"The guest performers for this session are all big shots."
To cope with the competitive pressure of Sunday Night Football broadcast on NBC on the same day, the cast lineup for this AMA was star-studded.
The hottest new generation stars Rihanna, Taylor Swift, and Ke$ha would all take the stage...
Not only that, legendary hard rock band Bon Jovi, veterans who became famous in the 80s, would also appear.
In this star-studded guest list, Leon was just a transparent nobody.
Leon curled his lips and said, "All I have to do is stand behind Robbie and scratch some discs. I don't even qualify as a seat-filler~ No need to be so nervous."
Actually, he had once entered the vision of the award committee and had high hopes of being nominated for the "Favorite Alternative Artist" award.
This award mainly targeted singers in indie rock, progressive rock, heavy metal, classical music, and electronic music fields.
Or those with alternative styling and personas...
Unfortunately, the nomination list was finalized in October. At that time, Leon didn't control a large number of community radio stations, so he wasn't advantageous in promotion.
If it were now, he might really have a chance to be nominated.
Phil said with a serious face, "After the AMA ends, it will just coincide with the release of your debut album... This gala will be watched live by tens of millions of viewers!"
"You must leave a deep enough impression on them!"
Leon looked at the old geezer in confusion. He couldn't figure out how he could leave a deep impression on the audience just by going on stage to scratch discs.
Could it be that he had to strip naked and dance on the DJ booth?
The Lincoln moved slowly on the road that had long been cleared. They would arrive at the red carpet in about five minutes.
Phil cursed loudly at the nomination list on his phone: "A Canadian white kid who just turned 16 actually got four nominations!"
"Fxxk, Justin Bieber's Baby is completely a meaningless bubblegum song."
"I think those bastards on the committee all have problems, a bunch of psychologically twisted freaks!"
Leon spread his hands. No one could explain what mysterious force caused such a fledging kid to become popular all over the world like a prairie fire.
In September, he had just won the prestigious Best New Artist award at the MTV VMAs with Baby. Now he was leading the AMAs with four nominations.
Leaving dazzling names like Eminem, Usher, Lady Gaga, and others far behind.
Hearing these words, Ariana beside him rolled her beautiful eyes, looked out the car window, and muttered to herself, "If I could have half of his achievements, I would be satisfied..."
Both were under 18, but their status in the music world could only be described as heaven and earth.
The world is just that disparate.
The Lincoln stopped in front of the red carpet, and Leon made a brilliant entrance holding Robbie's hand.
Behind him were Ariana and Cardi B, also dressed up grandly. Such a combination instantly attracted the firepower of the media.
He looked like the debauched King of the Kingdom of Women.
"Mr. Leon! Heard your new album Demons is about to be released. Can you reveal more information about this album?"
"You'll know when the time comes. Remember to buy the CD. When I come back here next year, I won't appear as a guest."
"Chris Brown walked the red carpet ten minutes ago. He was nominated for Favorite Soul/R&B Male Artist this year..." The reporter from Entertainment Weekly squeezed to the front and continued asking, "He just said you are useless trash who doesn't even qualify as a seat-filler... Your record sales will never catch up to him. What do you think about his aggressive remarks?"
Facing the question, Leon's answer was quite tough. "I'm used to the barking of this mad dog... Do you know he @ me on Twitter three times a day... right after liking his ex-girlfriend Rihanna's selfies."
"Fxxk! I suspect this guy is a pervert now. He has to fantasize about fxxking me hard and deep from behind every day before he can sleep."
The straightforward and humorous answer instantly made the reporters burst into laughter.
Compared to Leon, Robbie's heat was obviously higher. Reporters' questions for her were endless.
No one expected that Robbie, fighting across borders, could become popular globally with her first single, biting tight on Rihanna on the Billboard charts.
The question reporters cared about most was whether expanding her music career in depth would affect the filming of her new movie The Wolf of Wall Street with Leonardo DiCaprio.
One reporter took a different approach and asked a quite spicy question.
"Miss Robbie, how do you view the recent controversial events your boyfriend Mr. Leon has fallen into?"
"He was exposed as starting from drug dealing in the slums and having sexual relations with multiple female fans..."
"Now there are rumors that he has some ambiguous relationship with Miss Kardashian..."
Hearing the question, Robbie glared fiercely at Leon, then quickly changed to a sweet smile.
Just as Leon wanted to step forward and push away this tactless reporter, Robbie gave an answer no one expected.
"I don't care at all about those flying rumors, but frankly speaking..."
"Even if Leon is really a devil as you describe."
"Then let me become a witch too."
The clever answer silenced the reporters. No one had the mind to provoke the relationship between the two anymore.
After entering the inner venue, while Leon was still looking for his seat, he saw a tall figure waving in his direction from afar.
"Robbie~ Over here!"
Taylor Swift had communicated with the organizer in advance, requesting to sit with Robbie.
Now, Leon was surrounded by four women. He could feel the razor-sharp gazes of the surrounding men at all times.
Taylor and Robbie chatted non-stop as soon as they met, mainly about Leonardo DiCaprio pursuing Miranda Kerr recently.
As good besties, they dug up Miranda Kerr's love history cleanly, bursting into laughter from time to time.
Unexpectedly, Taylor and Leon also talked a lot during this meeting.
When they first met at the last MTV VMAs, Leon was still a transparent person in front of Taylor.
Current situation was enough to show that he had a certain weight in the circle. Just launching two hit newcomers, Cardi B and Robbie, was enough to make him valued on any occasion.
The topic discussed by the two was mainly about inspiration.
Taylor said her inspiration came from men, especially scumbags who could provide her with endless inspiration.
To this, Leon smiled and said his inspiration was like Mendeleev dreaming of the periodic table of elements. Just taking a toilet break, wonderful inspiration would suddenly pop up in his head.
It was like a woman's period, never late every month.
In a cheerful atmosphere, the award ceremony officially began.
The opening performance was a bombshell. The recognized new generation diva Rihanna brought three songs in a row.
Besides Love the Way You Lie which had already calloused listeners' ears, the biggest surprise was Only Girl (In the World) which was dominating the Billboard charts.
Deep dance skills, excellent singing skills, a face considered good-looking among Black people...
This was Leon's entire impression of Rihanna.
Just as Beyoncé said, this woman was just a full-scale replica of her.
In the following award presentation segment, Taylor won Favorite Country Female Artist, Rihanna won Favorite Soul/R&B Female Artist...
Justin Bieber, unexpectedly to everyone, defeated Eminem and Usher in the "Favorite Pop/Rock Male Artist" category he was nominated for, successfully winning the award.
"Fxxk... those guys on the committee must be a bunch of perverts."
Phil drank the free whiskey provided by the organizer while cursing loudly. Before long, he was completely drunk and cursed even more vigorously.
In fact, not only him, but almost the whole audience was whispering upon learning this news.
Cardi B even shouted directly at the people around her: "Why didn't they give the trophy to Eminem? Are they crazy?"
"In the Bronx, this kid Bieber can only be called a girl!"
However, the shock brought by Bieber was far more than this. In another heavyweight award "Favorite Pop/Rock Album," he won again with My World 2.0.
His opponents were two god-tier albums, Katy Perry's Teenage Dream and Eminem's Recovery.
"What..."
When the award information was announced, applause accompanied by huge questioning voices filled the venue.
The live camera was given to Katy Perry. Although she looked calm and was clapping mechanically...
Her micro-expressions had already betrayed her inner thoughts.
Eminem was sitting next to the most famous rap godfather on the West Coast, Dr. Dre, who was also the producer of the Recovery album.
He spread his hands to the people around him, sneering and shaking his head incessantly.
"Who exactly is propping up the Canadian kid?" This became the biggest mystery in Phil's heart tonight.
When Justin Bieber took the stage again, just the action of him flicking his bangs caused expressions of disgust from many people.
The tender Bieber was like a high school student who had accidentally entered this grand award ceremony.
He first thanked P. Diddy for taking care of him, then thanked his manager and record company...
Phil sneered and said, "There is definitely something wrong between this kid and Diddy..."
Just as the voice fell, Taylor, who hadn't said a word to the old scumbag, suddenly turned her head and exclaimed: "No way!"
Looking at Taylor's eager expression for gossip, Phil sneered and said, "Diddy said it himself. He once stayed alone with that kid for more than 48 hours... that was a happy time."
"Their age difference is more than 20 years... What do you think they did staying together for so long?"
"Playing games on Xbox? Or one-on-one tutoring Bieber in rap?"
Phil's words moved Taylor. Now her eyes looking at Bieber became somewhat complex.
"Get ready, it's our turn to perform." Leon took Robbie's hand and got up from his seat. "Don't be too nervous, just treat it as an ordinary performance."
"Don't worry, honey... this will be my most perfect performance!"
About ten minutes later, the two walked out of the dressing room together, waiting to go on stage.
Robbie was wearing the blue and white tight latex suit from the MV, full of comic feel and futuristic cyberpunk style.
While Leon was wearing an ordinary black hoodie with a white "Jesus Passion" pattern on the back.
The inspiration for the hoodie came entirely from the guidance of the MV image in the Inspiration Refresh.
After receiving the invitation from the AMA, he had Jones Studio in Los Angeles design this performance costume overnight.
After the host's introduction, Leon put on the hood, covered his face tightly, and walked to the DJ booth.
When the melody sounded, he pressed the button on the turntable, accurately beating to the music.
After plugging in, Robbie's voice instantly became as ethereal as nature's sound.
You were the shadow to my life
Did you feel us
Entering the chorus part, Leon adjusted the buttons to align the strong beats. The powerful rhythm of electronic music instantly made the scene boil.
Those big-shot celebrities also fell into a state of self-forgetfulness, twisting their bodies to the beat.
Even separated far from the stage, Leon could see Taylor twisting her body at a glance. Her tall figure always made her stand out in the crowd.
While scratching the vinyl record with one hand, Leon pointed at Taylor to interact with her.
Where are you now
Another dream
The monster's running wild inside of me
I'm faded
I'm faded
Under the impact of the strong beat of electronic music, the award ceremony had turned into a large-scale disco scene.
Ariana looked at the shining Robbie on stage, already fantasizing about her future in her mind.
Even old-school rappers who always regarded electronic music as heresy couldn't help swaying to the rhythm.
Old Phil swayed his body intoxicatedly while talking to the celebrities around him: "Isn't this 100 times better than that Canadian kid's music?"
"Fxxk, don't know who exactly spent money to buy him so many votes."