The Bell Tower Music Salon was a gathering place for Hong Kong musicians, but its invitees weren't limited to locals. Alongside singers and songwriters, there were plenty of executives and senior management from media outlets and entertainment agencies.
In other words, these were all people who held influential positions in Hong Kong's entertainment industry.
The atmosphere at the salon was relaxed, without rigid rules or restrictions. The organizers would choose a topic and let everyone discuss it freely. Participants could even go onstage to give an impromptu speech or performance. The main purpose had always been the same: communication and networking.
However, it was extremely rare for someone like Madam Jin to openly put forward a concrete proposal here.
And this particular proposal hit a very sensitive nerve.
Since the turn of the century, the mainland entertainment industry had developed at a tremendous pace. Influenced by trends from Europe, America, Japan, and South Korea, reality talent shows had sprung up everywhere. Although they drew plenty of criticism, they also produced a large number of new stars. Some winners eventually rose to A-list status, making enough money to leave others green with envy.
Many Hong Kong and Taiwanese entertainers could only watch helplessly, heading to the mainland one after another in search of opportunities.
On the surface, Hong Kong's entertainment industry seemed rather indifferent to all this, occasionally even looking down on it. In reality, quite a few local companies had partnered with television stations to produce talent shows and singing competitions. Unfortunately, most ended in failure or embarrassment, making little to no impact.
There were plenty of reasons for this, including insufficient funding and poor promotion.
One of the most obvious problems was the judges' appearance fees. They were often so low that it was hard to attract genuine big-name stars. Even when some agreed to participate, they had little reason to put much effort into it.
And compared to the prizes offered on mainland talent shows, the rewards here were practically nothing.
Because of these issues, apart from the Miss Hong Kong and Miss Asia pageants, most talent competitions in Hong Kong were forgettable. They simply couldn't match the influence of mainland shows.
So although Madam Jin's proposal sounded lofty and admirable, the room immediately fell silent.
Everyone exchanged awkward glances, unwilling to be the first to respond.
Each person here had their own position and represented different interests. Bringing everyone together to organize a talent competition dedicated to encouraging and supporting original music was just too difficult.
Madam Jin's idea was a little too idealistic.
It wasn't that anyone wanted to disrespect her. The problem was that actually making it happen would be incredibly complicated.
Only a few people voiced their agreement.
Seeing the reaction, Madam Jin secretly sighed, disappointment flashing through her eyes.
The influence of the Bell Tower Music Salon had been steadily declining within Hong Kong's entertainment industry, largely because most participants were good at talking but not at actually doing anything. By now, it had basically become just another social gathering for people in show business.
And how was that any different from all the other parties?
Madam Jin had spent decades navigating the industry and knew its current state better than anyone. After hearing what Lu Chen said earlier, she simply couldn't resist stepping forward to try and do something meaningful for Hong Kong pop music.
Unfortunately, the result was still disappointing.
"I think Sister Jin's proposal is excellent. Our Lu Chen Workshop is willing to contribute."
Madam Jin gave Lu Chen a grateful smile for helping her out of the awkward situation.
It was a pity that Lu Chen was from the mainland and was destined to remain an outsider in Hong Kong. Otherwise…
"Count me in, too!"
A warm, rich voice suddenly rang out from the crowd.
Who was that?
Everyone understood why Lu Chen supported Madam Jin. She had just backed him up, so he was simply returning the favor.
But who else was actually willing to support such an impractical idea?
Everyone turned to look.
The moment they saw who had spoken, they were completely stunned.
The man who said "Count me in, too" looked to be in his forties. He wasn't particularly tall and wore a faint smile, but not a single person present dared to underestimate him.
This middle-aged man was one of the biggest stars in the Hong Kong entertainment industry, a Heavenly King-level superstar with immense popularity.
Liu Gangsheng!
No one expected Liu Gangsheng to attend this music salon. Then again, his presence made perfect sense, as he was one of its original founders.
Back in his youth, Liu Gangsheng was already a leading figure in Hong Kong's pop music scene.
The foremost of the Heavenly Kings, Asia's top idol, an unofficial Hong Kong Justice of the Peace, and a superstar who had conquered music, film, and television across Asia.
He had accumulated far too many titles and honors to count. In a sense, his voice represented the will of Hong Kong's entertainment industry, and no one could match his influence.
"Brother Sheng!"
"Ah Sheng!"
"Mr. Liu!"
Whether they were industry insiders or guests, regardless of their status, everyone present greeted Liu Gangsheng.
He smiled and acknowledged them one by one.
Under everyone's watchful eyes, he walked up to Lu Chen and extended his hand.
"Hello."
Lu Chen quickly shook it.
"Hello, Brother Sheng!"
Liu Gangsheng had been one of his idols growing up. This was the first time Lu Chen had met him in person, and he was genuinely excited.
Liu Gangsheng smiled. "I came today because I wanted to meet the musical genius, Lu Chen. I'm not disappointed."
A low murmur of surprise spread through the room.
A musical genius!
Liu Gangsheng's evaluation of Lu Chen was extraordinarily high.
Lu Chen modestly replied, "You're too kind, Brother Sheng. I still have a lot to learn from you."
Liu Gangsheng smiled and nodded before turning to Chen Fei'er.
"Miss Chen, we meet again."
Chen Fei'er extended her hand. "Hello, Brother Sheng!"
She was already considered one of the Heavenly Queens of the mainland pop music scene, but in terms of influence, she still couldn't compare to the man standing before her.
The two had met once before at a major cultural performance.
Finally, Liu Gangsheng looked toward Madam Jin.
"Sister Jin, you organize the competition. I'll clear my schedule to serve as one of the judges."
Madam Jin was overjoyed.
"Thank you, Ah Sheng!"
The two had known each other for many years, though they weren't particularly close friends.
Liu Gangsheng was supporting her not because of their personal relationship, but out of his love for and commitment to Hong Kong pop music.
If Madam Jin's proposal had previously seemed like an ambitious but impractical idea, Liu Gangsheng's involvement suddenly made it realistic. More importantly, it now felt genuinely achievable.
The minds of many people in the room immediately began working.
Liu Gangsheng turned back to Lu Chen.
"Lu Chen, since Sister Jin's idea stemmed from what you said, why don't you come up with a name for this original pop music competition? I'd also like you to join us as one of the judges."
It was as if another bomb had exploded in the crowd, leaving countless people utterly stunned.
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(End of Chapter)
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