[Chapter 539: Sweet Britney]
The next day, Linton arrived at the company to tackle the backlog of work he had been putting off. Shortly after arriving, he spotted Daniel, the president of Universal Records, beaming with excitement as he approached.
After exchanging brief greetings, Daniel didn't waste any time. He pulled out two documents and handed one to Linton.
"Boss, I'm here to report on two important matters. First is the release plan for your album, The Brightest Star in the Night Sky."
That was the title of one of the lead songs on his third album. To recap, Linton's first album was Growing Up, the second was Flying, and now the third was named The Brightest Star in the Night Sky. The titles and the timing they were released closely mirrored his own journey of growth.
"How's the plan looking? Tell me about it."
"The music video shoot is already complete. In about twenty days, director Jack should have the final cut ready. We plan to release the album worldwide on Saturday, August 24. The promotional budget is $40 million across all channels -- TV, radio, newspapers, magazines, billboards, record stores, and the internet. We're going for a full, multi-platform assault.
The album will be priced at $20. I'm confident it will smash sales records. Our initial pressing will be 40 million copies, mostly CDs and vinyl -- 20 million distributed in North America and 20 million overseas.
In addition, I'm planning to press 4 million videotapes featuring 16 music videos and 1 million LaserDiscs priced at $38, split evenly between North America and abroad."
Linton paused, realizing mid-August through late August was the expected due date for Cristiana, Sophie Marceau, and Monica. He wouldn't have time to promote the album himself.
"I don't have any objections, but late August won't work for me -- I'll be on vacation and won't be available for publicity."
"Actually, boss, with your current level of fame, you don't need much promotion. Just give me three days for interviews with the media and a few TV appearances."
"But I'll be off from August 10 through the end of the month -- not a minute to spare."
"Then how about September?"
"September works."
"Let's set the global release for Saturday, September 7, then."
"And what am I supposed to do exactly?"
"You'll need to be available for five days -- from September 2 to 6 -- for media interviews and TV spots."
"I thought three days was enough?"
"Three days is the minimum, boss. If you have the time, five would be ideal."
"All right. Let's do it your way."
"Thank you, boss. I actually have another piece of good news to share." Daniel pulled out two more documents and a box of videotapes.
"Well, what's the good news?"
"You asked me to keep an eye on America's Got Talent for promising new singers. Out of the first four episodes, I found several really talented newcomers."
"Oh yeah? Show me."
Linton eagerly examined the files.
"Right now, I'm focused on five artists: Britney Spears, Eminem, Beyonce, Fergie, and Adam Levine."
"Britney Spears, Eminem, Beyonce..." Linton's eyes lit up as he scanned their photos and names.
...
These were legends from the last life's music scene. Especially Britney -- an absolute phenomenon.
She had burst onto the scene with a sweet, youthful charm and energetic dance moves, earning the nickname "Princess of Pop." Her vibrant spirit and dynamic performances had captured hearts nationwide, turning her into a cultural icon for American pop music trends.
In less than three years, she'd become a global superstar, cementing her position as a world-class pop diva. Her commercial value and media presence rivaled Madonna during her peak.
But where God opened one door, He often closed another. Britney had incomparable beauty and musical talent but lacked emotional intelligence, self-control, and basic common sense -- far below average in those respects. Calling her scatterbrained would be generous.
Even worse, her family -- father, mother, and sister -- were manipulative, exploiting her and siphoning her wealth. Her managers colluded with her father to deceive and control her finances.
To keep her subdued, managers and family deliberately led her into drugs and alcohol, fostering her downfall.
Everyone knows the rest of the story: shortly after hitting stardom, Britney's life spiraled -- drug abuse, alcoholism, shaving her head, endless clubbing and chaotic parties. Scandal after scandal tarnished her image, and her career crashed hard.
Even worse, no one cautioned her about the consequences of this lifestyle, and her poor self-discipline didn't help. With no image management, her figure quickly deteriorated and she gained weight.
The media, hungry for clicks and controversy, tore her apart. Some likely found it more satisfying to break a diva than build one up. Lacking savvy PR support, nearly every outlet piled on, exposing her flaws, criticizing her mercilessly. She was universally trashed.
Public opinion shifted swiftly from adoration to disgust. By 2005, her music career had basically stalled. Although she tried several comebacks, she never regained her former heights.
Britney's rise and fall became a cautionary tale -- a prodigy with a royal hand dealt, yet bungling every card to become one of America's biggest regrets. Many shook their heads in sorrow and frustration: a potential global icon undone by her own recklessness.
But this time, she had luck on her side. With Linton watching over her, everything could be different.
He believed that with his guidance, Britney would become a superstar seamlessly and keep climbing to new heights. Her commercial worth was impressive, but more importantly, having a mega pop diva as a close companion would greatly aid his own cultivation journey.
She was born in 1981 and was only 15 now. If protected carefully over the next few years, by the time she turned 18, she could be an even bigger surprise for him.
Compared to Britney, Eminem Beyonce, Fergie and Adam Levine were talented too and could develop into major stars, adding strong commercial value to the company.
...
While Linton was lost in thought, Daniel noticed his silence and hastily said, "Boss, these newcomers are really something. I even transcribed their America's Got Talent performances. Want to take a look?"
"Sure, put it on." There was a tape player and TV in Linton's office.
...
The first performance was Britney's. At 15, she was sweet-faced and radiated endless youth. She sang and danced energetically on stage.
Her song, I Surrender, was written by Linton for Shania Twain. It was an intense love anthem, hardly appropriate for a girl that young -- how could someone with so little experience convey such passion?
Yet, her ethereal, soaring voice expressed a deep yearning for love, combined with her fiery dance moves, created an unexpectedly awesome effect.
Though the competition's sound system was no match for a professional studio -- limiting her vocal showcase -- her outstanding voice, pure image, and kinetic stage presence made her impossible to ignore.
...
Next was Eminem's performance. He surprised everyone by rapping a self-written song called My Name Is.
In this era, rap was primarily a domain of Black artists; a white rapper on this stage showed rare courage and confidence.
♫ Hi, my name is, what? My name is, who?
My name is, chka-chka, Slim Shady
Hi, my name is, huh? My name is, what?
My name is, chka-chka, Slim Shady ♫
His rapid-fire delivery exploded with energy and contagious passion, lighting up the crowd instantly.
Following came Beyonce, Fergie, and Adam Levine -- each showcasing a distinct style and very recognizable voices. All five showed immense potential.
...
When the performances ended, Daniel looked hopefully at Linton. "So, what do you think? These rookies aren't bad, right?"
"The fundamentals are solid. With the right resources, they'll blow up no problem."
"Boss, not just blow up -- Britney has comparable talent and presence to Shania Twain. If nurtured right, she could easily be the next diva. Eminem and Beyonce are no jokes either -- maybe not superstars yet, but definitely top-tier artists."
"If you think so, sign them quickly. Try to secure long-term contracts."
"Boss, I've already checked -- Britney, Eminem, and Adam Levine are all unsigned amateurs. But Beyonce and Fergie are tied to other labels. Should we leverage America's Got Talent rankings to encourage contract breaks?"
"Stop. Don't even think about rigging the show. I have high hopes for this program and told Melman, MCA's CEO, that no shady deals would be tolerated."
Though he liked Beyonce, maintaining the show's integrity was paramount. If it were Britney, he might've been more tempted.
"Fine. I'll sign Britney, Eminem, and Adam Levine ASAP and follow regular procedures with Beyonce and Fergie. If they want to break their contracts, we can help with severance fees."
"Exactly how it should be done."
"Boss, I intend to offer Britney and Eminem B-level newcomer contracts, Adam Levine C-level, all for seven years. Does that work?"
"You handle contract details however you see fit. But Britney's potential is exceptional -- make her an A-level newcomer. And she's only 15; does she have any agents or managers?"
"She studies at the New York Professional Performing Arts School and doesn't have an agent yet."
"Good. Get Mira involved. She's WMA's VP; have her personally manage Britney's development. When Britney moves to Los Angeles, arrange for her to study at Walter Reed High School alongside her music and dance training. If she wants a lasting career, she'll need cultural literacy too."
Daniel was astounded. 'You say I don't need to approve plans, and yet you've mapped out everything -- even education beyond what the record label usually handles. You're not kidding about being the boss.'
On the other hand, it showed how highly Linton regarded Britney -- not only upgrading her contract to an unprecedented A-level for Universal Records but assigning Mira, a top agent, to guide her personally. Sending her to an elite private high school signaled they weren't just planning to create another pop diva.
Maybe this was a full-on development project. Britney could become one of the "Beautiful Angels."
It was plausible. With exquisite looks, a killer figure, sweet and fresh image, plus vocal and dance skills, Britney fit Linton's criteria perfectly.
If so, Daniel knew he had to handle this carefully and coordinate with Mira to avoid any missteps.
"Boss, would you like to meet her to give some encouragement?"
"No need. Just tell her to focus on the next rounds of America's Got Talent. Tell her if she does well in the finals, I'll personally write a debut song for her next year."
"Thanks, boss. With you backing her, she really has the ideal start -- a clear path to stardom."
"One more thing -- don't try any backdoor deals with Melman. Everything depends on her talent and hard work."
"Understood, boss."
*****
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