Behind The Spotlight Chapter 138
"You're trying to avoid what I said about Niko not being interested in signing a contract with you." Vivian was pissed.
"I thought we were talking about Chantal?" Collin's calm reply only seemed to irritate her further.
"You're shameless, do you know that?" Vivian's glare intensified, the corner of her mouth twitching in disbelief at his audacity.
"Thank you for the compliment." Collin had a shy expression.
"You're not great at acting."
"Yeah, that's why I didn't pursue acting despite my handsome appearance." He even struck an innocent face.
"Listen to me, Moonrise Music is just a small record label. We only have seven employees. We haven't made money for two years, and our account is in the red. I'm thinking of filing for bankruptcy. I'm even ashamed to meet Lila lately. You should find a better record label." Her tone revealed exhaustion.
"But what about Niko? Will he become a freelancer?" Collin curiously asked. This was one of his main reasons.
"This guy..." Vivian sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose, clearly tired of Collin's persistence.
"I will not leave. I will stay in this studio my whole life." Niko joined their conversation for a moment before returning to smelling his coins like a child obsessed with his own world.
"Heh, you heard what he said." Vivian had a mocking expression.
"Let's say you signed Chantal. What are her chances of becoming a superstar?" Collin didn't care about her mocking and instead leaned closer.
"If that happens, we'll promote her album. I know people in major radio stations who can add her songs to their programs. I can also talk to Music Television Broadcast to promote her. Becoming famous is not that simple but I say she has at least 80%." She spoke quickly, her tone confident.
"Radio stations and MTB? You can do that?" Collin was shocked. He realized that Vivian might not be simple at all. MTB was a famous music channel in the country.
"Of course." She raised her chin with pride.
"But that's not the biggest issue," Vivian added after a moment of silence.
"What's the problem?"
"It's funds. This company has no money to promote Chantal. That's why I recommend you go to another record label instead." She sighed when saying that.
"Looking through your small studio, you're probably not lying." Collin glanced around.
"Are you making fun of me?"
"Of course not." His expression turned serious.
Collin started thinking about it seriously. Unlike other record labels, Moonrise Music had a talented music producer. That alone gave Chantal's debut album a higher chance of success.
Collin didn't want to leave, especially when he had struck gold. Why should he walk away when he'd found the best choice? He believed luck had brought him here, and leaving now would be like walking away from profit.
However, there was a problem, the funds. Suddenly, Collin had an idea that made him sit straight.
"I heard that a record label usually spends around $200,000 on a debut single. Is that right?"
"Yeah, I guess. It depends on how much the record label is willing to spend to make the artist famous." Vivian's answer came with a half-shrug.
"Then I'm willing to spend money," Collin answered firmly, his tone carrying a certainty that made Vivian lift her head in surprise.
"You want to invest in your client's debut single?"
"No." Collin grinned, and this time his grin wasn't playful, it was confident and calculated.
"I want to invest in Moonrise Music and become one of the shareholders."
Vivian was stunned. She didn't expect that answer, and for a long moment, she simply stared at him as if trying to figure out whether he was serious or joking. Collin was also hesitant with his decision, but he decided to trust himself. Later, he realized that owning a share of Moonrise Music became one of the best decisions he made in his entire life.
"... How much will you invest?" This time, Vivian became more serious. She was no longer talking to Collin as a stranger, she was talking to a potential business partner.
"$3 million, but I want 25% of the company." He raised three fingers and his voice was firm.
"Twenty-five percent!? Are you crazy!?" Her jaw dropped, she couldn't believe the nerve of this man.
"Hey, you're the one who said that Moonrise Music hasn't made a profit in the past two years. It's even a miracle if you valuate this company at $10 million. I'm being generous here."
"..." Vivian regretted what she said earlier. She was trapped by her own honesty.
"Vivian, based on what I see, you hate the fact that your boy band and two singers sabotaged you. So how about using this moment to prove yourself and make them regret it?"
"I have to talk to Lila and Niko first."
"No problem for me." Collin shrugged. He already expected it.
Vivian talked to Niko, and the guy agreed... Collin had no idea if Niko even understood what was happening, but the man's answer made it reassuring.
Vivian then went outside for a better signal to call Lila. The CEO of ANT was surprised that Collin was interested in investing in Moonrise Music. After thinking about it, Lila decided to invest more so that her shares wouldn't be diluted and to maintain her influence within the company.
Three days later, the four of them made a deal. Collin got 22% of the company's ownership after investing $3 million, while Lila kept her 25% shares after reinvesting.
Vivian's shares went down to 30%, but she still held the highest portion. Niko's shares also went down to 23%, though he seemed fine with that since he was more focused on music and smelling coins, than actual money.
On the same day, the four shareholders agreed to sign Chantal Beaumont and promote her album. This was one of the clauses Collin added to the contract before becoming a shareholder, a clause he insisted on, driven by his desire to secure Chantal's career.
'Since I can't entrust Chantal to a record label, how about I become part owner of the record label and protect her?'
Probably the best decision he made.
Lila Seraphina was still confused about Collin's decision, but she decided to trust him. So far, Collin hadn't suffered any major failures. His clients experienced scandals, but they were still standing strong with good careers.
Just like that, Chantal and Isabella became busy in the studio of Moonrise Music, together with Vivian and the other employees of the record label. Collin's workload finally lightened, and for the first time in weeks, he felt like the storm around him had begun to calm.
Moonrise Music paid Chantal $1 million as an advance payment, a staggering amount for a struggling company, but one they were willing to risk.
The contract went like this:
$1 million advance payment
20% royalty rate
5-album commitment from Moonrise Music
Complete tour support, with Moonrise Music receiving 50% of concert profits
50% profit from merchandise
If another record label saw this contract, they would find it absurd, especially since Moonrise Music would be the one spending money on the project. It was practically suicidal from a business standpoint. They were giving Chantal too much money!
Of course, Collin found it advantageous since he would earn from both sides. He would profit from Moonrise Music and also receive his 5% commissions and other transaction earnings from Chantal. Every success she achieved multiplied his gains.
In fact, Collin earned $50,000 when Chantal received her $1 million advance payment... though the money technically came from him.
He was confused why Lila let him proceed with this kind of deal because it looked predatory. But hey, the CEO of ANT was also a shareholder, so who cared? The future of Moonrise Music seemed promising, and for Collin, this marked the beginning of something bigger.