Behind The Spotlight Chapter 214
For the second time, Niko felt that Pulse Static had the potential to achieve success. His usual hazy eyes sparkled, a sign that inspiration had awakened. This rock band seemed comparable to Princess Chantal in terms of charisma.
He thought Princess Chantal was already a miracle, a once-in-a-generation phenomenon.
Once was already a miracle, but twice was something he should take seriously. It was rare for his instincts to be wrong, and this time, his intuition told him that something big was brewing.
Because of this, Niko became interested in working with Pulse Static, his curiosity completely overriding his weirdness. His usual odd expression turned serious, and even his posture straightened slightly. He rarely had the chance to collaborate with people worthy of his creations. Most artists crumbled under the weight of his weirdness.
"You, sing this song." Niko pointed at Mikael Wagner. His tone was calm but carried authority. His gaze made Mikael stiffen unconsciously. For some reason, Niko had changed.
"Me? A- Alright." Mikael quickly sang the song. He knew the lyrics since he had already practiced them. His voice trembled slightly at first, but he soon found his rhythm, letting the melody flow naturally.
As Niko listened to his voice, he felt that something was strange. His brows furrowed as he analyzed Mikael's voice carefully. He frowned and told the whole band to play the song instead, deciding a full performance was necessary. His tone was sharper this time, filled with curiosity.
The four men went inside the recording booth and played the song with their instruments. The room was filled with the raw sound of drums, bass, and guitar blending perfectly together.
"... So his voice radiates when instruments accompany him live," Niko muttered under his breath, nodding slowly in realization. His eyes shone with interest as if he had just discovered a secret ingredient to their success.
Niko quickly understood Mikael's talent. It wasn't about vocal skill, it was chemistry, a synergy among bandmates. Mikael's voice came alive when fused with his bandmates' energy. No wonder Niko was a Golden Talent, he easily recognized Mikael's charm, his instincts honed by decades. He smirked faintly, impressed with himself... The next day, he would return to being a coin-sniffing guy.
"I see. That means I have to make albums that can make the whole band shine." His mind was already racing with ideas. Inspiration flooded him like a sudden wave. The spark of creation had begun.
He called them out of the recording booth and let them stay in the control room, wanting them nearby. Niko found a piece of paper and started writing.
Emo punk rock had a certain style to it, particularly in the lyrics. Niko, who knew many kinds of music genres, was not genre-phobic. He appreciated artistic diversity.
If there was an obvious trait of emo punk rock, it was expressive lyrics. Some people called them depressing lyrics, personal struggles and raw confessions of pain.
Niko didn't really have personal struggles. Despite many people bullying him for his behavior, Niko didn't feel bullied. He basically didn't care. As long as his coins were not stolen, anything in his surroundings didn't matter.
Still, he knew how to make a depressing song, this was not his first time.
"... Do you guys suffer hardships in your lives?" Niko turned to the four men sitting on the bench.
"Back when I was in elementary school, our family was so poor we had to look for food in garbage bins," Rosales (bassist) answered. It was a part of his life he would never forget. At that time, his father lost his job and they struggled to pay their debts. Every day felt uncertain.
Niko took that into consideration.
"How about you?" Niko said to Jericho (guitarist).
"Me? I'm not sure. I never really suffered that much in my life. Although there was a point in my elementary days when I almost got kidnapped by a white van." Jericho said, awkwardly scratching his head. He was still young at that time and couldn't remember it well. He just knew a stranger gave him candy and invited him into his van, but Jericho didn't listen and ran away.
"I see." Niko noted it down. Although this kind of topic might not be appropriate for the genre, emotions were emotions.
Niko then looked at Tonio (drummer).
"I don't have personal struggles." Tonio grinned, wearing a carefree smile. He saw his life as a blessing.
"As for me," Mikael recalled something. "Does being undermined by your parents count?"
"Explain it to me more," Niko said to Mikael, the vocalist.
"My parents were actually against my dreams. They didn't like that I pursued music and acting. They were against me attending art and film school, although I'm thankful they supported my college financially."
"That's perfect."
Niko found what he wanted to write. The theme was clear: Defiance against the authority and how depressing live could be.
He started writing lyrics on a piece of paper while the four men waited for him to finish. However, making a song could take a few minutes or a few days depending on the situation, creativity had no schedule. It was clear that Niko's creation would take some time to complete. In fact, he sniffed his coins once in a while, which made Pulse Static shudder.
Even the coins they gave to Niko were getting violated.
"The money we spent on those coins, the record label will compensate us, right?"
Rosales whispered to his bandmates. The others shook their heads, unsure if the money would be returned.
Suddenly, they heard a commotion outside. The four men looked at the door while Niko kept busy with his work, the noise outside didn't affect him.
"Strange, the control room should be soundproof. Why can we hear the commotion outside?"
"Someone probably opened the door."
The four men approached the door and confirmed that it was slightly open, enough for the sound to come in.
They decided to see what was going on. When they opened the door, they found Vivian talking to a man.
The man was begging on his knees. He was in his late 20s and had a handsome face, but his expression showed sadness and desperation.
"Lewis, no matter how much you try, it's over. I can't accept your apology."
"Please, Miss Vivian! One more chance, just give me one more chance!"
Lewis cried out, making a scene in front of the recording studio. Even the staff from the next room heard the commotion and gathered nearby.
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