thefictionvixens Chapter 13 Training
Chapter 13 Training
Zike rolled his eyes inwardly. Considering that Amanda was the rich second-generation Tino had mentioned and could help him get a considerable reward, he couldn't be bothered to argue with her. In this situation, a lawyer would naturally step in.
Herbert, expressionless, handed the agreement to Amanda: "Madam, this is a necessary procedure to protect the rights of songwriters. Please sign."
Amanda reluctantly signed the agreement and tossed it back to Herbert. Zeke picked up the sheet music, walked over to the instruments, and prepared to offer some pointers: "Let's start with the trumpet and drums to get the rhythm going, then the bass can follow..."
"We can read sheet music, let's begin." Before he could finish speaking, Amanda interrupted him, her tone haughty, clearly disliking being bossed around by a young man.
Zik didn't say anything more, he just nodded.
At Tino's signal, the mercenary trumpeter sounded the trumpet, and a strong and bright melody instantly rang out. Drummer Anton immediately followed, striking out heavy and powerful drumbeats.
Tino couldn't help but sway to the rhythm, and Colin and Herbert nodded along unconsciously.
To Zeke's surprise, Holly was the one who had brought the black men's coat. She had turned up the collar, slung the keyboard over her shoulder, and the moment her fingers touched the keys, she seemed like a completely different person.
Her original soft and obedient girl demeanor has vanished; her eyes are sharp, her movements are swift, and she exudes a heroic and dashing air, full of rock and roll vibes.
Moreover, the girl was quite pretty, with a lively look in her eyes, which suited Qi Ke's aesthetic.
Zeke couldn't help but glance at her a few more times, but Holly suddenly turned her head, gave him a teasing look, and smiled slightly.
Qi Ke's heart skipped a beat, and he felt something was off. He quickly looked away and cursed himself inwardly: Damn it, she was dressed like an ordinary girl just now, and I didn't feel anything. How come she looks so sexy when she's dressed as a man?
Could it be that I've been listening to this song with its slightly gay undertones on repeat in my head lately, and it's subtly influencing my sexual orientation?
"Young man~"
Thankfully, Amanda spoke up.
The cowboys, policemen, and Native Americans started singing and dancing in Zeke's mind again...
EMMM, it feels even worse.
Zik shook his head, clearing his mind of those random thoughts, and listened attentively, his brow furrowing slightly: "Amanda, you need to sing with more power, not the gentle kind like Donna Summer. You need to sing with that carefree, exhilarating feeling, matching the disco rhythm."
Although Amanda was somewhat aloof, she judged the song's potential from the reactions of Tino, the band members, and the two lawyers, and didn't object further: "How? I'm not very good at this style."
Zeke's gaze fell on Jimmy, the black bassist.
The original singer of this song was a black guy. Jimmy's voice is deep and powerful, which fits the tone of the song very well.
"Jimmy, why don't you try singing a few lines of the chorus first, so everyone can get a feel for the rhythm and tone?"
Jimmy didn't hesitate and started singing. His deep, powerful voice, paired with the lively rhythm, instantly captured the essence of the song.
But that still wasn't enough. Zeke continued to instruct, "Keith, Anton, you two join in and help with the harmonies."
"us?"
"Don't be shy, this song isn't difficult to sing. You're all musically trained, this is nothing to you, right?"
"Alright."
"No need to match Amanda's tone, just use the original voice, lower it."
"Yes, that's it."
Qi Ke himself joined in, and the multiple male voices combined to instantly enhance the song's appeal, bringing out that carefree and exhilarating feeling.
Amanda finally understood how to act.
After a complete performance of "YMCA", the room erupted in applause.
"Guys, this song definitely has the potential to be a hit. The key is that it's simple and easy to learn. As long as we do more performances, it will definitely attract the attention of record companies," Tino concluded, clapping his hands.
"I think it's much more masculine than that sissy disco like the Bee Gees," Colin nodded in agreement.
Amanda also abandoned her haughty attitude, her face showing excitement, but then she frowned and pointed at the lyrics, finding fault:
"But your lyrics are all about the YMCA, it's all from a male perspective, it's too strange for me to sing this. Could you change it to YWCA (Young Women's Christian Association)? That would be more in line with my identity."
"Absolutely not." Zike refused without hesitation. "YMCA is the core of this song. The whole song revolves around it. If we change it to YWCA, the meaning of the whole song will change completely, and the fit between the melody and the lyrics will be destroyed. It absolutely cannot be changed."
The situation has changed now.
Although Amanda is a rich second-generation and can help him get money, if the band flops, it's their loss that's the loss, not his. He holds the trump card of "YMCA," making him the real powerful party. There's no need for him to arbitrarily change this song from the Apocalypse just to accommodate them.
Amanda's face darkened, and she was about to say something more when Tino quickly stepped forward, pulled her back, gave her a wink, and then said to everyone, "Amanda and I are going out to talk for a bit. You all rest for a bit and then work out the details."
As Zik watched the two figures leave the room, he understood. He was basically satisfied. Tino was probably going to discuss the price and the specific details of the cooperation with Amanda.
Inside the room, Anton and Jimmy huddled together, discussing, "This song is amazing! If we rehearse well, we're sure to be a huge hit and get a record deal!"
"Disco is so popular right now, we're sure our transformation will be successful!"
Keith frowned and muttered in a low voice, "But we were originally a rock band. If we debut with disco songs, won't we be labeled as 'rock traitors'? It will be difficult for us to return to rock in the future."
The middle-aged mercenary trumpeter curled his lip: "Stop being picky, young man. When an opportunity comes, you have to seize it. I've been in this business since I was a teenager, and I've seen too many talented people miss their chance. If you miss this kind of opportunity that can make you an overnight sensation, you may never have a second chance in your life."
Anton and Jimmy quickly added, "Keith, we've been stagnant for so long. If we don't adapt, the band will break up, and Amanda won't keep pouring money in."
"Yeah, let's get popular with this song first, get a contract, and then slowly work on rock music, isn't that the same thing?"
Keith remained silent, clearly still struggling with his decision.
Zik didn't intend to speak; he had already realized that the only one truly in charge of the band was Amanda, the rich second-generation.
Holly walked over confidently, holding a glass of water, and handed it to Zeke: "Zike, you wrote the lyrics, music, and arrangement for 'YMCA' all by yourself? That's amazing! As soon as the melody starts, I can't help but want to sway along."
Qi Ke thought to himself that the foreign girl was really proactive. He took the water glass and smiled, "It's alright, it's just something I was thinking about randomly. I got lucky and wrote this song."
He looked at Holly, that strange feeling from before resurfacing, and quickly changed the subject, "Have you ever played disco music before? You played the keyboard very well just now."
Holly nudged Zeke's shoulder, her eyes sparkling. "I write songs myself sometimes. Disco rhythms are simple; you just need to get the feel for it. But to be honest, this is the first time I've encountered such a catchy disco song. You'll definitely become a great songwriter someday."