Become A Music Monster Overnight! [EN]: Chapter 20

8. Legends of Rock

“Thank you.”

-Clap clap clap-

As she stepped off the stage after performing her original song, she flinched at the thunderous applause. The enthusiastic response was a stark contrast to the usual polite clapping, and she seemed genuinely surprised.

“Ah!”

Lee Na-eun’s eyes widened like a startled rabbit as she recognized someone in the audience.

Though a hat pulled low obscured much of his face, she knew him instantly.

It was Young-chan, the God Singer, also known as YC, from whom she’d received an autograph just two days prior.

Shyly, she approached him.

“Ah, hello.”

“Haha, long time no see. Your skills are beyond just a hobby.”

“Pardon? Ah, thank you.”

“I’m not just saying that; you’re really good.”

“……”

Lee Na-eun’s face, already flushed from performing, deepened to a fiery red under Young-chan’s repeated compliments.

It would have been different coming from anyone else.

But this was Young-chan, the artist she admired so much that she’d mustered the courage to ask for his autograph. His praise was especially impactful.

“If you don’t mind, I’d like to talk for a moment. Is that okay?”

“Yes, it’s okay. Just a moment.”

She agreed, her heart pounding in her chest. Needing a moment to compose herself, she went to the owner of the rock cafe for a drink of water.

The middle-aged female owner of the rock cafe, seeing her flushed face, asked with a teasing smile, “Oh? Boyfriend? Not bad!”

“Ah, no.”

“No, huh? Is Na-eun finally escaping her single life?”

“No~. I told you, it’s not.”

“Ahaha, I see.”

Startled by the owner’s teasing, Lee Na-eun turned away, giving her a slightly resentful look. She quickly emptied a bottle of water, whether from thirst or nerves, before returning to Young-chan, who explained the reason for his visit.

“I would like to bring Lee Na-eun to YC Entertainment.”

“Me?”

“Yes. After seeing your performance today, I’m convinced.”

“…..”

Unlike Lee Na-eun, who was rendered speechless by the unexpected offer, Young-chan couldn’t contain his excitement.

‘I was worried her skills might have deteriorated.’

Even though he was determined to recruit Lee Na-eun, Young-chan had been concerned about the time it might take for her to re-debut.

She had, after all, released her album five years ago.

Often, when an album fails, artists leave the music industry entirely, so Young-chan’s worry was understandable.

However, Lee Na-eun’s skills hadn’t diminished at all, dispelling his concerns.

‘It was a song with deep, raw emotion.’

If she had sung her original song in a quiet cafe instead of this rock cafe, it would have resonated with even more people.

He was seeing a side of her he’d never witnessed before.

In fact, she seemed even better than during her initial debut.

Young-chan had a hunch about the reason.

‘She must be able to sing with such emotion because she’s only focused on songs that truly resonate with her.’

Of course, the depth of emotion made it far from commercially viable.

It was like watching an art film that completely disregarded mainstream appeal.

Young-chan knew these were the areas he needed to refine.

‘It’s going to take some time to teach her how to balance artistry and popularity.’

People often claim that popularity and artistry naturally coexist, but Young-chan considered that nonsense.

To him, it was absurd that artists with limited talent used that idea as an excuse.

‘What value is there in a song if no one listens to it?’

Conversely, focusing solely on popularity could strip the music of its unique character.

Therefore, a proper balance between the two was essential.

This was the balance Young-chan wanted to help her achieve.

Some time passed before Lee Na-eun finally broke the silence.

The redness in her face had subsided, returning to its original pale complexion. She spoke in a low voice, almost like a confession.

“Actually, I released an album before. It flopped so badly that no one even knows about it…”

“I know. You released an album five years ago. And I know why it failed.”

“Pardon?”

“Who on earth was responsible? Who made a middle school student sing such an inappropriate song?” Her image at the time was a complete mismatch, arguably the only dark spot in Lee Na-eun’s history.

-Mishang (迷想) [lit. Bewildered Idea/Fantasy]-

That was the title of her debut song.

The song itself wasn’t inherently bad.

If a seasoned singer with life experience, capable of conveying the song’s complex emotions, had performed it, it might have been well-received.

However, regardless of her singing ability, it was destined to fail because they had a young, inexperienced girl sing a song that didn’t suit her at all.

It was as absurd as putting heavy makeup on a child and casting them in a melodrama.

In hindsight, her debut’s failure seemed inevitable.

Later, the entertainment company Lee Na-eun was with received investment from YC Entertainment. After incorporating the feedback, they planned a re-debut, which gradually increased her recognition. But in this timeline, she never even got that chance.

“I’m sorry. Actually, I insisted on doing it.”

“……”

Young-chan was momentarily speechless at this unexpected revelation.

Now that he knew she was responsible for the bizarre choice, he felt embarrassed for criticizing it earlier.

Afterward, Young-chan tried to lighten the mood by changing the subject, and a mini fan meeting naturally unfolded.

Recognizing Young-chan’s talent, she knew how great his songs were, and her praise was endless.

She continued to compliment him until the end of their conversation, leaving Young-chan with a slightly bewildered feeling.

“Then, please contact me if you’re interested.”

“Ah! Yes.”

She belatedly realized that she had received a scout offer from Young-chan and blushed again, clearly embarrassed.

The next day.

Fortunately, she contacted Young-chan, and Lee Na-eun became the third artist of YC Entertainment.