A New Career Singer Who Can Read The Future [EN]: Chapter 218

“It’s not like I’m the only one. I know I’m receiving this kind of love countless times.”

Hana said, flustered. She knew it from just looking at the devoted fans around her. She thought this level of support wouldn’t even faze Do-hyun.

“That’s… the feeling is different when you experience it in person versus seeing it online. That’s why I got emotional. Anyway… I was able to come this far because of fans like these. Now, I have to focus on doing well as the head of a label rather than as a singer. Anyway….”

Do-hyun continued to ramble, seemingly unaware of what he was saying.

Nevertheless, Hana could understand what Do-hyun was trying to convey.

Was it because she had been a fan of Do-hyun for so long?

She understood every single word he muttered in his flustered state.

Hana patted Do-hyun on the back and said,

“Don’t cry… you’re going to make me tear up too. You know, Do-hyun, there are many people in the world who love you even more than I do. If we were to measure the *amount* of love, that’s how it would be, right? So, you don’t have to cry like this. You are someone who deserves to be loved, and you have grown so much. The position you’re in now is thanks to the fans, but it wouldn’t have been possible if you hadn’t worked hard.”

“…Still, it was possible because of the fans’ love. If it weren’t for you, *noona* [older sister or female friend], and the other fans, there would be no Do-hyun from The Dreamer, no singer-songwriter Na Do-hyun. Really… thank you.”

“No. There’s nothing for you to thank me for. Let’s just keep doing well, Do-hyun. As a fan, as someone by your side, I’ll support you even more.”

Hana felt a little awkward. She hadn’t imagined he would be this grateful. She was worried that his idealized image of her might be shattered….

Seeing that wasn’t the case, her heart felt a little tingly.

“Do-hyun, let’s do well! Let’s move forward together and cheer up!”

“…Yes, let’s do that. I’m going to do even better. I’m going to climb even higher. I’m going to put the singers I’m raising at the top.”

“Don’t forget that there are always many people who are cheering you on.”

* * *

Lee-rae, the first artist, had a successful debut. She topped the music show charts in the shortest period among female soloists.

Not only that, but thanks to her many overseas fans, she also achieved the feat of reaching number one on the Billboard 200 chart.

Many people wanted to join The Dreamer label.

However, Do-hyun was rejecting the people who contacted him because of The Dreamer’s success.

That’s because he had specific criteria for who he wanted to bring in.

With the goal of fostering juniors, he wanted to bring in juniors who hadn’t yet found success, who weren’t making it.

Besides, he was so focused on the work of the second artist, Seok-won, a.k.a. X Machina, that he hadn’t even thought about the third artist yet.

Chief Producer Lee Joon-hyuk PD had already completed X Machina’s title track.

The plan was to promote with a total of three songs, as a triple title track, and Do-hyun was to be in charge of one of these songs.

“…Haa. The song isn’t coming together.”

It wasn’t anything else, but the melody was stuck at the part where X Machina’s rap would come in.

“What should I do with this… it’s not someone else’s song, it’s my artist’s song.”

Do-hyun had created several melodies just in case.

Even with Chief Producer Lee Joon-hyuk PD’s support, he wanted to write one song entirely on his own. But now he was realizing how difficult it was.

He wanted to create a song with the same impact as Lee-rae’s song ‘Wicked.’

“I can’t do it. I have to take it to Lee PD.”

In the end, Do-hyun took the song to Lee Joon-hyuk PD, who occupied the room next door.

Lee PD looked exhausted due to the overwhelming workload from Lee-rae and X Machina’s activities.

“PD-nim [PD is short for Producer and nim is an honorific in Korean], the song isn’t coming together. Strangely, the most important rap part isn’t working out. I’ve written a few melodies, but would you like to listen to them?”

Do-hyun handed over the USB drive.

Lee Joon-hyuk PD took the USB and plugged it into his work laptop.

Soon, Lee PD, after playing the file, had a strange expression on his face.

“How is it? Isn’t it a bit… lacking? I think the rap is supposed to be the highlight, but that part is becoming ambiguous, PD-nim.”

“Hmm… files 1 and 2 are okay, but something is missing. The rest don’t seem to have a highlight. So it’s ambiguous. I think if you work on this a little more….”

“I can’t come up with that idea. PD-nim, do you have any good ideas?”

“Why don’t you go the opposite way? Throw away the rest that don’t have a highlight and just take files 1 and 2. How about mixing 1 and 2? Don’t just think about using one; mix the two to create a new number 3.”

“…! Ah! I can do that.”

It was a method he had never considered.

He was trapped in the idea that he had to go with only one melody.

However, Do-hyun was impressed by Lee PD’s advice.

There was a reason why he was the chief producer of the large entertainment company, Huenter.

He was now the chief producer of The Dreamer, a subsidiary label.

“Thank you! I’ll go do it right now!”

* * *

“Wow… *hyung* [older brother or male friend] made this song? Wow….”

I was now sitting in the studio with Do-hyun hyung.

Hyung consistently called me Seok-won, awkwardly referring to the stage name X Machina.

Actually, that was more comfortable.

I was still getting used to the stage name X Machina.

I had been called Seok-won for several years, so I was more familiar with Seok-won, which was both my real name and stage name.

“Yeah. Especially… the part where your rap comes in was the hardest part to figure out. I put a lot of thought into that part. How is it?”

At hyung’s words, I asked him to play it again.

Hyung nodded and played only the rap part again.

Wow… the rap came alive, and yet the melody was also clearly heard.

A composition in which nothing was missing.

“Hyung. I really like it. Can I really receive a song like this as a title track?”

“That’s why I made it. It’s one of X Machina’s solo debut triple tracks. Of course, I made something that would be suitable as a title track. How is it? Does it sound good enough to you? If not, I’ll rework the song.”

“Hyuuung… I’m really touched. I really like the song as it is now. I never dreamed you would let me hear a song like this. It’s beyond imagination!”

I felt emotions welling up.

“Do you want to listen to Lee PD-nim’s work too?”

“Yes! I want to listen!”

At hyung’s suggestion, my heart fluttered.

Lee Joon-hyuk PD… wasn’t he the best producer in the industry?

Not only him, but also Do-hyun hyung, a singer-songwriter recognized in the industry….

Realizing that they were working so hard for my solo debut made me really excited.

I could clearly picture how much the fans who were cheering for my solo debut would like it.

*Ttak.* (sound of opening a file)

As hyung opened a file with the mouse, Lee PD-nim’s work filled the studio.

Wow….

Am I really allowed to receive a song like this?

Don’t I have to pay money to buy it?

Is this song, which gives me chills, really made entirely for me?

It was a different feeling from when I was in charge of only some parts in the group before.

“Hyung… I’m really touched. This song is *my* title track… I think my debut will really be successful. Ah, what should I do? The Monthly Do-hyun project I did with hyung was really good too, but listening to the title tracks is thrilling. Wow… so this is what it feels like.”

“It’s not for nothing that I brought you in as the second artist. Fostering juniors… is the purpose, but in any case, it’s also my responsibility as a representative to bring those juniors up to my level.”

“If things go as well as they did for hyung, my life will hit the jackpot. Billboard, Grammy… Super Bowl… Stadium… it’s hard to list them all.”

“You can do it. You still have many opportunities. I’ll make you a superstar within 3 years. I’m not just throwing out empty promises. Both Lee-rae and you—I’m going to make you a top star. No, a superstar. I’m going to make you a global superstar. In the first place, if I was just going to take it easy, I wouldn’t have brought you in.”

At hyung’s words, I felt emotions welling up.

The moment when I stood on hyung’s stadium stage as a guest came to mind.

It wasn’t that I had my own fans, but that moment when I decorated the stage while receiving the cheers of so many people.

How thrilling did I feel?

“A reversal device that can overturn the story at once like a god in the midst of chaos… I think it can also be interpreted to mean that you came to conquer the chaotic music industry… I think you’ll do well. I believe in you.”

“I think I need to work harder on writing the B-side tracks. I feel like I’m receiving hyung’s trust in one body.”

“Come to think of it, how far along is the B-side track work?”

“Just a moment.”

I took out the USB from my messenger bag.

I had already recorded the basic beats.

I was thinking of writing lyrics on it and letting hyung listen to it.

Hyung plugged in the USB I took out and checked the music.

At first, he tilted his head slightly, but soon I was convinced as I saw Do-hyun hyung starting to move to the rhythm.

This song… it can pass.

The song, which was about 3 minutes and 20 seconds long, ended….

A moment of silence followed.

“Hmm….”

Hyung had a look of being lost in thought.

“Hyung, is the song bad?”

“No. The song isn’t bad. It’s not like something is piled up to the point where it can be evaluated as bad *yet*. If you’re talking about a manuscript, it’s close to a first draft. Should I express it as a preliminary firing….”

At that expression, I burst out laughing.

Preliminary firing… it was a unique expression, like hyung.

“That’s right. It’s true that something is still lacking to receive a proper evaluation. But how is it, hyung?”

“The lyrics are good, but they’re too raw, so it would be good to refine them a little more. The beats you’ve created are okay, but how do you put a melody on it, and how does the synthesizer fit in? I think this problem is the most important. What do you think?”

I was newly impressed by hyung’s sharp criticism.

That’s because I was planning to work as hyung said.

“Hyung, you didn’t read my mind, did you? You didn’t suddenly receive a divine revelation… did you? I was really going to work on it like that. I feel like I’ve been caught.”

“My prediction was right. Preliminary firing.”

“Ahaha… that expression is so funny. The word ‘preliminary firing’.”

“I can’t think of a suitable expression. Anyway… it’s okay. It’s okay, but how the melody is layered on top of the beat, as I said, and how the lyrics are refined and layered—I think this is the most important thing. I think you have to stack the instruments well first.”

“Yes, hyung! Thank you! Then shall we listen to the second song?”

Hyung ultimately wanted me to establish myself as a singer-songwriter like him.

I also wanted to live up to hyung’s expectations.

I also wanted to be like hyung.

X Machina. Seok-won. Singer-songwriter. I want to become a person who encompasses all of this.

“Okay. Let’s go.”

At hyung’s voice, I told him the folder containing the second song.

Before long, I could hear hyung’s applause.

“Good?”

“Really?”

“Yeah. Really good. You can go with this as it is. I think you just need to fix the title a little.”

“Then I’ll think of a title and come back.”

“Anyway, good job. We also bought a song from a Swedish DJ. You’ll probably like that song too. I can’t let you hear it now because it’s being worked on… X Machina’s debut—it will be successful. Just trust me.”

Of course. I have no choice but to trust hyung, because he’s a trustworthy person.

I felt reassured.

Na Do-hyun hyung, thank you.