MMB Chapter 189 Masters Among the Common People
Chapter 189 Masters Among the Common People
On the third day of the preliminary rounds of "Super Girl", Lu Ran, sitting on the judging panel in the Shanghai division, had already developed muscle memory for the contestants: contestants come on stage, sing, comment, score, and then it's time for the next one.
But occasionally, you'll encounter some voices that are truly refreshing.
For example, the one on stage right now.
The girl's name was Su Qian, she was twenty-two years old, wearing a faded cotton dress, and holding a guitar in her arms.
She was a little nervous when she went on stage, and almost bumped into the microphone stand, which drew a few good-natured laughs from the audience.
"Don't be nervous," Shen Yuege said gently. "Take a deep breath, get ready, and we'll begin."
Su Qian nodded, took a deep breath, and plucked the strings with her fingertips.
It is an original song.
The lyrics are very simple, nothing more than the story of a small-town girl coming to the big city to pursue her dreams, but the melody is simple and sincere, and paired with her slightly hoarse voice, it has an indescribable appeal.
When she sang the chorus, she closed her eyes, her voice trembling slightly:
"When I left home with my backpack, my mother told me to come back if I got tired. But I know that some roads can only be walked alone, and some dreams can only be guarded by myself..."
Lu Ran tapped his hands lightly under the table to a rhythm.
Shen Yuege glanced at him and noticed his bright eyes, so she knew what he was up to again.
When the song ended, enthusiastic applause rang out from the audience.
Liu Siqi was the first to speak: "Did you write this song yourself?"
"Mm." Su Qian nodded, her ears turning slightly red. "I'm sorry for the poor writing, teacher."
"It's very well written." Liu Siqi rarely showed such approval. "The lyrics and music are both excellent. Although the arrangement is simple, it perfectly highlights your vocal characteristics. Have you received any professional training?"
"No... I just like to sing, and I just figure things out on my own."
Liu Siqi nodded, wrote a few strokes in her notebook, and then looked at Lu Ran.
Lu Ran put down his pen and asked, "Su Qian, right?"
"Yes."
"Your original songwriting ability is very strong, which is your advantage. But in terms of singing skills, your breath control needs improvement, and a few notes in the chorus were off." He paused, "But these can be practiced. The important thing is that you have a heart that wants to make music."
"Thank you, teacher." Su Qian bowed deeply.
"You passed." Shen Yuege smiled and held up the pass sign. "Looking forward to your future performances."
Su Qian froze for a second, then her eyes instantly reddened.
She covered her mouth, choked back tears, and said "thank you" before quickly running off the stage.
After stepping off the stage, I heard suppressed sobs coming from backstage.
Lu Ran added another name to the notebook: Su Qian, original work, available for signature.
...
After a morning of judging, the four of them got together for lunch during their lunch break.
Xu Manxue rummaged through the vegetables in her lunchbox and suddenly asked, "Teacher Lu, you've written down several names in your notebook these past few days. Are they all names you want to sign?"
Lu Ran didn't hide anything: "Yes. Lin Xiaoxi, Su Qian, and Zhou Wan, who sang folk songs this morning, and Zhao Xiaotong, who sang rock, all have potential."
"So many?" Liu Siqi raised an eyebrow. "Can you sign them all?"
"We have to sign them even if we can't all of them." Lu Ran put down his chopsticks. "These kinds of people are just there to make things easier for others. It's better to benefit ourselves than to let others benefit."
"This selection process made me realize that there are many hidden talents among ordinary people." Lu Ran has decided that if "Super Girl" goes well, "Happy Boy" will also be put on the agenda, since the cost of signing contracts is relatively low when they are just starting out.
Shen Yuege's studio can definitely establish itself in the market by focusing on high-volume sales.
Shen Yuege laughed from the side, "You're starting to look more and more like a capitalist."
"That's called strategic vision." Lu Ran picked up a piece of braised pork. "Besides, Xingyue Studio is currently in a period of expansion and needs fresh blood. These girls, no matter what place they end up in, are all worth nurturing."
He paused, then added, "Of course, that's assuming they're willing to sign."
"Who wouldn't want to sign you?" Xu Manxue said matter-of-factly. "The name Lu Ran is a golden brand in the entertainment industry right now. His songs are guaranteed to be hits, his dramas are guaranteed to be smash hits, and whoever he promotes becomes famous. If I were a newcomer, I'd beg you to sign me even if I had to kneel down."
"But when I signed you, you didn't kneel down."
"Get lost! Manxue is mine now, and I won't allow you to bully her." Shen Yuege glared at Lu Ran.
"She herself said she knelt down and begged me to sign it." Lu Ran looked completely innocent.
However, Lu Ran is now a golden brand. Even though he has already tied himself to Shen Yuege's studio, he has recently received offers from several companies to poach him, each offering a higher price than the last.
Some companies even offer 100 million yuan a year and completely neglect the work.
Six months ago, Lu Ran would probably have agreed immediately.
But after this period of time, Lu Ran felt that his relationship with Shen Yuege had become more and more like that of a family, and he was no longer short of money.
Although he can't come up with 100 million yet, at his current level, 10 million and 100 million aren't that different; it's just a matter of time.
...
The afternoon review session continued.
Several more interesting contestants have emerged:
A Peking Opera singer adapted "Farewell My Concubine" into a popular singing style, leaving the four judges looking at each other in astonishment.
A man who brought an erhu (a two-stringed bowed instrument) said he wanted to play "Erquan Yingyue" (Moon Reflected in the Second Spring). After being reminded by the staff that "this is a singing competition," he suddenly realized and said, "Then I'll sing 'Erquan Yingyue'."
There was also a woman in her fifties who came on stage wearing a cheongsam and sang "Night Fragrance".
Her voice was melodious and full of charm; when she finished singing, the entire audience erupted in applause.
Liu Siqi sighed, "If this were back in the day, she would definitely be the top star in the nightclub."
The older woman smiled and waved her hand, "What do you mean by 'top singer'? I just love to sing. I didn't have the chance when I was younger, but now that I do, I'm giving it a try."
Shen Yuege asked, "Why didn't you have the opportunity when you were young?"
"My family wouldn't allow it," the eldest sister said. "They said it was inappropriate for a girl like me to show my face in public. After I got married and had children, I had even less of a chance."
She paused, her eyes slightly red: "Now that my children are grown up and my husband is gone, I can finally do some things I want to do."
After hearing the eldest sister's words, the entire room fell silent for a long time.
Lu Ran was the first to applaud.
Then came Shen Yuege, followed by Xu Manxue and Liu Siqi, and then all the staff and contestants waiting in the wings.
The older woman stood on the stage, somewhat at a loss, only repeatedly saying "thank you".
Finally, all four judges voted in favor.
When the eldest sister stepped off the stage, her steps were unsteady, and she kept muttering, "I passed, I passed."
Lu Ran watched her retreating figure and added another name to the notebook: Zhang Guifang, fifty years old, excellent voice, sincere emotions, available for signing.
A question mark followed it.
After all, the market prospects for a 50-year-old singer are indeed hard to say.
First of all, there's the issue of age. She definitely won't go far in "Super Girl." There are still many rounds to go, and elimination is inevitable.
But after thinking about it, Lu Ran crossed out the question mark.
sign.
His current focus is on all-round development. Even if there are no opportunities for singing, he will recommend her for acting opportunities.
After all, everyone has their own dreams.
Anyway, Xingyue Studio isn't short of money.
...