HDIEUMDBTSB Chapter 52: Debut Album

 Volume 2: The Road to Winning Fans

Chapter 2: Debut Album

"Teacher Chu, what are your plans for the seven days of your live broadcast?" One of the scriptwriters, Old Sun, still stood out with his frog hat. Let's just call him Frog Sun for short, he greeted Chu Zhi politely.

The scheduled meeting included three variety show writers, along with the chief director Meng Teng. The chief producer Pei Louguo was absent. In comparison to content planning, Pei's involvement mostly centered around selecting guests; he delegated content matters to the professionals.

"I haven't signed with any talent agency yet, so if there's any filming, it'll probably be just my daily routine," Chu Zhi pondered and replied.

Frog Sun asked again, "Are there no commercials or invitations for other variety shows?" They often followed other celebrities who had packed schedules. However, some projects were kept confidential due to non-disclosure agreements or sensitive content. For instance, they couldn't film the rehearsals for the previous Korean Star New Stage.

Therefore, the scriptwriters needed to inquire beforehand. They didn't anticipate that Chu Zhi didn't have any plans at all.

"No main agenda," Meng Teng interjected.

As the chief director, Meng Teng was quite different from Meng Fan, the singer who appeared on their show last time. While the latter enjoyed teasing contestants and being mysterious, the former only spoke at critical moments.

Frog Sun quickly explained, "Perhaps Teacher Chu hasn't watched our show. Our program is about broadcasting celebrities' daily lives, satisfying fans' desire to follow their idols. And for casual viewers, the attraction lies in watching the behind-the-scenes of other activities the celebrities are involved in."

"If Teacher Chu only focuses on studying, it'll be hard to grab the attention of casual viewers," Frog Sun reiterated Meng Teng's point.

Chu Zhi earnestly considered. Even though studying every day was important, as an artist, she couldn't afford to be idle every day. It wouldn't make a good impression.

"What about planning my first album after my comeback?" Chu Zhi suggested after some thought.

Although the slip of the tongue regarding her first album was overlooked, given that she had been the target of online harassment for just two months, it was still considered a comeback. The idea of recording her debut album seemed promising. "Into the Light" and "Wind and Waves" had been quite popular lately, especially the hummed version of "Wind and Waves," which was being used in short videos to accompany heartwarming moments. Frog Sun's ears were practically calloused from hearing it so often.

"Teacher Chu is a rare creative talent. There's bound to be something interesting about the production of the new album," Frog Sun asked, "Is the lead single of the new album an original song by Teacher Chu?"

"Most of the songs are," Chu Zhi replied. Since the program team had sincerely asked, Chu Zhi decided to generously showcase her album production, similar to the way Li Ronghao produced his songs.

Li Ronghao had shown astonishing versatility while producing the song "In My Youth." Apart from writing the lyrics and composing the music, he also played the guitar and bass himself. He did the harmony writing, string arrangement, and vocal recording all by himself. Even the later stages of recording, harmony singing, and mixing were done by him alone. He was jokingly referred to by netizens as "Don't even think about making money off me."

Of course, there were many all-rounders in the entertainment industry, but they tended to keep a low profile. For instance, Xu Song's debut album "Custom Made" was equally impressive, with not a single person involved besides him in the entire production process. The same was true for his later album "Seeking Mist."

Time for a demonstration of what being an all-rounder meant.

Frog Sun and the chief director, Meng Teng, exchanged glances, and the latter succinctly said, "Good."

Following that, they discussed the details of the live broadcast, such as the number of cameras to be placed in the residence and whether there were any areas off-limits due to privacy concerns.

There would also be a "communicator" during the live broadcast who would adjust the content based on viewers' comments. It was important to clarify in advance what could be shown to the audience and what couldn't, to guide the audience effectively.

Even though there wouldn't be any rehearsals, they still needed to meet two days in advance to discuss everything thoroughly. There were too many things to consider, and many celebrities had faced mishaps during live broadcasts. Viewers could easily recall several instances.

The meeting concluded the day before, and Pei Louguo, the chief producer, took the opportunity to host a gathering with everyone, including Chu Zhi, to introduce the team they would be working with for the next week. That's why she didn't decline the invitation.

The culture of alcohol was indeed a culture, but the culture of business drinking was its downside.

The program team's gathering wasn't as strictly business-oriented, especially at the drinking table where Frog Sun was quite active.

There were two "communicators," one male and one female. The female was Wei Tongzi, who volunteered to act as a guest communicator.

The male was Pang Pu, a well-known male host from Mango TV. He was nicknamed "Jelly" due to his plump figure.

Chu Zhi refrained from drinking outside; she feared that speaking her mind under the influence might lead to trouble, a lesson learned from the past.

Do people who speak less do more? The chief director downed three shots of Baijiu in quick succession, proving himself invincible at the drinking table. Even though Chu Zhi substituted tea for alcohol, Meng Teng still offered her a glass.

It wasn't a small cup but a large one.

He was formidable, Chu Zhi thought. Old Sun had a strong expressive power, Jelly had his own opinions on the spot, and the communicators Pang Pu and Wei Tongzi were well-known hosts on Mango TV.

On the contrary, Meng Teng didn't say much, but could it be that he was unbeatable at the drinking table?

Chu Zhi looked at the butcher, whose ruthlessness had not increased, and remarked that the dish wasn’t spicy enough.

"Mr. Chu, how does it taste?" Wei Tongzi, who often chatted with his idol during meals, asked again.

"It’s pretty good, flavorful," Chu Zhi replied. "It’s different but just as good as the private kitchen dishes you took me to last time."

"I know many more places. I can take you to another one tomorrow," Wei Tongzi said excitedly.

"That would be great. If I have time tomorrow, I’ll definitely go." Chu Zhi agreed readily, knowing he had no free time according to his schedule.

If Wei Tongzi were a fish, he’d be blowing bubbles of happiness right now. If he were a cat, he’d be wagging his tail. Everyone has to be a fanboy at least once in their life, and Wei Tongzi was an idol chaser, which isn’t exactly the same as being a fanboy.

After the meal, Chu Zhi declined the offer of a ride back to the hotel and left alone.

On the roadside, Wei Tongzi noticed a colleague sighing. She asked, "Brother Pang, why are you sighing? Didn’t you enjoy the meal?"

Feeling happy, Wei Tongzi asked casually. If she were in a bad mood, she would have ignored it.

"I want to switch places with Xiao Gu," Pang Pu replied honestly.

Xiao Gu? It took Wei Tongzi a few seconds to realize he was talking about another host who had gone with Group B to Seoul to meet the next guest in advance.

"Brother Pang, are you envious of a free trip to Seoul?" Wei Tongzi asked.

"Not really. Seoul is nothing special; who hasn’t been there?" Pang Pu said. "The next episode will feature Zheng Min’an, the main dancer of the Princess Group, and it will probably be a huge hit. The show might break viewership records, and the bonus from the production team will be much higher."

"Uh—" Wei Tongzi hadn’t thought of that. She said, "The Princess Group is indeed popular, but Mr. Chu is a top-tier star, and his popularity won’t be any less."

Wei had confidence in her idol, but Pang Pu didn’t. He didn’t argue directly, just repeated, "K-pop stars are currently the trend."

Pang Pu wasn’t a fan of Korean pop; he just cared about the show’s ratings.

Back at the hotel, Chu Zhi looked at the message from the bank notifying him of the money deposit. According to the contract, 50% of the payment was to be made within a week, and Mango TV had paid on the same day, which was impressive.

The remaining half would be settled within fifteen working days after the show aired.

Chu Zhi calculated in his mind, "Next year, I’ll have to auction my house. Earning 3.5 million in about ten days is convenient for a traffic star, but the current pace is still slow. I need to take on endorsements."

Upon arrival, the production team reached Chu Zhi's home in Pudong, Shanghai. They quickly set up cameras in the living room, kitchen, study, and bedroom. The bedroom camera was placed so that Chu Zhi could easily turn it off when sleeping or changing clothes.

Experienced staff worked efficiently, and the on-site photographer, Guodong, looked around and commented, "Mr. Chu's home is the most business-like I’ve filmed in all these episodes."

Low EQ: Lacks a personal touch. High EQ: Most business-like.

"Don’t set up a camera in the singing practice room," Chu Zhi instructed. "We can do a follow-up shoot when I’m in there."

"Alright," Guodong agreed.

The singing practice room is where singers hone their skills, and maintaining some mystery is good.

On December 2, "Red · Dream" – "The Arrival of the New Jade, the Most Beautiful Singer Chu Zhi Enters the Live Room" premiered on Mango TV.


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