DAEYTT ### Chapter 044: 130,000 Downloads and a Movie Promotion Invitation

Chapter 044: 130,000 Downloads and a Movie Promotion Invitation

Without the promotional resources of the website, Wang Qian’s song downloads were purely driven by his own popularity and the songs' word-of-mouth appeal. However, Wang Qian's popularity had its limits, and the influence of word-of-mouth was also finite. Thus, although the daily download numbers for each song were increasing, the overall trend was declining.

Today was different, though. The new downloads for several songs had increased compared to yesterday. Wang Qian checked the backend and found no new promotional messages. He also looked at the homepage and didn’t see his name or his song titles featured anywhere.

Perhaps his popularity had grown?

Wang Qian thought for a moment and concluded that the increase must be due to his rising popularity. It was a good thing, so he didn’t dwell on it too much. He checked the New Song Chart again.

Still firmly in first place was Li Qingyao's new song. The download numbers unsurprisingly had surpassed seven million and were approaching eight million. By the end of the month, reaching ten million downloads seemed inevitable, potentially making it the first new song in years to achieve ten million downloads in its first month. This would cement Li Qingyao's status as a top-tier star, making her virtually unshakeable.

Wang Qian understood why her management company was going all out with the promotion.

Ranking second to fifth were still Wang Qian’s four songs.

- "It's Not That Simple": 9,305,804 streams, 5,406,940 downloads.

- "Ordinary Road": 7,035,506 streams, 3,654,810 downloads.

- "Once You": 6,605,215 streams, 3,405,806 downloads.

- "Alive": 5,709,754 streams, 2,994,562 downloads.

All four songs had significant increases in numbers. "It's Not That Simple" still trailed Li Qingyao’s song by about two million downloads. Normally, a two-million gap would be substantial, but many in the industry believed that given the quality of Wang Qian’s songs and their growing reputation, this gap could be closed quickly with the right promotional push.

However, the paid download ratio for Wang Qian’s songs was starting to decline, and the gaps between his songs were slowly widening. This was inevitable.

Wang Qian wasn’t too concerned, as his songs were still performing far better than any other. The differences in numbers between his songs were due to their varying appeal. "Alive" was a niche song that wasn’t a huge hit even in Wang Qian’s previous world, appealing only to a specific audience. On the other hand, "It's Not That Simple" had the broadest appeal among the four.

These differences were reflected in the data.

Wang Qian then looked at his newly uploaded song "Those Flowers," which had only been up for a few minutes but was already showing promising numbers.

- "Those Flowers": 109 streams, 18,890 downloads.

He had a loyal fan base that downloaded his songs without even streaming them first.

Wang Qian promoted the song on his Weibo account: "New song, 'Those Flowers,' uploaded. A nostalgic song, dedicated to you who are like flowers!"

As soon as he posted, likes, shares, and comments started pouring in.

“Already downloaded! Listening now. Loved it when I heard it live yesterday! Perfect for solo looping.”

“Finally available for download. Listened to it once already, the studio version sounds even better! Your voice is so captivating, full of stories.”

“Cried listening to it live yesterday, cried again today when I downloaded it! My wife asked why I was crying, didn’t dare to tell her!”

“Congrats on releasing your fifth song. Is the new song chart trembling?”

“Already listened.”

“Great!”

...

Promoting on Weibo was effective. Just a minute after posting, Wang Qian refreshed the data.

- "Those Flowers": 210 streams, 58,040 downloads.

In one minute, downloads had surged by nearly 40,000. And the numbers kept climbing.

Another refresh:

- "Those Flowers": 210 streams, 69,180 downloads.

Within half an hour, the song maintained a high download rate, eventually slowing down at around 130,000 downloads.

Wang Qian noted the number. This was likely the maximum number of fans he could mobilize quickly at the moment.

- "Those Flowers": 51,080 streams, 135,819 downloads.

This data was enough to push the song out of the independent artist chart and into the overall new song chart, although it ranked quite low, where few people would look.

Wang Qian thanked his fans on Weibo: "Thank you all for your support. I will continue to create music that you love."

“No need to thank us. We should thank you. In a sea of trash music, your songs are the only reason I’m interested in music. I’ve been listening to Western music for years, barely paying attention to Chinese songs because they all felt like trash. Your songs are the biggest surprise in Chinese music this year. Keep it up!”

This comment received thousands of likes and was pinned, reflecting the sentiment of many of Wang Qian’s fans.

In today's era, where professional singers are almost extinct, Wang Qian's emergence has helped people rediscover Chinese music. A comment in the discussion area caught Wang Qian's attention.

"Sister Xueman also listened to your song as soon as it came out and just left a comment."

Wang Qian remembered the eloquent commenter and immediately clicked the link to check it out. Just a minute ago, Xueman had posted:

"'Those Flowers' — the title alone is filled with nostalgia and poetic charm. Before I even listened to the song, an old, yellowed photo appeared in my mind. It was my middle school graduation photo, with me standing in the center, smiling like a flower."

"After listening to the song, I didn't feel surprised, just a gentle sadness. It made me sit down and go through old photos, looking at those familiar smiles."

"How are you all doing now?"

"I hope you're all very happy."

"I will also try my best to be happy."

It was a brief passage, like a diary entry, but it resonated with many people, who voiced their agreement.

"Xueman's words are so comforting, just like the song. After listening, I contacted more than ten old classmates. We're planning a reunion."

"Support! The song once again touched my heart."

"Xueman recommended it, so I'm downloading it right away."

"I just listened to it and I agree with Xueman. I also hope everyone is doing well."

...

Wang Qian thought for a moment and replied to Xueman with two words: "Thank you!"

After a while, Xueman responded with two words: "No need!"

Just like last time. Wang Qian smiled, appreciating this simple and serene interaction.

Bzz... Bzz...

His phone vibrated. It was Zhao Lei calling. Wang Qian was curious. Director Zhao was currently in the spotlight, with his first movie about to be released. Wasn't he busy with promotions? How did he have time to call?

Wang Qian picked up the call.

Zhao Lei's enthusiastic voice came through: "Wang Qian, am I disturbing you?"

Wang Qian walked to the door to get his takeout and said, "No, Director Zhao. What can I do for you?"

Zhao Lei: "Our movie is being released tomorrow. The crew is holding a promotional event at the largest cinema in Shanghai, with many media outlets invited. If you have time, it would be great if you could make an appearance."

Tomorrow? Wang Qian had to be at Mo Yin the day after tomorrow. He also had a recording session scheduled for tomorrow. However, the recording could be postponed. Since he had decided to debut, he should take every opportunity to appear in public.

Moreover, this was the second time Zhao Lei personally invited him. Refusing again might offend the director. Wang Qian quickly smiled and agreed: "I can make it. I've just finished recording a show and am currently busy with my stuff. What time tomorrow?"

Zhao Lei: "Hahaha, I'm sure you're not just busy with trivial matters. I just downloaded your new song, it's great. If this movie is successful, I'll buy 'Those Flowers' as the theme song for my next movie. Tomorrow at 4 PM, and if you can help promote us on your Weibo, that would be fantastic. Thanks..."

If this movie succeeds... future plans are uncertain. Knowing Zhao Lei was transitioning from TV to film, Wang Qian remained cautiously optimistic. While he hoped Zhao Lei would succeed, he understood the difficulty. Directors transitioning from TV to film often face initial setbacks because the adaptation period is long, and capital doesn't allow many opportunities for adjustment.

Wang Qian courteously said: "Director Zhao, you don't need to thank me. As part of the crew, it's my duty to promote the film."

Zhao Lei: "It's not really your duty. I won't keep you. See you tomorrow..."

Wang Qian: "Okay, see you tomorrow, Director Zhao."

Zhao Lei: "Goodbye."

After hanging up, Wang Qian started eating his takeout and posted a message on Weibo: "Tomorrow at XXX Cinema, 'Nameless Life' crew meet-and-greet. As a crew member, I will be there too."

He clicked send.

Task completed.

Huffing and puffing, he then focused on his meal.


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