King of Hollywood
Chapter 339 - Chapter 339 Chapter 63 Unknowingly

Chapter 339: Chapter 63 Unknowingly Chapter 339: Chapter 63 Unknowingly “How do you feel about them, Eric?” Adrian, removing his headphones, asked the music producer beside him.

“Not bad,” Eric Norton, who had also taken off his headphones, mused for a moment before responding, “Christina’s voice is a bit more ethereal, which might be because of her previous fondness for gospel music. Britney’s magnetic voice is also quite flavorful; sure to be popular with many. If we’re just talking about singing skills, Christina is a notch above, but in terms of commercial value, Britney has quite a bit more. If there are no other issues, we can proceed with the next step of training.”

Although Eric Norton wasn’t as well-known to the public as Max Martin, within the industry, he was still an outstanding music producer. Compared to movies, in music, especially pop music, the role of the producer is more important as they know what melodies can please both listeners and fans. Sometimes a mediocre tune can become very catchy in their hands, and whether a singer can have a good producer to support them at the debut can greatly determine their rise to fame.

Such top producers are also coveted by various record companies, and RUN Records, which was formed by the integration of several smaller companies under AC Media, could not compete with those larger record companies, but it has its own appeal.

For example, Norton was interested in Super Boy because of the songs Adrian had come up with, prompting him to make a special visit to Adrian’s house. Of course, as expected, Norton left in disappointment, as Adrian expressed that he had just revisited some good melodies he remembered and sought help to fill them out, never expecting them to become popular.

“Damn it, why can’t you always maintain this inspired state?” Norton grumbled as he left, indicating how much he liked those songs and that a good song wouldn’t escape the eyes of a professional.

However, Adrian had no plans to do this again unless it was absolutely necessary. Although he could play the guitar and piano, it was just on a basic level; his head was full of excellent songs, but in both his past and current lives, he wasn’t accomplished in this field.

In filmmaking, at least, he still had some substance, with his own ideas and a wealth of theory and practice, but he was not so knowledgeable about music. Adrian could perhaps talk eloquently about music and give a series of reasonable opinions, but when it came to actual production, songwriting, and lyric writing, he was powerless. Even though his understanding of music wasn’t as superficial as his grasp of finance, one has to be aware of their limitations, and those without self-awareness can’t achieve great things.

Based on this conversation, Eric Norton was quickly recruited, and with AC Media’s momentum growing stronger, he settled down as the music director at RUN Records. Although several other producers were also poached later on, none were as top-notch as Eric Norton.

However, given the current scale of RUN Records, having Norton was enough; the company was still growing, and what they needed would eventually come.

“Ladies, I have a good news and a bad news, which one do you want to hear?” After talking with Norton, Adrian immediately went to the adjoining rest room, where the two girls had been waiting after finishing their recording.

“Good news!”

“Bad news!”

Britney and Christina, seated on a bench, called out almost simultaneously, then looked at each other in surprise, raised their eyebrows in unison, and a flicker of defiance crossed their faces.

Seeing this, Adrian couldn’t help but chuckle to himself; when he came in, he had seen the two of them sitting at opposite ends of the bench, each immersed in a magazine without interacting, which was exactly what he wanted to see. But it still wasn’t enough to satisfy him, so Adrian deliberately said, “Alright, let’s start with the good news.”

Britney was the one who had clamored for the good news just before.

“Your recordings were very good; your efforts have paid off considerably, so I’ve decided to let you each release an EP to test the waters,” Adrian said after sitting down.

“Really?!” Both girls asked in unison, their eyes widening in excitement.

“Of course, you didn’t disappoint me, so naturally, I won’t disappoint you,” Adrian spread his hands.

“Awesome!” Britney and Christina exclaimed together, then excitedly embraced each other.

“Alright, girls, don’t celebrate too soon, there’s also some bad news,” Adrian said with a playful look at them.

“Um… so what’s the bad news?” Christina was the first to come around.

“The bad news is that the EP will be released anonymously, with nothing more than the necessary production, no planning, no promotion,” Adrian said in a flat tone. “It’s just testing the waters to see the market’s reaction. The performance of this EP release will determine the timing of your album release.”

The excitement on the girls’ faces gradually faded. It dawned on them that while they thought they were finally going to become official singers, they were now told it was just a trial, and the official release of an album depended on circumstances. It was quite a letdown.

However, Britney was the first to recover: “No problem, I will definitely do my best.”

“Yes, I’ll try my hardest as well,” Christina quickly followed, but her tone, unlike Britney’s sincere one, clearly carried more dejection.

It wasn’t surprising. Britney knew very well that she was still young, and even if the EP performed satisfactorily, the preparation for her first album needed to be postponed for quite some time. The past year and a half of refining had toughened her up, so she wasn’t too worried. Christina, on the other hand, felt awkward, as there weren’t many singers who debuted at her age and became very popular, making her inevitably cautious.

“Well then, let’s leave it at that. Keep it up and don’t let your efforts go to waste,” Adrian continued, glancing at the two girls before adding, “Oh, and Kristen, stay behind. I have a few words for you.”

Britney immediately looked at Christina with envy, while a small huff escaped Christina.

“Do I need to repeat what I’ve said countless times before, Kristen?” Adrian asked after Britney left and Christina sat down again.

“No, sir, I have it etched in my memory,” Christina said earnestly, puffing out her chest.

“Good. Still, I have to say that both you and Britney are outstanding. I was very correct to sign you,” Adrian fixed his gaze on Christina. “You are a bit older than Britney, so, barring any surprises, you will release your album before she does. Although from every angle, neither now nor next year is a good time, I still hope you can give 100% on this EP, even if the final product will be quite rudimentary. Eric also admits your singing is among the best for unsigned artists, even surpassing some signed ones. Don’t disappoint me this time.”

“I won’t, sir,” Kristen’s eyes brightened considerably; she could read between the lines of Adrian’s words.

“Good. Although Super Boy is currently the hottest group at the company, I believe you can surpass them, right?” Adrian said, lightly pinching her chin in a somewhat condescending gesture.

“Yes, I definitely can, sir,” Christina apparently didn’t grasp the implication of the gesture. Her mind seemed to be completely occupied by the positive news, her voice full of excitement and her breathing more rapid.

It wasn’t in vain that I’ve brainwashed her for a year and a half. Once Christina had left, Adrian rubbed his fingers together and mused leisurely to himself. Younger people are more easily influenced, whether it’s someone mature like Kirsten or Natalie. And that’s even more the case with Britney and Christina.

Just as long as the hints were subtle enough and given over a sufficiently long period, they inevitably developed in the direction he expected. It was like that name; after more than a year of association, they had long begun to call him “Ed.” But Christina’s use of “Mr.” here didn’t mean she wanted to keep her distance from him; in fact, Christina always used such a form of address when discussing serious topics as a way to show respect. It was just like when Adrian and Britney chatted in private, Britney would always unintentionally make herself appear cute and her tone always carried a hint of coquettishness; it was all to showcase her distinctiveness from another in front of him.

However, there was still a long way to go before he could reap the rewards. That was what Adrian thought; that last move was probably the limit for now. But what of it? A smile played on his lips; it was just a matter of time.

Since there were no offices on the record company’s side, Adrian took the opportunity to use the current rest room to get an update from a few of the managers and to look over some reports and materials. Glancing at the time, it was already past four in the afternoon; it was time to leave.

As he walked down the corridor to the exit, he was suddenly inspired to stop by the dance practice room he had visited before. Since he still had time, he took a left at the next junction.

By this time, practice should have mostly ended, and participants should have left. Yet, as he neared the door, he could still hear sounds coming from inside. Adrian pushed the door open slightly and peeked inside, then wore an expression that was somewhat surprised yet somewhat enlightened. Alone, in front of the large mirror, tirelessly practicing, was Britney!

Little kicks, high kicks, little jumps, single leg squats–she meticulously completed each movement. After finishing, she’d rest for a bit before starting over. She was clearly impatient, some movements she couldn’t perform properly after several attempts, which irritated her, as she angrily kicked about.

Adrian watched carefully and shrugged as she, frustrated by a failed jump, angrily kicked off her shoes, paced barefoot on the floor, and eventually, with a certain resignation, sat down on the ground. That’s when he casually walked in. “Why haven’t you gone home yet, Britney?”

“Ed?!” Britney, sitting on the floor, immediately sprang up, looking at him with a mix of nervousness and discomfort.

Pretending to notice the shoes kicked into the corner and then back at her, Adrian walked over and picked Britney up in a sideways carry. Although the girl was somewhat panicked, she made no attempt to struggle. After placing Britney on a chair against the wall, Adrian knelt in front of her, lifted one of her legs onto his thigh, and pulled out a tissue from his pocket to wipe the palms of her feet.

The ticklish sensation from the sole of her foot made the girl giggle. If her calf weren’t resting in Adrian’s arms, she would’ve squirmed, but after laughing, she felt somewhat embarrassed, and her cheeks began to warm slightly.

Adrian was unbothered by all this. He wiped both of her feet clean, admonished her not to walk around on the cold floor barefoot, and then went to fetch her shoes that had been kicked far away. He then personally slipped the shoes onto her feet.

After all that was taken care of, he sat down beside the girl. “Do you often practice alone like this?”

“Not… not really,” Britney murmured shyly, her voice as soft as a mosquito’s.

“Remember to always wear shoes in the future. Don’t walk around on the cold floor barefoot like you did just now; it’s easy to catch a cold. You have to take good care of your body,” Adrian immediately advised.

“Yes… I understand,” the girl’s voice finally rose a bit, though it was still hardly louder than a mosquito’s buzz.

“Are you really listening to me, Britney?” Adrian suddenly raised his voice, causing Britney to swiftly lift her head in a fluttered manner, stammering as she looked at him: “Yes, of course.”

Although their gazes met for only a brief moment before she lowered her eyelids, the shy look in her eyes was very apparent, and the faint blush on her cheeks was visible: “I heard you; I should not walk around barefoot on the floor or I’ll get sick.”

“You seemed quite angry earlier; can you tell me why?” Adrian didn’t persist with the subject.

“It’s nothing, just feeling a bit down, I’ll be fine after a while,” Britney murmured, her eyes lowered. Despite this, Adrian could still see her eyes spinning under her eyelids.

“Fine, if you don’t want to talk about it, let’s drop it. But remember Britney, even practice has its limits. Anything in excess only makes things worse,” he said, patting her head gently.

“I promise it won’t happen again,” the girl pledged earnestly.

“Listen to me, Britney,” Adrian turned her around to face him, skepticism clear on his face.

“Do you remember what I’ve always emphasized?” Adrian looked at her intensely. “I’ve said you’re sensational, that you have the potential to be a top singer. My judgment has never failed, be it in movies or music. But if you think I just want to make an ordinary hit singer, you are sorely mistaken. What I want to create is a pop goddess of the new era, someone who can stand shoulder to shoulder with Madonna. Do you understand?!”

Britney’s eyes widened considerably. It had to be said; the girl whose features were now fully animated was incredibly cute and beautiful.

“You mean… you mean…” She looked incredulous, her hands balled into trembling fists, her eyes gleaming with a mix of hope and fear.

Luckily, Adrian gave her the answer she desired immediately, “Yes, you, Britney Spears from Louisiana, I believe you absolutely have the potential to be the next Madonna.”

“Are… Are you serious, Ed?” Britney became somewhat dazed, unsure where to place her hands and feet, overwhelmed by the immense surprise.

“Of course, as long as you do as I say. You may not surpass her, but reaching her level is definitely within reach,” Adrian said, pinching her chin gently, staring at her unwaveringly, and emphasizing the words “do as I say” with particular firmness, almost as if the indoctrination was happening silently in that moment.

———————

After getting an update on the record label and making some arrangements, Adrian quickly bid farewell to the now visibly pregnant Kate and flew to London. The entire film crew was already there waiting for him. Gwyneth had reported to London the day before he left Los Angeles, and while he had only hinted at it briefly over the phone, she had cleverly picked up on the subtle change in his tone.

Perhaps Gwyneth’s guesses might have deviated from reality, but that did not stop her from offering to go to London ahead of time, especially since she originally wanted to go there with him.

Although it was late April, the Oscar frenzy had not completely subsided. “Forrest Gump” was supposed to leave theaters soon, but after winning Best Picture, it saw a slight resurgence and ultimately grossed $360 million in North America. With Adrian breaking two Oscar records, how could the paparazzi possibly leave him alone? After all, he had just finished a new movie in the United Kingdom, and now he was about to start another one, seemingly replicating the happenings of ’92. Why would they let go of such newsworthy material? Especially since they had profited significantly from sensationalizing his rumored affair with Sophie Marceau.

Although Adrian was flying on a private jet and the paparazzi couldn’t catch him at the airport, camping out at the film set would serve their purpose just as well; this time, unlike previously, most of the scenes were not outdoor locations. So when Adrian arrived at the studio, he was welcomed with a grand reception.

“Mr. Adrian, why did you choose to…”

“Mr. Adrian, the new movie is about…”

“Mr. Adrian, why would you pick an…”

Questions came from all directions, mostly about the new movie. Adrian, as usual, kept smiling without saying a word, until he was safely escorted to the studio entrance by The Bodyguard and the film unit director. When the reporters could no longer follow him, he turned leisurely and said, “Yes, I am currently shooting a new movie, an adaptation of Jane Austen’s ‘Emma,’ and I have chosen an American actress for the lead role. I believe it will be an outstanding film!”

(To be continued. If you like this work, we welcome you to vote for it at NovelFire.net. Your support is my greatest motivation.)

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