Chapter 114 Chapter 114
On the day of recording "Show Me the Money", Lia went to the dressing room first.
This dressing room was recommended by Kush. Although he didn't have much need to be on camera, he was quite particular about his appearance, and it could be said that he spared no effort. Besides wanting to appear on camera, she also had some selfish motives.
After the filming, she prepared to take the company car to Incheon Airport to pick up her boyfriend, who was about to return to Korea. She had also checked Kwon Ji-yong's schedule in advance, and her flight landed at 9:30 pm, which was just enough time. Someone in the dressing room recognized her immediately.
"The name on the appointment sheet says Lia Kim. I was wondering if it was really you." The makeup artist, Lexy, came over and led her to her seat. Lia was stunned. "Ouni, do you know me?"
Lexy was even more surprised than she was. "Do you think you're just a nobody?" Lia smiled sheepishly. It wasn't quite that, but it was close...
Her life was too monotonous, and she spent most of her time either at home, at work, or at school. She still didn't feel any real sense of so-called "fame." "But Kush nim also often mentioned you,
"So she's even more approachable than the average customer," Lexy smiled. She was incredibly approachable, and with just a few words, she dispelled the awkwardness between them. After Lia sat down, Lexy carefully discussed her makeup and hair.
"Your bone structure is already beautiful, you don't need too much makeup." "So I'm a hassle-free customer?" Lia joked. "Easy doesn't mean casual," Lexy replied with a smile, her hands moving non-stop.
The brush moved lightly across her face, seemingly casually, but actually with precision. Soon, Lexy dipped the lip gloss into her lips and finished the final step.
Her makeup was light and translucent, and her lips were a light, rose-tinged hue, instantly brightening her complexion. Her hair was simply straightened, so smooth it almost shone under the light. Lia stared at the mirror, startled. She looked exactly the same.
But it's clearly become prettier. Lexy looked at the face she'd created, put away her brush with satisfaction, and sighed, chin in her hand, "What a mess!" Lia couldn't help but laugh, "Ouni, it's true that professionals are different."
Before leaving, she added Lexy's contact information. Sure enough, Kush's picks would be hers from now on! * Although Lexy's dressing room also offers costume rentals, Lia didn't want to go through the hassle.
She wore a loose white shirt and dark jeans, looking neither too formal nor too appropriate for the studio environment.
The program crew thoughtfully chose the YG recording studio as the recording location—of course, this was probably also due to budget-conscious considerations. The atmosphere was quieter than she had expected. The camera was set up in a corner, with only the occasional flashing red light to indicate that the recording was in progress.
She has already sent two accompaniments to the program team in advance. The theme of the semi-final performance is "Friday
Night". She selected two tracks from her inventory that fit the theme and have different styles, so that the contestants can get what they need: one is lyrical, mainly piano and strings, with a stronger sense of melody; the other is fast-paced, with a party atmosphere, which is easier to mobilize the audience.
The contestants entered the recording studio one by one with their written raps.
The rappers who were so cool and flamboyant on stage, in the recording studio, acted like docile little chickens, calling her "Teacher Lia" all the time. But in reality, she was younger than them, and for a moment, the studio was ablaze with honorifics, creating a chaotic atmosphere.
Behind the camera, the PDs were all happy – Variety show effect: Yes. Most of these semi-finalists came from underground backgrounds and were skilled in their skills, but in their works, the judgment of "completeness" and "marketability" was actually not clear.
Me the
Money is a rap competition, but the audience isn't entirely composed of professionals. At this stage, winning isn't just about showcasing technique; the catchiness of the melody and the overall polish of the arrangement are more important.
This is also the biggest difference between underground and mainstream. The former emphasizes attitude and skills, but it may not be listened to repeatedly after leaving the stage. Although the latter values completeness and spreadability, the content itself may be compromised during the production process.
But in fact, the two are not incompatible. The smart approach is to reconcile and balance the two. Rap is not an isolated art form. Apart from the program, it ultimately comes back to the spreadability of the sound source.
Those who realize this sooner will be the first to win the market. Therefore, most of Lia's suggestions also start from this direction.
The quick-thinking contestants quickly grasped the key points, and time flew by between rehearsals and discussions. As the top four contestants settled on their plans, Lia removed her headphones and looked at the last line on the list.
Kwon Hyuk-woo—Loco. Loco had been waiting in the downstairs lounge for a long time. He pushed the door open with a reserved smile on his face. The camera pointed at the door, and he instinctively raised his hand to greet them. Lia stood up and greeted them.
"It's my first time at YG, so I'm a little nervous." Loco bowed 90 degrees at the door before approaching. Lia smiled and asked him to sit down. "I've watched the previous episodes and I'm a fan of Loco xi."
She was well-versed in what to say during the show, so she exchanged a few pleasantries with Loco. While her words were clichés, they weren't false—she truly had high hopes for him among the contestants.
Regardless of appearance, popularity, or strength, he is the one with the greatest hope for long-term development. Loco waved his hands hastily: "I am Lia xi's fan." Lia thought he was being polite and didn't take it to heart. "So, Loco
Which track did you choose? Loco took out his notebook, pointed at the densely packed lyrics, and hummed a few lines: "The one with the heavier string music."
Lia took it, quickly glanced through it, and said, "You can go through it first." Loco nodded, put on his headphones, and sang along with the accompaniment. His voice was clean and soft, blending with the beat surprisingly smoothly and naturally.
After he finished singing, he took off his headphones and looked up at her, like a student waiting to be graded. "I think it's good," Lia said seriously, "especially the chorus."
"Thank you." Loco murmured his thanks, paused, and as if afraid of being presumptuous, he added in a low voice: "It would be even better if you could add some harmony from Lia xi." Lia raised an eyebrow: "Do you want to remove some of the strings?"
Loco nodded. Lia was a little surprised. She had thought he would treat the accompaniment as an unshakable framework like the other contestants, but she hadn't expected him to be the first to proactively suggest changes.
Her accompaniment is grandly arranged. On the one hand, this production can enhance the stage atmosphere, but if the vocals are not prominent enough, they will seem buried in the arrangement. It is a double-edged sword.
Loco's voice is relatively thin, so removing some of the strings and heavy background sounds to leave space can actually highlight his unique characteristics, which is a smart move. But letting her harmonize...
"Have you heard my voice?" Lia couldn't help asking. Loco scratched his head embarrassedly: "Yeah, I've heard it before." He is a real fan... I heard that he is going to be with Lia
Kim, he even dug out his old album "Project A" and rewatched it. Her voice was so clear that, without the strings, it perfectly filled the melodic gap. Lia paused for a moment.
There was nothing in the show's rules that forbid this; it was just that the others hadn't thought of it, and Loco had. She glanced at the accompanying PD, and seeing he had no objection, she nodded in agreement. Loco couldn't help but pump her fist excitedly: "Aza!"
Recording the backing vocals went smoothly. Loco is not only creative, but also understands some production logic and can offer accurate suggestions.
Although Lia hadn't been in the studio for a while, she was so familiar with her own instrumental that after a few repetitions, she was in the zone. Time flew by, and by the time the two of them finished, it was already 10 pm.
Lia glanced at the clock and took off her headphones. "I'm really looking forward to the stage," she said to Loco with a smile. "If there's a chance in the future, I hope we can really work together."
Loco was stunned for a moment, seemingly surprised by her words, before nodding solemnly, "I'm looking forward to it, too." "Click!" The work was done. The accompanying PD stepped forward to express their gratitude.
Because of Loco's last-minute suggestion, the filming time was extended by two hours. Fortunately, Lia's professional attitude and high degree of cooperation allowed the filming to be completed smoothly.
"Would you like to join us for a late-night snack?" the PD asked politely. Lia shook her head and declined with a smile. She appeared calm, but inside she was terribly anxious.
She had just checked her phone. The driver the company had sent to pick her up had already left, unable to wait for her. Even if she left immediately, it would still take over an hour to get to Incheon Airport. She had to leave immediately.
After quickly saying hello to the staff, Lia Kim, who had been so calm and composed just a moment ago, disappeared at the speed of light outside the studio. Loco, who was about to take out his notebook for an autograph, was like: ???
----------
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com