Chapter 102: 102
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Cool. That's what I would call Alpine's cafeteria. They serve both healthy and unhealthy food. From simple snacks, to full meals, to a wide variety of deserts, they're all found in the cafeteria. What makes it cooler though, is that I saw another celebrity, eating with some people dressed similarly as Ingdon at the corner of the cafeteria. "Dagun is from your company too?" I asked.
"No. But I heard he's collaborating with Yoeka for her new album." Ingdon replied. "Hmm. I guess your cafeteria is great. Even celebrities eat here." I said. "Oh yeah. This is the only place where the company's bosses, celebrities, our trainees, and the janitors all share." Ingdon explained. I guess that's cool. So if that's the case, then seeing celebrities here is very commonplace. No wonder no one's bothering Dagun.
Ingdon brought me to the self-serve area. "Let's eat. You can have anything, my treat." He said. "Thanks for the food, then." I replied. I'm already here, may as well go all in. I don't eat meat or get my stomach full before I go to vocal lessons, so I'm actually very hungry.
After getting our food and a table, I just have to ask already. I don't like round-about-ing. "So Ingdon, are you looking for me to be a trainee?" I asked. I know I'm not a good singer or a dancer. I'm quite alright as a drummer, but I admit that being a drummer isn't that marketable as solo act. What's only left is my good looks. If my looks is what caught this guy's eyes, then he could only recruit me as a trainee.
The guy's fork and knife stopped cutting his meat. "Yes. Here's how it usually goes. We're going to train you to sing and dance and some more lessons if you want like acting or hosting. We'll be in charge of making music for you and marketing. I think if you work hard enough. Just a year or two of training and you'll be our next star." Ingdon said. He is sounding more and more like my cousin, and I'm getting suspicious.
"Oh yeah? How'd you figure I'll be a star?" I asked. "You have charm. You have that charisma when I saw you play drums." He started. "You're already starting your vocal training right? I know your teacher and I happened to see you last week when I talked to her. If you join us, we'll take care of the fees for you." Ingdon said. "Do I have to dance too?" I asked. "You don't have to but if you can, it will be better. You can perform a wider variety of music." He said. That did it for me.
"While the offer is very nice, I think I have to think about it." I said. I don't want to refuse outright. If I refused, he might not let me go easily. "You can do that too. You have my card." Ingdon shrugged his shoulders. I nodded and resumed my brunch. "By the way… "Ingdon interrupted my eating.
"I'm also interested with your vocalist and violinist. I want to meet them." He said. Ah. I'm seeing a pattern here. When he said he saw my charm, I think he wasn't lying. Jenna is pretty and has that 'adorable little sister' charm, while Tayaw… Well, Tayaw is just awesome.
But didn't he see the rock star in Hoon? The mysterious aura of Ramil? Bay-an and Inson… well, it's hard to see their charm but the two of them gives me the feeling that they have the back of the entire band. "Why not just ask the whole band? It's better if you sign us as a band." I suggested.
"Well… We think it's better if you, your vocalist, and your violinist become solo artists. You can just collab in the future if you want." Ingdon said. I almost shook my head at that. The thought of the band breaking up because of this makes me uncomfortable. I also don't like the way Ingdon said it; too casual.
"What type of music do you want us to do?" I asked Ingdon. If Alpine has an image of us in their mind, then it's surely not band music. "Pop. Dance. Ballads. Music that young people would love." Ingdon said.
Uh-uh. I rarely like pop songs. Dance is too repetitive. Ballads are too slow for my liking. If these are what Alpine wants to make for me, I'd rather stay with the band. Hoon, Inson, and Bay-an are coming along well with their songwriting and I like most of their songs.
"Okay. What happens when we join your company?" I asked. "You have two choices. First; you can just come to the company for lessons and training. Second; if you guys are not from Ouigab, then you can live in our dorms.
"You can have accommodation and food, on our tab; payable when you guys start your careers in the business. Oh! And you can also use beauty products if you want and you can pay them in the future." Ingdon said.
So it works like this, huh. Tayaw is training us for free thankfully, but what about anyone else? "What if I don't do well? What happens then?" I asked. "Oh. That's what contracts are for. It will all be in the contract what will happen." Ingdon simply said. Hm. That's a Tayaw style answer. But I trust Tayaw, this guy, I don't.
"Alright. I'll talk to my friends later." I said to Ingdon.
-
An hour passed and I'm back in Ironstone. I went to the bas.e.m.e.nt to use Bay-an's keyboard for pitch training. "Hmm.. HmM.. HMM.. MMM.. MMMMMM.. MMMMM *Cough*" F.u.c.k. I can't concentrate. I could not help but think back on what happened at Alpine Entertainment earlier. I turned off the keyboard and left the studio.
A few moments later, I'm in front of Tayaw's door. *Knock Knock* I knocked on the door and shortly after, Tayaw opened his door slightly ajar, peeking out half of his body. "What's up?" Tayaw asked. This guy needs a girlfriend. "I want to talk to you about something." I said. "Alright come in." He said. Hmm. Clean as ever. How does Tayaw do it? I feel like I'm dirtying the room just by entering.
"So. Today, after my vocal lesson, there's this guy who approached me…" I told Tayaw the entire encounter with Ingdon.
"Ah. I didn't know it would happen even though you haven't put out a video in a long time." Tayaw said. So Tayaw expected it to some extent? "Here's the thing with these entertainment companies. This type of raising singers is relatively new, but old at the same time. This style existed in America in the 60s-70s but those companies they trained their singers for free. It was an honest type of investment." Tayaw started.
This made sense. I know that there are no certainties in the world. My aunt lost money a couple of times when the albums she invested on didn't sell. But she tries again.
"No matter how rich Alpine Entertaiment is, no one likes losing money. You asked what would happen if you don't do well, right?" Tayaw asked. "Yeah. Ingdon said it will be in the contract but he didn't explain." I said.
"So they're really that type, huh… Well, that's the difference with Alpine's ways to how the American companies did it. Alpine made it a business within a business. Not only would they lend you lessons, they will also put interest in the amount a training singer would use." This gave churned my stomach.
"So… It's like a loan on a bank?" I asked. "Not only a bank but a gambling business too. They recruit a lot of trainees, but how many really become singers? How then will those who didn't make it pay back their debt?" He said. "I don't know. BUT. Ingdon said they don't really lose money." I said.
"Heh. Of course. They won't. You know what would happen to the singers that don't do well? The company would have them would work for them, for as long as it takes, until Alpine gets their money back. That way, they break even." Tayaw said.
"But.. That's dishonest." I said, finding it unbelievable. "Well… It's not ENTIRELY dishonest. But that's how they do business and it's legal. At least Alpine, if I'm not wrong, is more forthcoming with how they do their business compared to other entertainment companies. They will explain it to the trainees how it will go, so the trainees, theoretically, should know the risks before they sign." Tayaw explained.
"If they're forthcoming, why didn't Ingdon tell me?" I asked. "Why would he? That will scare you away. If I would be in his place, I would do the same thing." Tayaw said. I can't believe how… shrewd Tayaw actually is. "Here's how it works, if I'm right. Ingdon, right? He will seduce you with all the benefits, the atmosphere, and the positivity of the company." Tayaw explained. I agree. No wonder Ingdon took me for a tour.
"What happens next? They will say you're good, you're talented, and you're good looking. They will butter you up and make you feel confident in yourself, confident that you'll make it as a singer. That's when the weight of the risks will start disappearing in your mind until all that remains is that 'I'll surely become a singer.'" Tayaw continued.
Yikes. Fortunately, I was wary of Ingdon. And. Thank god Tayaw is already providing me all the stuff I need, no strings attached.
"If they are hiring you as a drummer, or the band as a whole, I would think differently. But they want you to dance and sing pop? Then they don't value you as a musician. All they care about is your marketability and how to make money out of you." He concluded.
==================================
Dear Readers,
I need y'all help. Something happened that restricted the voting of my Novel for 10 or so hours. That 10 hours made the novel drop from Rank 273 to rank 438, which is mindblowing. Hahaha.
Anyway. Y'all can help by sparing me some of your valuable power stones. Thank you.
Please report us if you find any errors so we can fix it asap!
Cool. That's what I would call Alpine's cafeteria. They serve both healthy and unhealthy food. From simple snacks, to full meals, to a wide variety of deserts, they're all found in the cafeteria. What makes it cooler though, is that I saw another celebrity, eating with some people dressed similarly as Ingdon at the corner of the cafeteria. "Dagun is from your company too?" I asked.
"No. But I heard he's collaborating with Yoeka for her new album." Ingdon replied. "Hmm. I guess your cafeteria is great. Even celebrities eat here." I said. "Oh yeah. This is the only place where the company's bosses, celebrities, our trainees, and the janitors all share." Ingdon explained. I guess that's cool. So if that's the case, then seeing celebrities here is very commonplace. No wonder no one's bothering Dagun.
Ingdon brought me to the self-serve area. "Let's eat. You can have anything, my treat." He said. "Thanks for the food, then." I replied. I'm already here, may as well go all in. I don't eat meat or get my stomach full before I go to vocal lessons, so I'm actually very hungry.
After getting our food and a table, I just have to ask already. I don't like round-about-ing. "So Ingdon, are you looking for me to be a trainee?" I asked. I know I'm not a good singer or a dancer. I'm quite alright as a drummer, but I admit that being a drummer isn't that marketable as solo act. What's only left is my good looks. If my looks is what caught this guy's eyes, then he could only recruit me as a trainee.
The guy's fork and knife stopped cutting his meat. "Yes. Here's how it usually goes. We're going to train you to sing and dance and some more lessons if you want like acting or hosting. We'll be in charge of making music for you and marketing. I think if you work hard enough. Just a year or two of training and you'll be our next star." Ingdon said. He is sounding more and more like my cousin, and I'm getting suspicious.
"Oh yeah? How'd you figure I'll be a star?" I asked. "You have charm. You have that charisma when I saw you play drums." He started. "You're already starting your vocal training right? I know your teacher and I happened to see you last week when I talked to her. If you join us, we'll take care of the fees for you." Ingdon said. "Do I have to dance too?" I asked. "You don't have to but if you can, it will be better. You can perform a wider variety of music." He said. That did it for me.
"While the offer is very nice, I think I have to think about it." I said. I don't want to refuse outright. If I refused, he might not let me go easily. "You can do that too. You have my card." Ingdon shrugged his shoulders. I nodded and resumed my brunch. "By the way… "Ingdon interrupted my eating.
"I'm also interested with your vocalist and violinist. I want to meet them." He said. Ah. I'm seeing a pattern here. When he said he saw my charm, I think he wasn't lying. Jenna is pretty and has that 'adorable little sister' charm, while Tayaw… Well, Tayaw is just awesome.
But didn't he see the rock star in Hoon? The mysterious aura of Ramil? Bay-an and Inson… well, it's hard to see their charm but the two of them gives me the feeling that they have the back of the entire band. "Why not just ask the whole band? It's better if you sign us as a band." I suggested.
"Well… We think it's better if you, your vocalist, and your violinist become solo artists. You can just collab in the future if you want." Ingdon said. I almost shook my head at that. The thought of the band breaking up because of this makes me uncomfortable. I also don't like the way Ingdon said it; too casual.
"What type of music do you want us to do?" I asked Ingdon. If Alpine has an image of us in their mind, then it's surely not band music. "Pop. Dance. Ballads. Music that young people would love." Ingdon said.
Uh-uh. I rarely like pop songs. Dance is too repetitive. Ballads are too slow for my liking. If these are what Alpine wants to make for me, I'd rather stay with the band. Hoon, Inson, and Bay-an are coming along well with their songwriting and I like most of their songs.
"Okay. What happens when we join your company?" I asked. "You have two choices. First; you can just come to the company for lessons and training. Second; if you guys are not from Ouigab, then you can live in our dorms.
"You can have accommodation and food, on our tab; payable when you guys start your careers in the business. Oh! And you can also use beauty products if you want and you can pay them in the future." Ingdon said.
So it works like this, huh. Tayaw is training us for free thankfully, but what about anyone else? "What if I don't do well? What happens then?" I asked. "Oh. That's what contracts are for. It will all be in the contract what will happen." Ingdon simply said. Hm. That's a Tayaw style answer. But I trust Tayaw, this guy, I don't.
"Alright. I'll talk to my friends later." I said to Ingdon.
-
An hour passed and I'm back in Ironstone. I went to the bas.e.m.e.nt to use Bay-an's keyboard for pitch training. "Hmm.. HmM.. HMM.. MMM.. MMMMMM.. MMMMM *Cough*" F.u.c.k. I can't concentrate. I could not help but think back on what happened at Alpine Entertainment earlier. I turned off the keyboard and left the studio.
A few moments later, I'm in front of Tayaw's door. *Knock Knock* I knocked on the door and shortly after, Tayaw opened his door slightly ajar, peeking out half of his body. "What's up?" Tayaw asked. This guy needs a girlfriend. "I want to talk to you about something." I said. "Alright come in." He said. Hmm. Clean as ever. How does Tayaw do it? I feel like I'm dirtying the room just by entering.
"So. Today, after my vocal lesson, there's this guy who approached me…" I told Tayaw the entire encounter with Ingdon.
"Ah. I didn't know it would happen even though you haven't put out a video in a long time." Tayaw said. So Tayaw expected it to some extent? "Here's the thing with these entertainment companies. This type of raising singers is relatively new, but old at the same time. This style existed in America in the 60s-70s but those companies they trained their singers for free. It was an honest type of investment." Tayaw started.
This made sense. I know that there are no certainties in the world. My aunt lost money a couple of times when the albums she invested on didn't sell. But she tries again.
"No matter how rich Alpine Entertaiment is, no one likes losing money. You asked what would happen if you don't do well, right?" Tayaw asked. "Yeah. Ingdon said it will be in the contract but he didn't explain." I said.
"So they're really that type, huh… Well, that's the difference with Alpine's ways to how the American companies did it. Alpine made it a business within a business. Not only would they lend you lessons, they will also put interest in the amount a training singer would use." This gave churned my stomach.
"So… It's like a loan on a bank?" I asked. "Not only a bank but a gambling business too. They recruit a lot of trainees, but how many really become singers? How then will those who didn't make it pay back their debt?" He said. "I don't know. BUT. Ingdon said they don't really lose money." I said.
"Heh. Of course. They won't. You know what would happen to the singers that don't do well? The company would have them would work for them, for as long as it takes, until Alpine gets their money back. That way, they break even." Tayaw said.
"But.. That's dishonest." I said, finding it unbelievable. "Well… It's not ENTIRELY dishonest. But that's how they do business and it's legal. At least Alpine, if I'm not wrong, is more forthcoming with how they do their business compared to other entertainment companies. They will explain it to the trainees how it will go, so the trainees, theoretically, should know the risks before they sign." Tayaw explained.
"If they're forthcoming, why didn't Ingdon tell me?" I asked. "Why would he? That will scare you away. If I would be in his place, I would do the same thing." Tayaw said. I can't believe how… shrewd Tayaw actually is. "Here's how it works, if I'm right. Ingdon, right? He will seduce you with all the benefits, the atmosphere, and the positivity of the company." Tayaw explained. I agree. No wonder Ingdon took me for a tour.
"What happens next? They will say you're good, you're talented, and you're good looking. They will butter you up and make you feel confident in yourself, confident that you'll make it as a singer. That's when the weight of the risks will start disappearing in your mind until all that remains is that 'I'll surely become a singer.'" Tayaw continued.
Yikes. Fortunately, I was wary of Ingdon. And. Thank god Tayaw is already providing me all the stuff I need, no strings attached.
"If they are hiring you as a drummer, or the band as a whole, I would think differently. But they want you to dance and sing pop? Then they don't value you as a musician. All they care about is your marketability and how to make money out of you." He concluded.
==================================
Dear Readers,
I need y'all help. Something happened that restricted the voting of my Novel for 10 or so hours. That 10 hours made the novel drop from Rank 273 to rank 438, which is mindblowing. Hahaha.
Anyway. Y'all can help by sparing me some of your valuable power stones. Thank you.
Cool. That's what I would call Alpine's cafeteria. They serve both healthy and unhealthy food. From simple snacks, to full meals, to a wide variety of deserts, they're all found in the cafeteria. What makes it cooler though, is that I saw another celebrity, eating with some people dressed similarly as Ingdon at the corner of the cafeteria. "Dagun is from your company too?" I asked. "No. But I heard he's collaborating with Yoeka for her new album." Ingdon replied. "Hmm. I guess your cafeteria is great. Even celebrities eat here." I said. "Oh yeah. This is the only place where the company's bosses, celebrities, our trainees, and the janitors all share." Ingdon explained. I guess that's cool. So if that's the case, then seeing celebrities here is very commonplace. No wonder no one's bothering Dagun. Ingdon brought me to the self-serve area. "Let's eat. You can have anything, my treat." He said. "Thanks for the food, then." I replied. I'm already here, may as well go all in. I don't eat meat or get my stomach full before I go to vocal lessons, so I'm actually very hungry. After getting our food and a table, I just have to ask already. I don't like round-about-ing. "So Ingdon, are you looking for me to be a trainee?" I asked. I know I'm not a good singer or a dancer. I'm quite alright as a drummer, but I admit that being a drummer isn't that marketable as solo act. What's only left is my good looks. If my looks is what caught this guy's eyes, then he could only recruit me as a trainee. The guy's fork and knife stopped cutting his meat. "Yes. Here's how it usually goes. We're going to train you to sing and dance and some more lessons if you want like acting or hosting. We'll be in charge of making music for you and marketing. I think if you work hard enough. Just a year or two of training and you'll be our next star." Ingdon said. He is sounding more and more like my cousin, and I'm getting suspicious. "Oh yeah? How'd you figure I'll be a star?" I asked. "You have charm. You have that charisma when I saw you play drums." He started. "You're already starting your vocal training right? I know your teacher and I happened to see you last week when I talked to her. If you join us, we'll take care of the fees for you." Ingdon said. "Do I have to dance too?" I asked. "You don't have to but if you can, it will be better. You can perform a wider variety of music." He said. That did it for me. "While the offer is very nice, I think I have to think about it." I said. I don't want to refuse outright. If I refused, he might not let me go easily. "You can do that too. You have my card." Ingdon shrugged his shoulders. I nodded and resumed my brunch. "By the way "Ingdon interrupted my eating. "I'm also interested with your vocalist and violinist. I want to meet them." He said. Ah. I'm seeing a pattern here. When he said he saw my charm, I think he wasn't lying. Jenna is pretty and has that 'adorable little sister' charm, while Tayaw Well, Tayaw is just awesome. But didn't he see the rock star in Hoon? The mysterious aura of Ramil? Bay-an and Inson well, it's hard to see their charm but the two of them gives me the feeling that they have the back of the entire band. "Why not just ask the whole band? It's better if you sign us as a band." I suggested. "Well We think it's better if you, your vocalist, and your violinist become solo artists. You can just collab in the future if you want." Ingdon said. I almost shook my head at that. The thought of the band breaking up because of this makes me uncomfortable. I also don't like the way Ingdon said it; too casual. "What type of music do you want us to do?" I asked Ingdon. If Alpine has an image of us in their mind, then it's surely not band music. "Pop. Dance. Ballads. Music that young people would love." Ingdon said. Uh-uh. I rarely like pop songs. Dance is too repetitive. Ballads are too slow for my liking. If these are what Alpine wants to make for me, I'd rather stay with the band. Hoon, Inson, and Bay-an are coming along well with their songwriting and I like most of their songs. "Okay. What happens when we join your company?" I asked. "You have two choices. First; you can just come to the company for lessons and training. Second; if you guys are not from Ouigab, then you can live in our dorms. "You can have accommodation and food, on our tab; payable when you guys start your careers in the business. Oh! And you can also use beauty products if you want and you can pay them in the future." Ingdon said. So it works like this, huh. Tayaw is training us for free thankfully, but what about anyone else? "What if I don't do well? What happens then?" I asked. "Oh. That's what contracts are for. It will all be in the contract what will happen." Ingdon simply said. Hm. That's a Tayaw style answer. But I trust Tayaw, this guy, I don't. "Alright. I'll talk to my friends later." I said to Ingdon. - An hour passed and I'm back in Ironstone. I went to the bas.e.m.e.nt to use Bay-an's keyboard for pitch training. "Hmm.. HmM.. HMM.. MMM.. MMMMMM.. MMMMM *Cough*" F.u.c.k. I can't concentrate. I could not help but think back on what happened at Alpine Entertainment earlier. I turned off the keyboard and left the studio. A few moments later, I'm in front of Tayaw's door. *Knock Knock* I knocked on the door and shortly after, Tayaw opened his door slightly ajar, peeking out half of his body. "What's up?" Tayaw asked. This guy needs a girlfriend. "I want to talk to you about something." I said. "Alright come in." He said. Hmm. Clean as ever. How does Tayaw do it? I feel like I'm dirtying the room just by entering. "So. Today, after my vocal lesson, there's this guy who approached me" I told Tayaw the entire encounter with Ingdon. "Ah. I didn't know it would happen even though you haven't put out a video in a long time." Tayaw said. So Tayaw expected it to some extent? "Here's the thing with these entertainment companies. This type of raising singers is relatively new, but old at the same time. This style existed in America in the 60s-70s but those companies they trained their singers for free. It was an honest type of investment." Tayaw started. This made sense. I know that there are no certainties in the world. My aunt lost money a couple of times when the albums she invested on didn't sell. But she tries again. "No matter how rich Alpine Entertaiment is, no one likes losing money. You asked what would happen if you don't do well, right?" Tayaw asked. "Yeah. Ingdon said it will be in the contract but he didn't explain." I said. "So they're really that type, huh Well, that's the difference with Alpine's ways to how the American companies did it. Alpine made it a business within a business. Not only would they lend you lessons, they will also put interest in the amount a training singer would use." This gave churned my stomach. "So It's like a loan on a bank?" I asked. "Not only a bank but a gambling business too. They recruit a lot of trainees, but how many really become singers? How then will those who didn't make it pay back their debt?" He said. "I don't know. BUT. Ingdon said they don't really lose money." I said. "Heh. Of course. They won't. You know what would happen to the singers that don't do well? The company would have them would work for them, for as long as it takes, until Alpine gets their money back. That way, they break even." Tayaw said. "But.. That's dishonest." I said, finding it unbelievable. "Well It's not ENTIRELY dishonest. But that's how they do business and it's legal. At least Alpine, if I'm not wrong, is more forthcoming with how they do their business compared to other entertainment companies. They will explain it to the trainees how it will go, so the trainees, theoretically, should know the risks before they sign." Tayaw explained. "If they're forthcoming, why didn't Ingdon tell me?" I asked. "Why would he? That will scare you away. If I would be in his place, I would do the same thing." Tayaw said. I can't believe how shrewd Tayaw actually is. "Here's how it works, if I'm right. Ingdon, right? He will seduce you with all the benefits, the atmosphere, and the positivity of the company." Tayaw explained. I agree. No wonder Ingdon took me for a tour. "What happens next? They will say you're good, you're talented, and you're good looking. They will butter you up and make you feel confident in yourself, confident that you'll make it as a singer. That's when the weight of the risks will start disappearing in your mind until all that remains is that 'I'll surely become a singer.'" Tayaw continued. Yikes. Fortunately, I was wary of Ingdon. And. Thank god Tayaw is already providing me all the stuff I need, no strings attached. "If they are hiring you as a drummer, or the band as a whole, I would think differently. But they want you to dance and sing pop? Then they don't value you as a musician. All they care about is your marketability and how to make money out of you." He concluded. ================================== Dear Readers, I need y'all help. Something happened that restricted the voting of my Novel for 10 or so hours. That 10 hours made the novel drop from Rank 273 to rank 438, which is mindblowing. Hahaha. Anyway. Y'all can help by sparing me some of your valuable power stones. Thank you.
