Lauren's song was naturally the most anticipated, even more so than Sean's.
As an Englishman, he held the advantage of home ground, making him the undisputed focal point among the eight producers that night.
"This feeling, it's just so incredible!" Lauren had never imagined that one day everyone's gaze would be fixed on him, anticipating his work with such eagerness.
He crossed his legs, his toes tapping to the rhythm of the music, a look of intoxication on his face.
Of course, he wasn't intoxicated by the song itself, but by the intoxicating feeling of hard-won attention.
As the prelude began, the deep tones of the cello cast a layer of mystery over the entire venue.
The song told the story of "The Case of the Double" from the Sherlock Holmes book. Its melody was mysterious, and the lyrics also evoked an atmosphere of detective suspense.
Coupled with Mina's low, resonant voice, it achieved a perfect synergy.
As the music gradually intensified, Mina's melody climbed higher, culminating in a vocal passage that pushed the atmosphere to its climax!
"I've got goosebumps listening to this. Mina truly is Doyle's granddaughter, perfectly capturing the suspenseful essence of his stories!"
"I have to say, Lauren's song is top-tier when it comes to detective themes. I even think it could be used as the theme song for 'Sherlock'!"
"A testament to the birthplace of detective culture, Lauren has delivered an astonishing performance this week!"
"It's over, how can Ting Yu compete now? Even if Sean were here, he might not win against this song."
"Lauren, the chosen one, has directly targeted his strongest genre!"
The audience cheered.
While everyone had their favorite producers, a truly great song was worthy of their enthusiastic applause.
Moreover, Mina's popularity was significant even on a global scale. Both in terms of appearance and talent, Mina ranked among the top young female singers worldwide.
"Hmph, look at him basking in his own glory," Roman muttered enviously.
Luo Suofu was incredibly envious, "I wish I could be in the spotlight like him, even in my dreams..."
Indeed, since the beginning of the program, he hadn't won a single match. From his first encounter with Ting Yu to his second with Sean, he had been utterly outclassed. Facing the two strongest producers in the first two rounds, Luo Suofu felt he had the worst luck imaginable, as if he were cursed.
With such results, even if he managed to win against weaker producers in the losers' bracket later on, it wouldn't mean much.
Thinking of this, he glanced at Roman, and a sense of shared misfortune suddenly arose between them.
Fellow sufferers of the same fate, their mutual understanding instantly ignited!
"Hahaha, Lauren is amazing. After the show, this song might even surpass mine on the Time Music Charts." Sean was in high spirits. When they had exchanged demos in their group chat, Lauren's initial draft was already quite good, and with everyone's collaborative refinement, Lauren's song could undoubtedly be considered one of his top three career works.
Letting Lauren lead for once was no issue for Sean. As long as Ting Yu lost, that was all that mattered. Because if Ting Yu lost even one match, Sean would become the top-ranked contestant on the points chart, with no one able to surpass him. He would win the "Time Music King" championship by stepping on everyone else!
"I believe everyone has been looking forward to this for a long time. Next, let's welcome the program's strongest dark horse producer, Ting Yu!"
The host's voice echoed throughout the venue!
Simultaneously, the audience erupted in a wave of passionate cheers!
Even though they felt Ting Yu would likely lose this round.
But that didn't mean they didn't support this dark horse.
Although Ting Yu's opponents in the first two rounds weren't particularly strong, he had genuinely held the top spot on the points chart for two months. This exposure on the world stage had piqued the interest of many, leading them to listen to his previous songs, instantly winning them over to this young man who was only around twenty years old!
Of course, a significant portion were also attracted by his looks. After all, Ting Yu's charisma was arguably the peak among the eight producers, surpassing even the playboy Jin Chengxian!
On stage, Su Yu wore a black trench coat, while Lin Yanyu was in a red gown that perfectly accentuated her graceful figure. They stood hand in hand, smiling towards the audience.
"I heard Ting Yu is performing a duet this round?" the host asked, looking at his script with surprise.
"That's right, a duet." Su Yu felt Lin Yanyu's small hand was a bit cold and couldn't help but tighten his grip on it with a smile.
Lin Yanyu's career in the Chinese entertainment industry was nearing its peak. If she wanted to continue growing, she had to venture onto the world stage. Su Yu's intention this time was to make her familiar to the global audience.
Furthermore, Lin Yanyu's talent was not weak. Coupled with his guidance, she was no less formidable than any top-tier singer. It was time for her to step out of the Chinese entertainment scene and face the world.
"We look forward to your performances!" The host asked a few more questions, gestured to them, and then exited the stage.
Su Yu looked at Lin Yanyu beside him, "Are you ready?"
Hearing this, she took a deep breath and smiled sweetly at him, "Ready!"
The camera zoomed in, displaying their exchanged glances to the audience.
"Ting Yu's songwriting is different this time; even the arrangement took two hours."
"It shows he doesn't have much confidence himself. Otherwise, at his usual pace, ten minutes would be enough."
"I'm a long-time fan of Ting Yu from China. When I watched the live broadcast, his song used many instruments. However, the crucial scenes were muted by the production crew to avoid spoilers, so I lean towards Ting Yu preparing a surprise."
"Since you're his fan from China, you should know when Ting Yu has ever taken this long to write a song. Don't get your hopes up. The detective genre isn't his forte. Losing to Lauren, though regrettable, isn't shameful."
"It's indeed not shameful. Lauren is on home turf this week!"
"Even so, if Ting Yu, this dark horse, actually loses, then Sean will secure the first place. Won't the competition lose a lot of its fun?"
"Sean should be first anyway. This is a professional competition; why the need for mysterious fun?"
While the audience debated, the production crew had finished their preparations.
Smoke rose, accompanied by the flickering shadows of leaves, igniting a tense atmosphere with just the stage setup alone. In the mist, Su Yu's figure could be seen faintly, seated before a piano.
Lin Yanyu, in her red gown, sat on a prop staircase, revealing her fair ankle. Her lips were slightly pursed, exuding an alluring charm.
The dim lighting enveloped her in darkness, leaving only her graceful silhouette.
The prelude began, with the crisp notes of the piano carrying a sense of mystery from the unknown.
As the strings joined in, a mysterious and melancholic emotion surged, and with the continuation of the prelude, the sense of suspense grew ever stronger!