"They're here already?" Lei Bao raised an eyebrow, then turned to his teammates. "Let's go meet this producer."
"What's so great about a producer? We should focus on rehearsing that cover song."
The other teammates weren't in a good mood anyway and didn't believe the hastily found producer could stand up to Shawn.
"Send him back. Tell him we're discussing our stage song."
"The competition is about to start, time is of the essence."
"Let's not have any disruptions right now."
"He's just a producer, and we have to go meet him personally?"
"Enough!"
Just as they were grumbling, Lei Bao's voice boomed.
As the captain, and with his somewhat imposing appearance, he held significant authority within the band.
His shout silenced everyone.
"Do you know what you're saying? I know you're all upset, but the producer was arranged by the company as a goodwill gesture. Even if you don't want him, you should at least meet him. It's basic respect. And don't get arrogant just because you have some fame in the US. Frankly, you don't deserve it yet."
Lei Bao's words were sharp, leaving them speechless.
He swept his gaze across the silently bowed figures.
Recalling his past experiences with the band members, he shook his head with a pang of regret.
"We used to come together out of passion and dreams. Back then, we were full of hope for the future. For a commercial performance, we'd humble ourselves before the organizers, begging for a chance. Now that we have some fame, you've all gotten too big for your boots?"
His words struck a chord, like a wake-up call in their hearts.
Leopard Band wasn't a professional rock band. Initially, everyone shared a passion for rock and a dream for this path, which brought them together.
Back then, they would beg organizers and program teams for a chance to perform.
Later, they were noticed by Dynasty Entertainment and signed as their artists.
That's how they achieved their current development.
Lei Bao, as captain, understood the pressure his teammates were under when they complained, so he hadn't stopped them.
But Lei Bao found it hard to imagine that the young people who once threw themselves into their dreams would adopt such an attitude towards a producer after achieving fame.
"Remember, as singers, no matter the producer's skill, they deserve our respect!"
There were many singers, but very few songwriters.
It was the producer who chose the singers, not the other way around.
They should show due respect to creators.
"Everyone, a reminder, three minutes have passed. President Wen's original words were for you to be in his office within five minutes, or you won't be able to participate in the competition," a staff member said awkwardly, seeing the heavy atmosphere.
Lei Bao was taken aback, and the other teammates looked up.
"What are you waiting for? Get your asses moving!"
Lei Bao was the first to stand and charge out of the meeting room.
The other teammates followed suit and rushed out.
"Damn, looks like this guy is important!"
"Captain's scolding felt so good. I've really been too arrogant lately."
"I was wrong, I'll adjust my mindset!"
Everyone respected Lei Bao not only for his skills but also for his mindset. Whenever a team member was unhappy or had a shift in attitude, he would pinpoint it directly.
From being an underground band to their current status, Lei Bao was undoubtedly the backbone.
After being scolded, everyone came to their senses. They had been under a lot of pressure lately, which made them irritable. This mindset would not only hinder their performance in the competition but also their ability to perform well.
And, they had indeed become arrogant. If a producer had written songs for them before, they wouldn't have hesitated to meet them, even if it meant kneeling. Now, they were looking down on an ordinary producer.
...
"President Wen, we're here!"
Lei Bao rushed into Wen Sen's live room, gasping for breath.
Then he looked up and froze.
"President Wen!"
"President Wen, we've arrived!"
The other members followed, but upon seeing the person sitting in Wen Sen's office drinking tea, they all stared blankly, as if struck by lightning.
"Ting... Ting Yu?" Lei Bao exclaimed in disbelief.
"Holy crap, Ting Yu!!"
"It's actually Ting Yu!!"
"Oh my god, oh my god, oh my god, my idol, I've met my idol!"
The rest of the team also started screaming.
They looked nothing like a second-tier rock band, but rather like devoted fans of Ting Yu.
"Quiet!" Wen Sen slammed the table. "What kind of behavior is this, a bunch of people shouting like this!"
Su Yu was the helper Lin Chaoyang had invited, and currently the only producer who could rival Shawn.
He didn't want these team members' boisterousness to give Su Yu a bad impression.
"Ting... Teacher Ting Yu, I apologize. We are your loyal fans, and we were too excited to see you arrive," Captain Lei Bao quickly stepped forward to explain.
"It's alright," Su Yu smiled and waved his hand. "Are you the captain of Leopard Band?"
"Yes, yes, my name is Lei Bao, captain and lead vocalist of Leopard Band," Lei Bao replied quickly, then introduced his teammates.
The others looked on with adoration, their previous arrogance completely gone.
"Fortunately, the captain scolded us well!"
"I actually told Ting Yu to come meet me, oh my god!"
"Ting Yu, this is the living Ting Yu!"
The teammates were incredibly excited internally.
Ting Yu's song "Glorious Years" from the previous episode of "Music King of the Era" during their trip to South Africa had captivated all members of Leopard Band.
As a rock band, hearing such a meaningful and grand rock song was indescribable for them at that moment.
It was well known that rock music was very popular in the US, a mainstream genre.
However, rock musicians generally had a poor image. Starting from the 70s, money and pleasure became the labels of rock music.
Although they had all worked hard to improve the reputation over time, many people still held stereotypes about rock musicians.
Ting Yu's song "Glorious Years" undoubtedly injected positive energy into rock music.
"Let's go. Show me your skills and style."
Su Yu didn't say much, but simply stood up. He just needed to understand Leopard Band's style.
The members of Leopard Band quickly stood up and followed Su Yu.
The previous pressure and concerns had vanished, and they even began to anticipate the upcoming competition.
This was Ting Yu!
One of the top producers on Blue Star!
Even Shawn had to use underhanded tactics to compete against him in the US!
This indicated that even Shawn wasn't confident in beating him!
Furthermore, their opponents were using Shawn's song, while they would be using Ting Yu's song.
This would be the first confrontation between Shawn and Ting Yu before "Era Music."
Moreover, with their ongoing online discussions dominating foreign networks, the resulting buzz would be unprecedentedly high!
...
ps: It's New Year's Eve today. Wishing everyone a Happy New Year and great wealth in 2023. Xiang Guo wishes you all a Happy New Year!