Chapter 23: This Coke is Really Good

[Chapter 23: This Coke is Really Good]

"High school and college students across the country are on spring break! I just want to take a few days off, what's the big deal? Why do you have more questions than Rick Barter's?" Taylor mumbled, fully outfitted with a baseball cap in a restaurant.

[A/N: Rick Barter is Taylor's manager during the Big Machine era, from WME.]

"The others were already preparing to return to Nashville, and Taylor suddenly said that she wanted to come over, so she came to Miami with me to watch your show," Abigail chimed in.

"I'm not here to see your show; I just happened to be passing through. By the way, that dance track sounds pretty good. I have to admit, you're way more talented in that area than in country music," Taylor raised an eyebrow and objectively commented on Ryan.

Ryan brought up his recent conversation with Deadmau5, clearly unhappy about the unfair division of profits.

"40%? It's not easy to get a record label to budge, and Deadmau5 wasn't entirely wrong; that is pretty much the industry norm," Taylor confirmed Deadmau5's point.

"What about the record deal you signed with Big Machine?" Ryan inquired next.

Taylor shook her head. "Sorry, I can't disclose the specifics of my contract."

Ryan mentioned that he was going to check out several satellite events for the Winter Music Conference the following day and chat with people from the A&R department at various labels. This department was responsible for discovering and nurturing artists, signing contracts with them, and connecting them with suitable songwriters and producers. It essentially served as the bridge between record labels and emerging talent.

Still, considering the so-called "industry norms," Ryan didn't hold out much hope for those discussions.

Abigail then shared her plans: "Taylor came to Miami last year, and this time, she wanted to go somewhere different."

"Why not head over to the Redneck Mud Park in Punta Gorda? They're hosting a wild truck event there in a couple of days," Ryan suggested.

Punta Gorda was a small town in Florida that drew plenty of Southern folks every year for the wild truck events. Modified trucks rolled through the mud, accompanied by Southern belles in bikinis and plenty of barbecue, capturing the authentic redneck vibe.

However, while such events might appeal more to guys, they weren't necessarily everyone's cup of tea.

Just short of better ideas, they reluctantly agreed.

"As for me, I've got to head back to school after the Winter Music Conference," Ryan announced, knowing he had to get back to his studies or else Trey would be upset.

"Do you really need to be that diligent about homework? Let Abigail tutor you later," Taylor immediately suggested.

"Yeah, Ryan, are you really going to make us girls drive a monster truck without you?" Abigail also insisted on Ryan staying.

Outnumbered by the two girls, Ryan ultimately conceded.

"So what's the plan for tomorrow?" Ryan asked.

Abigail expressed her desire to spend time with Ryan, while Taylor, initially keen on exploring Miami, realized she'd have to stick with Ryan as well.

...

That night, the three stayed at the Marriott by Biscayne Bay, without a care in the world.

The next morning, Ryan and the girls arrived at the main venue with invitations from Deadmau5. It felt like an electronic music festival, with various DJ equipment manufacturers setting up booths and displays showcasing cutting-edge VJ technology. There were also a lot of independent European record labels present, many of which Ryan had never heard of, but the A&R staff recognized him from his earlier performance on the main stage.

In just one overnight performance, Ryan had already made an impression on those who mattered.

However, as Ryan anticipated, the independent labels seemed to offer enticing perks like artist training, but ultimately, they were just variations of advances. It was still the artists who bore the costs, and the terms regarding core interests were harsh.

...

After an afternoon of meeting numerous A&R staff, Ryan grew increasingly disillusioned about signing a deal.

"But you've got to choose one," Taylor, who was in the lounge area holding a large iced drink, remarked. She was decked out in her hat, sunglasses, and a mask, trying not to be recognized, even though she was only somewhat famous -- perhaps a bit excessive.

"Didn't you also not choose back in the day?" Ryan replied, sitting down.

Taylor had opted not to continue with RCA four years ago.

"My situation isn't the same as yours... I had my dad negotiating with RCA back then, and he reached out to several friends. Eventually, our manager got in touch with Scott," Taylor explained.

Her narrative differed from the popular version, where Scott supposedly saw Taylor perform at Bluebird Cafe and felt amazed. The truth was, she had already been in touch with Scott before that performance.

From how Taylor spoke, it felt like her dad had considerable influence. "Plus, I felt I shouldn't wait any longer. I had confidence in myself and knew I could write songs that would grab attention," Taylor recalled her mindset back then.

"Exactly, I have faith in myself, too," Ryan slowly replied.

If anything, it wasn't just self-confidence but more about a sense of Deja Vu for Ryan. To him, the key to fame relied on making the right connections; if that sense came only once, then signing with any label would be pointless. On the flip side, if that feeling continued to bring him hit songs, he wouldn't need to worry about pleasing record labels.

His seemingly ordinary statement, however, prompted Taylor to pause. She instinctively looked up, catching a glimpse of Ryan's profile from her angle.

In that moment, she felt that Ryan reminded her of herself from a few years back, stirring a faint sense of nostalgia.

Just then, Abigail came back, holding two messy hot dogs.

"What are you two chatting about over here?" Abigail asked, eyeing her friend suspiciously.

"Just about how record labels can chew you up and don't even spit your bones out!" Taylor replied, taking a hot dog and immediately wiping off the colorful sauces that made it rather "messy."

"This thing is going to turn me into a fat bitch," Taylor complained, pulling down her mask so she could have a bite while trying to avoid getting her lipstick on the food.

"Really good," Taylor exclaimed, nearly bouncing on her feet, but still twisted the sausage out with her fingers and put it on Ryan's hot dog.

"But I just can't eat this," she said, shaking her head with a pout.

Seeing this unfold, Abigail frowned. "You're turning into a skeleton!"

Then Abigail noticed Ryan digging into the sausage that Taylor had bitten into, which only worsened her mood, prompting her to squeeze into the space between Ryan and Taylor.

...

After escaping the Winter Music Conference, the three returned to the main stage in the evening. The two-day Ultra Music Festival had eight stages and more than 140 DJs in attendance. At that moment, a DJ from the UK named Calvin Harris performed on the main stage.

This time, the crowd was even smaller than the previous day, and the atmosphere felt lackluster. The trio then moved to the indoor stage "Carl Cox & Friends" to watch the live performance of DJ David Guetta from France.

None of the acts left Ryan with a lasting impression. However, Taylor was on another level of excitement, dancing hard until she was drenched in sweat.

Ryan began to notice the audience shifting toward the main stage. He learned that Armin Van Buuren, aka Armin, the previous year's number one DJ, would be performing next. Like Tiesto, he was from the electronic music powerhouse of the Netherlands.

Armin was recognized for his euphoric music, blending the driving rhythms of techno with melodic hooks of house, making it a genre that borrowed from the best of electronic music.

...

Not long after they arrived at the main stage, night fell completely. Ryan saw people nearby popping molly and immediately swinging into a trance, while others were laughing hysterically after taking inhalants. In the distance, someone stood still like a statue, appearing as if they were a zombie... Clearly, as the music intensified, the crowd started to "unleash."

Ryan felt a bit nervous for Armin standing onstage. He led the girls away from the crowd, just as they bumped into a group of eccentrically dressed folks, which made him realize they had wandered into the "tent area."

Not far off, a man with brown skin wearing a bikini yet sporting a thick gray beard approached them quickly, grabbing a drink from a nearby table.

"Try this happiness drink; you will have a night like no other!" He handed drinks to Ryan and Taylor.

Ryan kept shaking his head, stepping back a couple of paces.

"Burp!" Taylor set her cup down, letting out a burp. She felt a bit thirsty.

"This Coke is pretty good," she said, noticing the perplexed looks from Ryan and Abigail and breaking into a goofy smile.

*****

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