Chapter 62: Vocal Magic

[Chapter 62: Vocal Magic]

In Scott Borchetta's office, Ryan, Taylor, and Scooter gathered, along with Taylor's album producer, Nathan Chapman. Music filled the air with Ryan's produced demo of Wake Me Up.

Thanks to Joel's connections, Ryan had gotten his hands on a well-preserved 1996 Roland JP-8000. This synthesizer looked like a keyboard with a multitude of buttons, and the "supersaw" sound resembled something magnificent swirling in Ryan's mind. By sampling this sound and feeding it into FL Studio, then enhancing it with effects plugins, he finally crafted the sound he envisioned.

As the one-minute demo wrapped up, Ryan offered the melody alongside his own vocals. He looked anxiously at the others, and even Scooter, who was not musically inclined, had his eyes wide in surprise.

Taylor furrowed her brow, clearly lost in thought. Did Ryan really just blend country and pop music together? Not only had he achieved that, but it felt as if these two genres belonged together all along. Taylor even shivered slightly.

Nathan Chapman, already well-regarded in the industry as a producer and arranger, stared in astonishment. As someone well-versed in the musical art, he believed he could never produce something of this caliber. How had Ryan conceived this? Had he received guidance from some underground source? Or was he part of an underground group himself? With that helmet on previously, perhaps he had simply changed his persona.

Nathan began scrutinizing Ryan's physique, comparing him to the image of Daft Punk he held in his mind.

"Ryan, you're incredible!" Taylor was the first to react, rushing forward and wrapping Ryan in a hug.

"When do we start recording?" She planted a kiss on his cheek, eager to get started on such groundbreaking work.

The others couldn't help but smile, with Big Machine's Scott particularly joyous. Usually, Taylor's straightforward nature and formidable background allowed her to brush Scott aside with an "I don't care," but now she finally had someone who could reign her in, which made him happy.

Scooter began nodding his head to the rhythm, feeling the magic of good electronic music that could make one forget everything and dance freely on the floor. In some ways, it acted similarly to party "enhancements," and Ryan's song was at least a triple dose of euphoria.

Scooter's mind wandered to the upcoming party. Sending Ryan out there would surely create an incredible atmosphere. He thought, remembering that he was promoting the event this year.

"Even though I'm no expert in music, I can tell it's catchy," Scooter attempted to express.

Nathan replied with a grin, "In pop music, it's often the opinions of non-professionals that carry the most weight. After all, pop is meant for the masses, and all they want is one thing -- something that sounds good."

Ryan's Wake Me Up fit perfectly into that category. The previous two tracks had been electronic music but lacked lyrics, whereas this one was different. In reality, it had a broader potential audience than the earlier ones.

"This song definitely has mainstream potential," Scott agreed, nodding. As someone with years of experience in the record industry, he possessed a keen market instinct.

"Let's set up a serious discussion then," Scooter suggested, as he seated himself directly across from him.

"Of course, but this deal might not be entirely in our favor; Taylor is quite generous, so we might only get the smaller share," Scott replied somewhat resignedly. It was clear he had already discussed this with Taylor, and once again, she was taking the lead in negotiations.

Scooter turned, surprised, to see Taylor enwrapped around Ryan's arm, seemingly unwilling to let go. He shifted his gaze back to Ryan, chuckling to himself. This unexpected turn was a delightful surprise -- Ryan had somehow captured the attention of the country beauty.

"Not bad, kid," Scooter thought to himself, recognizing that gaining Taylor's partnership was a valuable investment. Having the CMA New Artist of the Year beside him would surely smooth Ryan's journey in the industry.

Negotiations went surprisingly well; Big Machine was willing to concede many details from the outset. This track would not only serve as Ryan's single but would also appear on Taylor's EP set to release the following month.

"Great, should we begin recording today?" Scooter tentatively asked.

Ryan glanced over at Taylor.

"I'm a bit busy today, but..." Taylor looked at Ryan, gauging his presence.

"I can push everything else back," she offered quickly.

...

In Blackbird Studio, Scooter paced back and forth, peering through the glass to see Taylor inside the recording booth, headphones on, singing into the mic. Ryan and Nathan sat outside in the control room, both wearing monitoring headphones, deeply listening to Taylor's vocals. Their expressions reflected a mix of focus and concern.

After a brief trial run, Taylor exited the booth.

"How did it feel?" she asked Ryan.

He shared a glance with Nathan.

"You go ahead," Nathan said promptly, rising to step outside.

"You sure know how to make a quick exit," Ryan muttered under his breath.

"Was it bad?" Taylor's smile vanished.

"You sound amazing, but I think the song's style doesn't quite match your voice," Ryan reassured her, nodding firmly. "In my vision, I believe a male vocalist would suit this song better."

While Taylor had exceptional writing skills, she wasn't without her weaknesses -- such as her vocal ability. In simpler terms, her singing style was more straightforward, lacking the refined techniques that would do justice to a song like Wake Me Up.

Taylor tilted her head slightly, leaning in closer, "Are you saying you don't want me?"

She had never displayed this kind of reaction before, even after accepting the complexities of her shadow relationship. Ryan shook his head quickly, wanting to clarify that it wasn't dismissal but rather a pursuit of the best outcome for the song.

"You actually think I'm inadequate!" Taylor crossed playfully over to Ryan and shook him by the shoulders.

Scooter, unable to suppress his amusement, simply shook his head and left them to handle it.

Deep down, Taylor knew her vocal skills weren't the most impressive, unable to give the proper interpretation, but putting that aside, Ryan had effectively eliminated her from consideration.

"How about this? I'll create a revised version, one that fits your country style better." Ryan's mind sparked at the idea; the song could be showcased in two versions -- one sung by Taylor, and another by a different singer, or even himself if need be, although his own singing skills were not vastly superior to Taylor's.

"Right! Now you're acting like a real producer! That's a great idea!" Taylor exclaimed, her spirits lifting instantly.

"A song that doesn't suit you, I can definitely turn it into something you can sing," Ryan confidently stated, even though the original concept was already ready.

"Ryan, I'm already thinking about what I should reward you with," Taylor replied, inching her face closer, a few centimeters apart.

Ryan, resting a hand on her waist, found himself pondering over that.

If it weren't for Nathan Chapman and Scooter waiting outside, they would have likely made their way to the lounge for some private time.

...

"A new version?" Nathan's expression shifted to one of curiosity upon hearing the news.

To be honest, he felt a tinge of guilt. From what Ryan had shared, the song would be reimagined into an unplugged version. As a fellow producer, Nathan understood that reworking a song was easy, but executing it brilliantly was a challenge. Ryan's tone suggested he was confident and ready.

It hadn't been long since Nathan first met Ryan; he was progressing at an astonishing speed. Nathan recalled Ryan's initial nerves and apprehension -- the transformation over such a short time was remarkable.

On the other hand, Scooter's reaction was not quite as jubilant as Taylor's upon receiving that news.

"Taylor performed beautifully; there's no need to replace her," Scooter insisted, subtly praising Taylor.

"Forget it; having me sing the original would be a disaster," Taylor replied with a laugh, shaking her head. Since Ryan was preparing a new version, whether she could sing the original became less relevant.

Scooter probed Ryan lightly, only to find him steadfast in his decision, leaving Scooter a bit frustrated.

Ryan's new version for Taylor meant he was securing royalty shares as a songwriter and producer, effectively collaborating directly with Big Machine while leaving Scooter's label on the outside. Conversely, if the original version didn't feature Taylor, Ryan would need to find someone else to collaborate with -- leaving Scooter feeling a little lost in the business details.

"According to the contract, the label can't restrict you as a songwriter or producer from making songs for others, but while the original song's rights are under contract with us, creating other versions for someone else infringes on our rights. Without my permission, you cannot create new versions," Scooter stated firmly, fully aware that reasoning with infatuated young people rarely worked, pulling out the contract to emphasize his point.

*****

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