Chapter 109: They Should Be Thanking Me

[Chapter 109: They Should Be Thanking Me]

Forty minutes later, Ryan emerged looking like he had just walked out of a gym, sweat glistening on his forehead. As a DJ, it was crucial to pump up the energy in the room; when it was time to dance, he'd better get people moving. He mentally noted the need to install air conditioning above his DJ booth -- it was getting steamy in there.

"We're about to hit midnight, and Tiesto is about to take the stage, but before that, I've got something even more important to announce: I've officially launched my record label, right here!"

Ryan pointed above him.

"That's right, this venue is now home to my record label! This is not just a nightclub -- it's also a recording studio, where our artists will perform. Not only that, but we'll be releasing exclusive tracks that you can only hear here!" Ryan enunciated for emphasis.

The crowd erupted into cheers, many women riding piggyback on their boyfriends, hands raised in excitement.

"Rave After Rave is the first exclusive track! But wait, there's something even more important I need to share."

"I still have something more important to announce."

"Where's the staff?" Ryan suddenly inquired.

Backstage, the crew at the computer looked half-asleep. Joel and Diplo rushed over to check the situation. The crew member took off his headphones and started typing on the keyboard.

At that moment, a massive screen behind Ryan lit up with a photo that dominated the three-story high display. It looked like someone's bedroom exuding a homely atmosphere.

On the desk in the photo, alongside a computer, were a number of music equipment and cables, all tangled up on the floor.

"This... is my bedroom," Ryan explained, pointing behind him. "It's where my musical journey began, so when I thought about starting my record label, this was the first place that came to mind."

The large screen changed again, now showcasing a sleek black logo.

"To commemorate this moment, I've named the record label 'The Bedroom'..."

...

"He still can't come up with a name," Taylor chimed in, propping her chin in her hand, laughing. This was perhaps the only area where Ryan fell short.

Despite the underwhelming name, the audience roared with approval.

...

"And my personal debut EP..." Ryan quickly moved on to the next part, the screen behind him changing yet again.

"Homework! In homage to Daft Punk, I've given the EP the same name. This EP is my homework, right?"

Ryan had spent a pretty penny to buy the master rights back from Scooter; he needed to recoup that cost.

"Including tonight's exclusive track, there are five singles in total, and the EP is already being pressed, set to hit the shelves soon. We're also designing a collector's edition."

"Of course, Taylor has her new album coming out soon as well. You all know there have been some delays due to her label being acquired, creating some hiccups..." Ryan said with a chuckle.

In order to reconcile with Scott, Ryan had postponed Taylor's new project to give her ample exposure and time.

The audience, of course, was aware of what had happened, and they collectively began to chant.

"She's in the VIP lounge on the second floor! Give everyone a wave, sweetheart!" Ryan beckoned to Taylor.

...

In an instant, everyone turned to look up. Taylor, who had initially covered her mouth in laughter, raised both hands, forming a heart shape.

That heart gesture, along with her signature hair flip and quirky dance moves, had become Taylor's trademark trio.

...

"And finally, it's time to unveil my nightclub brand! To distinguish it from the record label, I changed one letter." Ryan continued.

"Bad Room! That's my personal nightclub brand. I know we have folks here tonight from New York and even beyond. The plan is to expand Bad Room to major cities across the US next year."

Bad Room was expensive; quick expansion required leverage, which in turn needed a loan from the bank. Coincidentally, at that time, the financial crisis had hit, but Taylor's dad had mentioned that to stimulate the economy, funding costs would be exceptionally low for these two years. Ryan decided to take advantage of this rare opportunity to expand Bad Room across the country.

...

After hosting his first "brand launch event," Ryan returned backstage, feeling buoyant. Daddario quickly handed him a water cup and helped him wipe the sweat from his brow.

Their closeness didn't go unnoticed by the staff, including several DJs, but everyone just looked the other way since it was Ryan's personal affair.

As for Tiesto, he couldn't help but put on a stern face, heading on stage to perform about an hour later, marking the opening night at last.

From around 2 a.m., people slowly started leaving, and by 4 a.m., most had finally cleared out.

...

"I know... It's fine," Ryan said as he hung up the phone. David Guetta had called, wanting to take the Bad Room stage too.

Though Tiesto's performance didn't dazzle quite like Ryan's, he hadn't mentioned any intention to leave. In fact, he wanted to perform for a few more days since the atmosphere was electric. Other DJs shared the same sentiment; establishing a foothold here equated to breaking into the American market. After all, there weren't many DJs like Ryan around.

Nightclubs and stages went hand in hand; a DJ could make a nightclub successful, while a uniquely positioned nightclub could elevate a DJ's career. Many DJs considered performing in iconic venues a privilege. This was Ryan's aim; he saw Bad Room as not just a cash cow but also a crucial piece of the DJ industry chain, strategically valuable backed by the American consumer market.

Seeing Ryan finish the call, Sean continued his report, "All the drinks have sold out, even the cherry cola."

"With the drinks included, what was the average spend per guest?"

Sean reported an unexpectedly high figure, then cautioned, "But the crowd tonight wasn't exactly cash-strapped, so average spending will likely skew higher compared to future patrons."

At that moment, a server rushed in, "Sir, the crowd has thinned out outside. Aside from the group of fans you mentioned, there are a dozen unclaimed girls left, and they're barely awake."

"If we can find their phones, let's notify their families," Ryan suggested.

"Most don't have their phones; some aren't even in their clothes..." the server explained.

"Then let's just put them all in the lounge and have two female waitresses take care of them. We'll count it as overtime." Ryan decided, unable to think of a better solution at the moment. He certainly couldn't take everyone home with him.

"Oh, right! What about the fans? They're still waiting to see you?" Sean hurriedly asked.

"Almost forgot about them. Have Daddario drive a few people to grab some snacks," Ryan said.

...

Forty minutes later, Ryan arrived in the main hall to find the group of female fans surrounding Taylor. It seemed they had already gone through the motions of taking photos and signing autographs, now engaged in casual conversation.

"You're so much prettier in person!"

"Your skin is incredible!"

Daddario returned with a few people, hands laden with bags of food.

"Today was a bit special, so we could only think of these things on the fly. But don't worry, there will be compensations for all of you," Ryan said, handing out food, only to be pulled aside by Taylor.

"Is it okay to treat fans like this?" Taylor expressed her concerns, worried about how it might look if word got out and affect Ryan negatively.

Taylor's career was a perfect embodiment of her manager's mantra: "If you want to sell 500,000 albums, you need to meet 500,000 people." Her frequent interactions with fans displayed a level of warmth, which was reciprocated in her sold-out tours, mostly in large arenas -- a rarity for female artists. To top it off, she had an astonishing record of nearly 600 shows by end of 2024.

In contrast, Mariah Carey had only 350 shows under her belt, including fifty in Las Vegas, while Madonna had merely pulled off 700 shows since she began touring in the '80s. However, that was a conversation for another day.

"Not okay? They should be thanking me," Ryan smiled.

Taylor shook her head but noticed one fan clutching her food, clearly not ready to eat and even shedding tears.

Initially thinking this girl felt shortchanged, Taylor rushed over to comfort her.

"No, I just think this food is so special; I want to take it home as a keepsake..." The fan tears streamed down her cheeks, not from sadness but sheer excitement.

Taylor sighed, shooting a glance at Ryan, who was stifling a laugh.

Ryan made up his mind; he would take the opportunities Taylor didn't and seize the chances she hesitated to explore.

Just then, as he pondered how to market the collector's edition of the EP, a fresh idea sparked in Ryan's mind...

*****

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