Chapter 77

Koby Kale looks a bit like Celine Dion. In Li Jingming's view, all Americans or Caucasians seem a bit older, and there are too many examples of former child stars who have grown up to look worse. Miss Kale is only one year older than Li Jingming, but from her appearance, he felt an urge to call her auntie.

"This young, beautiful, and charming lady must be our Koby Kale. It's an honor to meet you." Li Jingming said insincerely, but his face showed sincerity. As the saying goes, with a bit of flattery, the world is mine.

"Then you are my boss?" In theory, this was the first meeting between Li Jingming and Koby Kale. Koby Kale was very curious about this overly young boss, a young Asian man in his early twenties who could compete with a group of business legends. This was even more difficult than making it in the music industry. The largest shareholder of Facebook, a shareholder of Apple, a shareholder of Google, and an investor in many well-known companies—such a man would be the best son-in-law that the wealthy families would vie for.

"I don't like the term 'boss.' Let's try to think of ourselves as partners. I provide the money, and you provide the effort. I gain profit, and you gain achievement." Li Jingming had been in the United States for a long time and understood the American national character well. As long as you show the right amount of "respect," they will be very willing to work for you. This was just a small trick, but it was very effective in the United States. Not only was Koby Kale satisfied, but the others in the studio also nodded, thinking that Li Jingming would be a good boss.

"I think the term 'partner' is indeed very suitable." Koby Kale walked over and gave Li Jingming a high five, then their hands gripped each other firmly. She was a typical California girl, a bit of a free spirit.

Li Jingming clapped his hands to get everyone's attention, "It's a big weekend, and everyone is still working overtime. I can't be called inhumane, so I'll treat you all to lunch."

"Great, can I have beer too?" Someone immediately cheered. Americans often treat each other to drinks, but not often to meals.

"As long as you don't tear the place apart." Li Jingming didn't mind drinking; Jin C often drank in the studio.

"Koby, what do you want to eat? It's up to your taste." The white-bearded old man was still taking care of the only female present.

Li Jingming spoke while Koby Kale was thinking, "Don't think about the pizza place. Think about steak, think about a Chinese feast. Think about something that truly suits our taste."

"Oh, right, that's true." These people often ordered pizza while recording music and were almost sick of it. Pizza delivery in the United States is quick and convenient, and it's also cheap. Now that Li Jingming offered to treat them to something else, they were naturally happy.

After the group decided, they ordered a big seafood meal from Wenji Seafood for lunch. This small expense was nothing to Li Jingming, but it was a good way to win people's hearts. As the saying goes, "He who pays the piper calls the tune." These are the great wisdoms of the Heavenly Empire, and Li Jingming's trip to the Heavenly Empire was a lifetime benefit.

Before the big meal arrived, everyone was already full of energy. The current progress was recording Koby Kale's second song, "Realize" (don't be fooled by the title of this chapter; it's different from the "Realize" you might be thinking of). However, the recording was a bit stuck, always failing to find the right feel. Koby Kale and her father were very serious about this album, trying to make each song a classic. This was their ambitious work, and the arrangement was discussed by several professional musicians, but they couldn't come to a conclusion. After the song got stuck, these musicians naturally couldn't rest well, always thinking about it, and it wasn't an exaggeration to say they couldn't sleep at night. This was why they came to work on the weekend. The recording of this song would be a challenging process. Now, the method they were using was the most foolish but also the most powerful way to crack a code: trial and error. They would try every method they could think of, and eventually, one would work.

Now, they were about to record the latest version. Li Jingming put on the monitoring headphones, and the best equipment ensured he could hear every tiny detail. After a clear guitar sound, Koby Kale's voice immediately followed. The song almost had no introduction, but it had to be said that Koby Kale's voice was excellent. It's no wonder she had a large following online even before her debut, with her blog getting 50,000 to 60,000 visits daily. Koby Kale's voice and singing skills were top-notch, shaped by years of training and natural talent. However, as the others in the studio said, the song lacked a certain flavor, and it was a serious issue. The song's inner essence wasn't expressed. It couldn't be blamed on Koby Kale, as she sang perfectly, but the experienced producers had discussed the arrangement and made no significant progress.

"Let's do it again. No need to sing live; just play the previous version." Li Jingming closed his eyes, feeling a vague sense coming to him. He took a deep breath and listened carefully. As Koby Kale sang, his hand lifted slightly, tapping the air as if hitting the music's beats. When the song ended, he remained silent for a long time, and finally, a smile slowly appeared on his lips. "Alright, I found it."

Li Jingming had already gained the recognition of these musicians as a boss, but he dared to say he could solve a problem they hadn't figured out in two days, which made them a bit dissatisfied. In any industry, the worst thing is for an outsider to lead an insider. To these professional musicians, Li Jingming, just by his age, was twenty years younger than them. They didn't think he could compare to them in terms of experience or musical sense. However, Li Jingming was their boss, and he had left a good impression. They also wanted to see what kind of music he could create.

"Koby, keep singing as you were. Ignore me. No matter what I do, just sing the song as you did before, okay?" Li Jingming first arranged for Koby Kale, then turned to the sound engineer. "When my hand changes from a fist to an open palm and I make an explosion gesture, please insert my voice, slightly lower it."

"Alright, I'll watch for the gesture and record it again." Ken Kale nodded first, and the others had no objections, watching Li Jingming confidently walk into the recording booth.

"Only now do I realize the warmth of your body." Koby Kale's first line was clear and bright, very good.

"Like a tide, only now do I realize."

"I'm with you, how can you ignore me, I can't piece it together."

Koby Kale sang the first few lines as before, and Li Jingming did nothing. The others outside were a bit disappointed, except for Jin C, who still had high hopes, whether out of camaraderie or genuine confidence in Li Jingming's talent. After three lines, Li Jingming made the explosion gesture with his right hand, and the sound engineer inserted his voice as instructed.

"This is not simple at all..." Just this one line made the people outside sit up straight. Li Jingming's voice entered at the perfect moment, and it turned out that the song was missing this harmony.

Li Jingming only followed the singing, but his voice was ethereal, faintly there but hard to grasp. It was this voice that transformed "Realize" from lacking a certain flavor to being stunning. Many songs need harmonies, and while solo singing is possible, harmonies can significantly enhance certain songs, like "Realize."

Koby Kale was the most shocked. She thought Li Jingming was just a business genius, but she didn't expect him to have such musical talent. Many people think singing is just singing, what's so hard about it, but these people often have no concept of pitch or timing. In fact, there is a lot of knowledge in singing. While some can sing well without formal training, to reach the pinnacle, systematic learning is essential. For Koby Kale, who had been learning singing since childhood, singing was even more difficult than playing an instrument. Li Jingming's casual performance gave her a great shock; she could feel that his singing skills were even better than hers. Sometimes, God is particularly kind to certain people, opening both the door and the window.

"Wow, unbelievable, this song is now perfect." Ken Kale led the applause. Thanks to Li Jingming's outstanding performance and Koby Kale's two days of practice, the song was directly approved, ready to be used as the final version.

"I didn't expect our boss to have such talent. Did you study music?" The middle-aged man who had asked for beer earlier inquired.

Li Jingming winked, "Yes, Wudang Mountain Music Academy."

"Is it a private school? I've never heard of it." The man scratched his head; he had been to many countries but was unfamiliar with this name.

"Sort of." This was a school Li Jingming had privately invented, a kind of "private" school.

"Hey, Jamie, I'm thinking of putting your name on this album. How about a feat?" Ken Kale asked Li Jingming. While it was a good thing for ordinary artists, Li Jingming's status was different, and he was afraid Li Jingming had other plans. Strictly speaking, Li Jingming didn't qualify as a feat, as he only sang a few lines, but his role was undeniable, especially since the others had discussed for two days without a solution. Everyone agreed to put Li Jingming's name on the album.

"Why not? I'd be happy to have my name next to Koby's." Li Jingming also flattered Koby Kale a bit.

Everyone started to cheer, jokingly trying to pair Li Jingming and Koby Kale. Americans are like this; they can have a fling even while buying something at a convenience store, and it's even more common for people with good relationships to have ambiguous relationships.

When the big meal arrived, everyone's attention immediately shifted to the food. No matter where you are in the world, there is always a creature called a foodie. When faced with delicious food, who cares about joking with Li Jingming? Having solved the problem of one song, everyone was much more relaxed, and this meal was very enjoyable. Li Jingming was also very happy, but halfway through, his phone vibrated.

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