Huayu: Starting from the top talent show

Chapter 388 If I'm not Goat, then who is?
After watching the show, we went for a night out, and then played mahjong.

The leisurely and pleasant rest time has come to an end.

A highly motivated workday begins.

Meanwhile, the full list of nominees for this year's MTV Europe Music Awards (EMA) was also released.

Shen Juan received nine nominations for his chart-topping hit album "Leviathan," leading the field.

In addition, Ariana Grande had 8 awards, and Li Na and Billie Eilish had 6.

There is no doubt that this year's awards season will be a bountiful one for him, and he may make up for everything he missed last year.

Then, at the Paris concert, Shen Juan brought over Adele's 2022 concert concept in advance.

When they finished singing "Lucky Me" and took their final bow, they staged a grand exit that sent the 40,000 spectators at the La Défense Arena into a frenzy, quickly going viral on social media platforms and video websites, leaving behind another iconic scene of "red petals raining down like a storm."

He's so handsome that his fans are weak in the knees, and his peers are envious.

It's estimated that it won't be long before his fellow singers will replicate his exit and call it a "tribute".

After the three-day concert ended, Shen Juan spent another three days in France transforming into a duck king, flying all over the country, and diligently filmed global advertisements for six brands, including Louis Vuitton, Saint Laurent, and Guerlain.

Time flew by and it was the morning of the 10th.

The group finally finished their trip to France and boarded a flight to London to begin the next leg of their tour.

Shen Juan is chatting with BIG3 in the Burning Winter group.

It wasn't a good idea to keep leaving their cats and dogs at a pet store, so they were also returning to China today.

However, Sister Tian will be coming to London again in a couple of days.

It was her birthday, and she wanted to spend it with Shen Juan.

Seeing Shen Juan typing away furiously, looking extremely busy, Yangyang Jin frowned and asked, "How's it going? Do you still have time to stop and talk to me about work?"

"Yes, yes." Shen Juan sent a final message, then sat up and replied, "Yangyang, you tell me."

“Okay.” Yangyang Jin took out her tablet and swiped it a few times. “Didn’t you tell Republic that you wanted to release the pre-release single early? If you still plan to release the song in November, then let’s confirm the specific release date now. We need to give them some time to develop a promotional plan.”

"Which days in November are Fridays?" Shen Juan asked.

In his plan, he intends to release his first song in November this year, his second song in January next year, and then release the complete EP in February when it will be inconvenient for him to travel abroad.

“1号、8号、15号、22号、29号。”

After a moment's thought, Shen Juan replied, "Then let's go with number 1."

The song "Save Your Tears" originally performed only moderately well, and could only be considered an ordinary minor hit.

The truly amazing and viral hit was actually The Weeknd and Ariana Grande's remix version, which formed the North American "Phoenix Legend".

However, the biggest difference between Shen Juan and Bonsai lies in the size of their fan base: Bonsai's fans are mostly music lovers who don't care about the artist but only listen to the songs, while Shen Juan's fans are mostly die-hard fans.

So if there are no strong competitors after the song is released, it might actually be able to reach number one.

Then they'll bring Ari in for a collaboration, and while they're at it, they'll also promote the topic of Alexana. It'll probably be another song that gets an empty crown.

One song, two crowns—filling the data column!
Then just go on stage and say, "I think everyone in the American music scene is just a bunch of cheap imitations. If you disagree?"

Then check my stats!

I should rightfully be number one on all the lists!
Then bring out the Billboard number one hit and the single with over a billion plays, and you can kill the game!
If I'm not Goat, then who is?
"Okay, then let's talk about the American Music Awards. Although the nominations haven't been announced yet, the date and location have already been revealed. It will be held in Los Angeles on November 24th."

"Considering that you don't have any tour scheduled for the 22nd and 23rd, the Republicans have asked you if you need to add a show in the US during those two days. They have already contacted the Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara and obtained approval. The stadium is quite large and can hold nearly 70,000 people."

“I’ve actually been thinking about adding more shows to the tour, but Santa Clara?” Shen Juan had never heard of that name before.

“In Silicon Valley, California, Asians make up a large percentage of the population, which is a good opportunity to market this additional show as a gift to Asians.”

Shen Juan shrugged. "Then let's continue."

There's no other reason.

On the one hand, it's because if you have money, you have to make it!

He currently earns over ten million US dollars from ticket sales for a single concert in the United States. Adding the average merchandise revenue of two million US dollars per show, this means that Shen Juan can earn approximately eight million US dollars from a single concert in the United States.

(Box office revenue 50%, merchandise revenue 90%)

Under these circumstances, it would be really hard to resist opening a few more events, making a few more bucks to take home, and earning some foreign exchange for the country.

On the other hand, judging from the current development situation, it is difficult for the Leviathan Era tour to break the billion-dollar box office mark.

Unfortunately, it won't be convenient for him to go on an international tour next February, as there are still too few shows. So he wants to seize every opportunity to achieve the highest possible box office results.

Nine hundred million and one billion are not the same thing at all.

The latter was far more impactful and shocking!

So if possible, Shen Juan still wants to become the first touring singer in history to break the 1 billion US dollar mark at the box office.

"Then Starbucks contacted us wanting to collaborate with you, asking you to create a promotional song for their Christmas event in Japan this year, leveraging your influence among young people to help them capture more market share."

"Didn't I just become the spokesperson for Luckin Coffee? How could I accept a collaboration offer from Starbucks? Yangyang, didn't you just turn it down?"

Yangyang Jin shook her head and explained, "Actually, there's no problem. Luckin Coffee doesn't have any overseas business at all, and Starbucks' event is limited to Japan. Plus, the contract doesn't restrict this kind of behavior, so Luckin Coffee has absolutely no reason to interfere with our cooperation."

Since we're not breaking the contract, there's nothing to hesitate about.

"How will you pay me? Will it be a lump sum payment or a guaranteed minimum plus a sales commission?" Although Shen Juan was already inclined to take on the song, the payment was still a factor to consider.

"A minimum guarantee of one million US dollars, plus a tiered revenue share of 20%-30% of the net profit of co-branded products during the event period."

"What about the timeframe? Is there a deadline?"

"I'll try my best to finish the song and send it over before November 20th, because they plan to officially start the event on the 28th."

“Then let’s go with it. Anyway, I’m working on a Japanese EP, so this song can be inserted directly like ‘Destiny’.” Shen Juan made the decision and settled the matter.

Although Shen Juan has become more famous, he rarely takes on these kinds of tie-song work anymore because the earnings are very limited.

Instead of spending time writing an advertising jingle for a movie, TV series, animation, or game brand, it's better to focus on album production. After all, releasing albums is the right path for big-name singers.

But it's fine to sing one occasionally.

As long as you have something in your head, songwriting is a piece of cake and not as difficult as outsiders think.

Moreover, this Japanese EP, like the previous one, is aimed at expanding influence and making money on the side. So naturally, we need to seize every opportunity to promote the work and try to replicate last year's nationwide idol-chasing craze in Japan.

"Finally, there's the new business, Budweiser from the US and Ferrero Rocher from Italy. The background checks were fine, and both are top brands in terms of brand value and sales volume globally, so the offer is quite substantial."

Shen Juan now has more than 30 endorsements, covering everything from clothing and jewelry to cosmetics and skincare, as well as luxury cars and watches.

The business landscape is nearing saturation.

Without considering endorsements for low-end fast-moving consumer goods, finding a suitable endorsement is indeed not easy.

"How many?"

"Four million US dollars a year or ten million for two years, it's your choice." Yangyang Jin handed the decision over to Shen Juan.

After a moment's thought, Shen Juan said, "Let's just sign a two-year contract. Endorsement fees are tied to the market, and the market size has its limits. So as an artist's level increases, the growth rate of endorsement fees is getting smaller and smaller. It probably won't be much higher next year either. Signing a two-year contract at once won't be a bad deal."

"Well, and then the UAE government contacted us, wanting you to be Abu Dhabi's global ambassador, offering a lot of money! Ten million US dollars a year, plus bonus clauses, like $100 million per post when they need you to promote them on Instagram."

“The entire world of Mslin is now eager to expand its international profile and move onto the mainstream stage, so you may just be the beginning. If it works well, other countries like Saudi Arabia and Qatar may also start hiring celebrities or athletes to represent their national image.”

"Then what are we waiting for? How can we refuse a huge sum of money delivered to our door? Besides, you know I've always liked West Asia."

Shen Juan felt all the fatigue he had accumulated over this period vanish in an instant. With just a few words, he earned another 200 million yuan in pre-tax income, and all he had to do was spend a few days shooting a few commercials.

This is fucking awesome!
A male protagonist should have this kind of money-making speed!

Of course, when talking about big spenders, there's something we have to mention.

Some media outlets in the original timeline claimed that Neymar would receive €500,000 for every time he mentioned Saudi Arabia on social media after joining Al-Hilal. This is 100% false, or there are conditions that would trigger this bonus clause. If it were true, Neymar wouldn't have only posted one Instagram post throughout the entire process.

It's easy to understand. If this guy were shameless enough to post one update a day, he could easily make 1.8 million euros a year.

Is this even considered kicking a ball?
He might as well just go home and stream CS:GO every day!

And to be honest
$100 million for one Instagram post isn't actually that much, because Shen Juan's current Instagram promotion rate is $90.

The UAE has clearly done its research.

The prices of celebrities, internet celebrities, and superstar athletes with over 100 million followers on Instagram are roughly the same.

It can only be said that as long as you have enough fans and high enough popularity, there are plenty of ways to monetize your money if you want to make money.

The income of pure artists is one thing.

Income from side hustles is another matter entirely.

It's no wonder he looks down on the paltry sums in the Chinese entertainment industry; it's just that once you become an international A-list superstar, the money just comes too fast.

Even before the salary cap, the sky-high salaries of hundreds of millions of yuan were nothing compared to those of artists of his caliber.

If it weren't for the negative impact, the risk of being criticized by some netizens as rare, being branded as a capitalist lackey, and the fact that he couldn't enjoy life too early and had to learn to delay gratification for a greater goal, he might already be following in Ronaldo's footsteps, having acquired yachts, villas, and airplanes!
But Shen Juan still claimed to have no money when he was in the country.

After all, he understood the principle of not flaunting one's wealth.

You can't just say, "My private jet and yacht belong to the people, and I only have the right to use them 24 hours a day," can you? After the salary cap was introduced, the income of a top actor who worked hard to film an entire movie was only enough for him to post two or three Instagram posts.

Simply posting ten Instagram posts to promote other people's brands can earn you the equivalent of a second-best income in the Chinese entertainment industry for an entire year.

If he goes all out and accepts all kinds of business endorsements and social media promotions like an e-commerce livestreamer, leveraging his fan base and social influence to rake in money from his fans, other top celebrities might not earn as much as he does in a year!
What sparked heated discussions online and shocked everyone with Zheng Shuang's sky-high salary of 1.6 million yuan? It's nothing compared to him!

These words are sure to provoke hatred.

Furthermore, data websites like Forbes that track celebrity income don't include income from social media promotions.

So just pretend to be weak to take advantage of the enemy.

After all, he would rather be remembered as an artist and singer than as a young and successful tycoon.

This is the direction he should take.

He has always been pure.

London, a city favored by the North Atlantic Current and westerly winds, has a typical temperate maritime climate.

This autumn, the rain seems to have a special fondness for this place. Lead-gray clouds hang heavily over the city, and fine raindrops fall like silver threads from the gaps in the clouds, weaving an endless rain curtain. In the streets and alleys, pedestrians hurry along the streets.

Shen Yujie stayed alone in the bookstore to avoid the rain.

The song "Orphan" was playing randomly in my headphones.

The still-lit phone screen displayed a chat log from about an hour and a half prior:

【Brother Shen Juan! Something terrible has happened! It's raining!】

Didn't you bring an umbrella?

I wouldn't have told you if I had brought an umbrella.

Did you get caught in the rain?

[I got a little wet, my jacket is soaked]

【What should I do? I can't leave right now, and the location you sent me is quite far from here.】

It's okay, actually. I can just read a book in the bookstore for a while, and maybe the rain will stop soon.

Okay, I'll contact you again if anything comes up.

[Hmmmm!]

Before arriving in London, I was more excited and thrilled than I had imagined, knowing that I would soon be able to see Shen Juan.

But after arriving in London, I was somewhat disappointed.

The streetscape here is indeed very different from where she lived in China, and it certainly has a strong historical atmosphere.

But it wasn't as good as I had imagined.

The visual appeal she received from childhood filters is not as good as it was now.

Especially with this terrible weather.

It rained as soon as it was supposed to.

She didn't even bring an umbrella.

And most importantly:

Shen Juan is having a concert tomorrow, but he only arrived in London this afternoon, so he's making the most of his time to rehearse.

This meant she had to travel around London alone.

Sigh. I wish I didn't know English.

If I didn't speak English, I probably wouldn't have mustered the courage to leave the hotel alone and walk around the city in a foreign country. I probably wouldn't have believed the nonsense told by strangers that it wouldn't rain today. And I probably wouldn't be forced to hide in a bookstore by the sudden downpour and be here overthinking things.
The girl buried her face in her warm collar, listlessly looking out the window, her mood somewhat depressed.

I became a fan of Shen Juan because of a lighthearted campus drama. I signed up for the show since I had nothing else to do, and I was selected as a lucky fan to visit the set of "Go Go Squid!". I met Shen Juan in person in Shanghai, chatted and interacted with him up close, and became his WeChat friend.

Then, through repeated conversations, they grew closer, and she subsequently signed with Shen Juan's company and acted in the same drama as him.
Many fans and netizens believe that being chosen by Shen Juan while still in high school is undoubtedly very lucky.

She herself thinks so too.

I just feel like I'm incredibly lucky!
To be able to fall in love with such a wonderful person as Shen Juan, and to even meet him, is the epitome of maximum luck!
But she also knew that she was actually very far from Shen Juan. There was still a long way to go before she could become his true friend, enter his heart and occupy a place in it. She was not fundamentally different from other girls who knew Shen Juan, such as Xiao Hu, Bao Bao, and Wan Da.

The same warm greetings, the same gentle care, the same seemingly close relationship, but actually quite distant.

Whether it's a female celebrity or an ordinary female college student.
Countless people walk this path to Shen Juan's heart, but only a handful reach the end.

Among them are even geniuses like Song Zuer, who, knowing they cannot reach the other side, set up stalls halfway, acting as seniors to pass on secrets and sell cheat codes to those who come after them.

It truly is a gathering of talented individuals and outstanding figures!
Everyone here is so talented.
So, will I be able to reach the other side in the future?
Shen Yujie didn't know the answer to this question, and the rainy weather even made her feel pessimistic.

She knew very well that she had no advantages over others that she could openly use to suppress them.

She wasn't the prettiest, nor did she have the best figure. She wasn't the one who had known Shen Juan the longest, nor could she help him with his career development, nor could she provide him with the most emotional value and make him happy every day.

But she really didn't want to give up!

I really don't want to miss the person who illuminated her entire adolescence and continuously brought her light and warmth!
How can you resist getting closer to someone you like?

I miss him so much that I think about him day and night, and it even affects my college entrance exam preparation. How can I not love him?
If her original thought was: I don't want you to be someone who walks by on the street and brushes past me; you want to be a distant light that I can only watch from below the stage, no matter how hard I try. The quieter my voice is when it reaches you, the better, because that will prove how surging the crowd is calling out to you.

Now, she no longer wants to be in love with the person she likes through a screen in a non-existent parallel universe!

She also wanted to be like Tian Xiwei, Cheng Xiao, and Zhou Ye, the kind of girl who could stand by his side in public!
But the rain outside the shop window continued to fall, and some puddles of water remained on the street. Raindrops fell, creating ripples that made the whole street look wet. Everything around was still gray and hazy, as if shrouded in mist, and nothing dry or clear could be found.

Her mood continued to sink; imagination is always beautiful, but reality is always so cruel.

But speaking of which, my love for Brother Shen Juan seems to be a bit like this heavy rain that has trapped me here.

I wanted to surround him, but I was also afraid of getting him wet.

He probably didn't want the rain to be too heavy either.
Shen Yujie thought this pessimistically.

Until the phone in my hand suddenly rang.

Until she saw a WeChat message from the person she liked.

Shen Juan: [Don't be sad.]

The somewhat plain words easily brought warmth, but Shen Yujie's mood was complicated and bitter.

After a moment of silence, she forced a bitter smile and tapped her fingers rapidly on the screen, not wanting him to worry about her.

I'm not sad.

Then stop making that long face.

I didn't have a long face.

【Really? 】

【Really!】 Perhaps to make the words more convincing, she even nodded cutely at her phone.

I also sent a cute cat emoji over.

About ten seconds later, a new message appeared.

Then look up.

【Got you. 】

Shen Yujie paused for a moment, then subconsciously raised her head slowly, looking straight at the opposite side of the shop window.

In the misty, fine rain, a figure holding an umbrella, whom no one expected to appear here, gradually became clear.

Although he was wearing a mask and the lower half of his face was completely covered, his familiar and beautiful eyes alone were enough to make people recognize who he was.

At that moment, those exceptionally beautiful, narrowed eyes were looking in her direction, giving her a greeting visible only to the two of them.

My heart felt like it had been struck by lightning, and it began to pound violently. Even through layers of rain and mist and a distance of tens of meters, I could clearly feel the tenderness contained within it.

Joy, happiness, delight, happiness, sweetness.
All the good emotions rushed into her heart at once, making her wish she could rush out into the pouring rain and throw herself into his arms.

Although they had only known each other for a little over a year and had met privately a handful of times, at this moment, time seemed to flow backward, and all the memories of the past flooded back to her. The feeling of a long-awaited reunion surged forth, weaving together a strange and intense sense of destiny, causing her eyes to involuntarily become slightly moist.

On a rainy day when you're feeling so down and depressed, in a city so unfamiliar that you feel detached from the crowd, to meet someone you often talk about and dream about but rarely see in real life—someone you really do have that dream-come-true, almost unreal feeling.

Like a girl lying on a bed by the window, half-asleep and half-awake, listening to the pattering rain outside, she had a beautiful dream that was both real and unreal, detached from reality. She dreamt that she was lying in the clouds, with stars above her but no moon in sight. Suddenly, a gust of wind blew, scattering the clouds beneath her feet, and she fell, unable to grab onto anything. When she opened her eyes again, the sound of rain outside the window continued, making a crisp sound as it fell on the eaves.

Then, on a foreign, unfamiliar street with a strong Georgian influence, she saw the moon that she hadn't seen in her dream.

After experiencing emotional highs and lows, I finally met the person I had been longing for for so long in a foreign country.

Just like how Tang Sanzang and his disciples went through eighty-one tribulations to finally obtain the true scriptures, Shen Yujie felt that this was destiny!

I've fallen 100% in love with the right person!
So, Brother Shen Juan.
You are reality, and you are also a mirage.

The weather is so nice today!

Especially after seeing you.

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(End of this chapter)