How can you ascend to heaven when you are a star?

Chapter 389 Recording the program
In the morning, the sun is shining brightly.

Zhang Wen asked director Han Xiaohua for a day off and then went to Beijing TV station.

The music variety shows that Zhou Siyi got from her friend are "Youth Concert" and "Sing Together".

The former invites three emerging singers each episode to convey the attitudes and dreams of young people through a vibrant music stage, immersive stage design and interactive segments, and awaken the resonance of youth among audiences of different ages. It is a music variety show that is very popular among music lovers.

The latter, by showcasing different styles and types of music, allows audiences to access diverse musical elements, promotes the dissemination and exchange of music culture, and provides a platform for talented singers and musicians to showcase themselves, injecting fresh blood into the music industry.

Both shows abandon the competitive format and complex rules of traditional variety shows, taking "returning to the essence of music" as their core and focusing on vocals and melody. They are rare music culture programs in China and are very suitable for newcomers like Future Girls.

When Zhang Wen arrived at Beijing TV station, Zhao Tong and the others were already there. The five of them stood by the roadside, dragging suitcases, their eyes filled with curiosity about the unknown.

Good morning, Teacher Zhang.

"Teacher Zhang, is there some activity we've gathered here for today?"

Upon seeing Teacher Zhang, Zhao Tong and the others went up to ask him questions.

They saw a message sent by Teacher Zhang in the WeChat group last night, asking the five of them to meet at 8 a.m. outside the gate of Beijing TV Station.

As for what happened, Teacher Zhang didn't say, and they didn't ask.

"I brought you here to record a program," Zhang Wen said directly.

"what?"

Upon hearing this, all five of them showed expressions of surprise. They had guessed that Teacher Zhang had gathered everyone for a purpose, but none of them expected it to be for recording a program.

“Record, record a program? Teacher Zhang, do you mean we’re here to record a program?” Zhao Tong asked, pointing to the Beijing TV station behind him, his eyes full of disbelief, and he even stuttered a little.

The others also showed expressions of tension and anticipation, and even a hint of excitement, upon hearing Zhao Tong's words.

This is Beijing TV!
Does coming here to record a program mean they're going to be on TV?

"Super Trainee" was a hit, right? But in the end, it was just an online variety show.

Variety shows on Beijing TV are far more influential than those that can only be broadcast on video websites, greatly benefiting both brand awareness and the dissemination of the works.

Seeing the five trainees' excited expressions, Zhang Wen nodded affirmatively, "Yes, Beijing TV has two music variety shows, one called 'Youth Concert' and the other called 'Sing Together.' Each episode invites different singers to participate, and the next episode will feature you."

“I know both of these shows,” Zhang Jia said excitedly.

“I know, we saw it a few days ago,” Su Jin said.

As a singer and a music lover, she prefers pure music programs like "Youth Concert" and "Sing Together" to competitive music variety shows.

"Teacher Zhang, you're not joking with us, are you?" Cheng Sisi asked softly.

I was eliminated from an online variety show not long ago, but today I'm going to be on the stage of Beijing TV. It all feels like a dream.

“I’m your creditor, why would I lie to you?” After saying that, Zhang Wen took out his phone and called Zhou Siyi’s friend.

Zhao Tong and the others were speechless.

Creditor?

Could you please not be so direct?

Not long after, a middle-aged woman in her forties or fifties walked out of the TV station building. She was dressed in a business suit, had a neat short haircut, and looked very capable.

Zhang Wen glanced at the other person's skill panel. That's right, it was Zhou Siyi's friend, Gu Tao, the deputy editor-in-chief of Beijing TV in charge of the satellite channel.

"Are you Editor-in-Chief Gu?" Zhang Wen asked as the other person approached.

"It's me. And you are... Zhang Wen?" Gu Tao asked in confusion, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes. He hadn't expected President Zhou's friend to be so young.

However, she did not look down on the other party because of his youth. To be called a friend by President Zhou, he must be no ordinary person.

“Yes.” Zhang Wen nodded, then introduced himself, “Hello, Editor-in-Chief Gu, it’s a pleasure to meet you. These are the five members of the Future Girls Group.”

After saying that, he winked at the five trainees.

Zhao Tong and the others understood what Teacher Zhang meant. They immediately bowed and said in unison, "Hello, Editor-in-Chief Gu."

Gu Tao's gaze swept over the faces of the five group members, then he smiled and said, "Hello, I've heard your songs, and I hope you can show an even better version of yourselves on stage."

"Thank you, Editor-in-Chief Gu, for giving us this opportunity. We will definitely do our best," Zhao Tong said.

Gu Tao was very satisfied with the answer. He turned his gaze back to President Zhou's friend and said warmly, "Teacher Zhang, let's go in."

"Yes, thank you for your trouble, Editor-in-Chief Gu," Zhang Wen said politely, then followed the other party into the Beijing TV station.

Zhao Tong and the others walked at the back, their eyes curiously taking in everything around them. This was their first time entering a television station, and besides curiosity, they were filled with excitement.

The thought of appearing on a variety show on Beijing TV makes my heart race.

The group arrived at a large studio. Gu Tao spoke a few words to a middle-aged man, and then led his men to Zhang Wen.

"Teacher Zhang, this is Wang Zheng, the director of 'Youth Concert'. Just follow his instructions. I'll take you to record another program this afternoon."

"Thank you, Editor-in-Chief Gu." Zhang Wen expressed his gratitude, then looked at the middle-aged man and said, "Director Wang, this is our first time recording a program as a new group. Please forgive us if we do anything wrong."

"You must be Teacher Zhang Wen?" Wang Zheng said with a smile, extending his hand. "I'm a big fan of yours. I love your songs and your students' songs too. They're fantastic. I think this collaboration will be a great success."

Zhang Wen was slightly taken aback. It seemed that the other party had already found out about him and the future girl.

That's true. Recently, he and the Future Girls group have been frequent visitors to the trending searches. It's not difficult to find out more about him and the Future Girls.

"Yes, it's a pleasure to work with you." Zhang Wen shook the other person's hand, accepting their gesture of goodwill.

Seeing that the atmosphere was harmonious, Gu Tao said a few words and then went to do other things.

Wang Zheng showed Zhang Wen and the Future Girls group a tour of the show's recording venue, and then arranged for the five group members to go backstage to get their makeup done in preparation for the upcoming recording.

This was the first time the Future Girls group had appeared on a television program. Zhang Wen knew how important this appearance was for the group, so he stayed by the side the whole time while the members were getting their makeup done, explaining each member's role and style to the makeup artist, and even finding the debut promotional photo as a reference.

This approach not only showcases the diverse styles of the group members but also helps the audience quickly get to know them. By attracting fans with their unique personal images, it enhances fan loyalty and avoids the situation seen in shows like "Super Idol," where a quick glance at the camera makes it difficult to remember any members and can be overwhelming.

Half an hour later, the five members finished their makeup and changed into their own costumes. Under the director's guidance, they learned about the next steps.

When to appear, how many cameras are there, where each camera is positioned, what to pay attention to when singing, what to pay attention to when dancing, and how to interact with the host, etc.

Standing backstage, Zhang Wen encouraged Zhao Tong and the others. He also noticed the other two singers and secretly glanced at their skill panels. Their vocal skills were not as high as Zhao Tong's and the others', with skill points just over 50, so they posed no threat.

After a period of communication, the program officially began recording.

As an observer, Zhang Wen watched Zhao Tong and the others standing on the stage and his emotions became excited as well.

His students, the girl group he launched, are finally going to officially step onto the stage.

Although the group has been around for over a week and their debut song and music video have achieved great success, their current exposure and popularity are not enough to propel them to a higher level.

The music program on Beijing TV would undoubtedly bring them more exposure, better reputation, a wider audience for their work, and greater recognition. The 40-minute program took a full three hours to record.

As the group members walked off the stage, Zhang Wen extended his palms to the five of them.

"Clap!"

"Clap clap clap!"

The crisp sound of clapping rang out continuously, and excitement and joy were evident on the faces of every member.

"Teacher, how did we do?" Zhao Tong asked.

“Teacher, we didn’t embarrass you, did we?” Chen Silu said.

"Very good." Zhang Wen gave a thumbs up.

Whether it was singing or dancing, all five of them performed very well. Although there were some shortcomings in a few areas, they were definitely better than those in "Super Trainee".

He could even imagine that after this episode of "Youth Concert" aired, it would be another slap in the face for "Super Trainee".

I really want to see what kind of expression Feng Xinghai will have then; it's bound to be very interesting.

At noon, thanks to Deputy Editor-in-Chief Gu, I had a free meal at the cafeteria of Beijing TV station. Afterwards, I went to another studio to prepare for the program "Let's Sing Together".

With the experience of recording "Youth Concert", the afternoon recording went smoothly, and the program recording was completed in just two hours. The director even praised them for their professionalism.

When Zhang Wen and his group members walked out of Beijing TV Station, it was still light outside.

Things went much more smoothly than he had expected; his recent training had not been in vain.

The program from Beijing TV has been recorded. Next up are the resources from China TV and Hunan TV.

The China TV New Year's Eve Gala is still a long way off; the directing team hasn't even been formed yet. It won't be until at least November, so there's no rush. The Hunan TV variety show, however, will be recorded the day after tomorrow, so I need to hurry up and get there.

Zhang Wen felt embarrassed to keep asking Director Han Xiaohua for leave, so he planned to have Gao Yue take the group. Gao Yue already had a good relationship with Hunan TV, and now with the Zhou family's connection, he believed that Zhao Tong and the others wouldn't be made things difficult for them.

"Teacher Zhang, do you have time?" Zhao Tong suddenly asked, and the other four also looked at Zhang Wen with anticipation in their eyes.

"What's up?" Zhang Wen asked.

He checked the time; it was only 4 p.m. Gao Yue hadn't finished get off work yet, and Bai Lu hadn't finished either, so he wasn't in a hurry to go home.

"Teacher, we'd like to invite you to dinner," Zhao Tong said, and the others nodded in agreement, as if they had planned it together.

"Why did you invite me?" Zhang Wen asked with a smile.

"Of course I want to thank you. Thank you, teacher, for securing such great resources for us," Chen Silu said earnestly.

Upon hearing this, Zhang Wen thought it made a lot of sense. In order to obtain resources, he even used the network of connections related to the Life Essence, which was his trump card.

This meal should be treated.

"I have some time, and there's something else I'd like to tell you," Zhang Wen said.

"What's up? You don't have any more variety show opportunities, do you?" Zhao Tong asked with a grin.

Don't say she's greedy. For artists, the more resources they have, the better, just like Han Xin's military strategy.

"That depends on how sincere you are about this meal," Zhang Wen said, keeping everyone in suspense.

Zhao Tong was slightly taken aback. She had only been joking, but she hadn't expected Teacher Zhang to take it seriously.

"Teacher Zhang, is a barbecue enough to show our sincerity?" Zhao Tong asked impatiently. "A new barbecue restaurant opened across from our community. It's three stories high, very big, and doing really good business."

“Yes, yes, I can smell it every time I pass by the door, it smells so good.” Zhang Jiajia swallowed after saying that.

I'm a little reluctant to send the five of them, since we still need to save money to pay off our debts, but I wouldn't mind if we invited Teacher Zhang.

"Row."

Zhang Wen readily agreed.

For him, the sincerity of barbecue is second only to that of roast duck.

Since Zhang Wen's car could only carry four people, Zhao Tong called another ride-hailing car, and the two cars headed towards the barbecue restaurant.

Perhaps because it wasn't lunchtime yet, there weren't many people in the barbecue restaurant. The six of them chose a private room and then started ordering.

Zhang Wen didn't stand on ceremony with the students, serving them plates of meat and skewers, acting like he was treating them like royalty.

The girls didn't pay any attention when they saw it. Couldn't the five of them afford to hire Teacher Zhang alone?
Besides, the resources that Teacher Zhang provides them cannot be measured by a single barbecue meal.

They would be willing to eat it every day for a month, let alone just one meal.

"Teacher Zhang, what exactly happened?" Zhao Tong asked. Of the five people, she was the most impatient.

"Yes, just tell us already." The others also looked directly at Teacher Zhang, eager to know the answer.

"cough!"

Zhang Wen deliberately cleared his throat before saying, "The day after tomorrow, you need to go to Hunan TV to record a variety show. Manager Gao will accompany you."

"what?"

The five women were so surprised they couldn't close their mouths.

Is this really another variety show opportunity? And it's even a variety show from Hunan TV?

"Am I dreaming?" Chen Silu murmured to herself.

Zhao Tong reached out and pinched the soft flesh on Chen Silu's waist. Chen Silu exclaimed "Ah!" and came back to her senses, covering her waist with her hand and looking at Zhao Tong in confusion.

"What are you doing?"

"Does it hurt?" Zhao Tong asked.

"Of course it hurts, try pinching yourself." Chen Silu said irritably.

"Oh, then it's not a dream!"

"..."

Everyone else looked at Teacher Zhang without prior arrangement.

Teacher Zhang, your methods are truly unconventional.

……

……

(End of this chapter)