Unboxing, Director!

Chapter 156 The end of the copy
Lu Jiang was busy until 3 p.m., when the red carpet event was about to begin, and he finally had some free time.

Return to the main group of Chinese people.

At this time, CCTV, the Musicians Association, Li Jian, and Zhang Yadong were already present.

The other two nominated Chinese musicians, Tan Dun and Wang Jian, also attended.

Tan Dun and Wang Jian were nominated in the classical and film/television categories, respectively.

Because the Grammys are, after all, a pop music awards ceremony.

Therefore, in terms of importance, the awards they were nominated for are actually awards given to ball sports in track and field competitions.

This is why these two are not very popular in Europe and America and are not highly regarded.

However, it is still highly valued in mainland China.

Although everyone knows that their nominations are not as prestigious as Lu Jiang's, they must be taken seriously just because they are both Chinese and represent Chinese music.

Besides them, there were actually two other Chinese people nominated.

One is the renowned Chinese-American cellist Yo-Yo Ma, who, like Jian Wang, was nominated in the classical category this year.

However, Yo-Yo Ma doesn't speak Chinese; he's a complete foreigner.

The other one is Li Wen.

She was nominated this time for singing the theme song for "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon".

In other words, this year's Grammys featured a star-studded lineup of Chinese celebrities, but only Lu Jiang was a purely Chinese citizen.

After Lu Jiang arrived, Lao Wang from the CCTV production team urged him again to have someone quickly bring Yo-Yo Ma and Li Wen together for a group photo.

In the end, Li Wen arrived in a hurry, but Yo-Yo Ma never sent a letter.

With the red carpet about to begin and classical performers like Tan Dun appearing first, CCTV stopped insisting and told everyone to line up.

Lu Jiang was placed in the center position, with Li Wen, who was wearing a sexy and elegant red cheongsam-style dress, on his left and Tan Dun on his right.

After a brief ranking process, Chinese media outlets such as Sina and NetEase, who were present at the scene, also pressed the shutter button along with CCTV.

After the shoot, they didn't chat much, but arranged to meet again at the hotel that evening before heading to the waiting area, leaving only Lu Jiang to continue the remaining interviews.

The red carpet event lasted from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.

Because the number of Grammy awards increased from 98 to 100 this year!
So, when it comes to dividing up pork, the Grammys are still the most ruthless.

But since they did things so professionally, the pork they separated seemed incredibly precious.

Take the fact that nomination equals instant wealth, for example; no other award in the world can compare.

The order of appearance was similar to the rest of the red carpet, with positions assigned based on the awards presented.

The more prestigious the award, the later one leaves.

Guests were interspersed throughout.

Therefore, Tan Dun and the others were able to enter the venue before six o'clock.

Only Lu Jiang will make his appearance at the very end, which will be the highlight of the red carpet event.

As one of the nominees for Best Pop Male Artist, this is the treatment he deserves.

CCTV and Sina reporters remarked that Lu Jiang's appearance was the grand finale.

The people present couldn't hide their pride.

The people from Youngor who were also present were overjoyed.

This dress sponsorship was absolutely worth it!

Unfortunately, Lu Jiang returned empty-handed today.

This was expected.

If Lu Jiang, a Chinese artist who only has one song, were to win Best Male Pop Vocal Performance or Best Single of the Year, the Grammy Secret Committee would probably be in an uproar.

In fact, Lu Jiang already knew from the beginning that his success in reaching the Grammys was almost entirely due to his "golden touch".

Otherwise, the nominations would definitely include awards that would be more suitable for Lu Jiang, such as Best Newcomer and Best Pop Single.

The former, in particular, tends to focus more on encouraging new talent and exploring new markets.

But the result was no.

So you can imagine how strange the Grammy secret committee's expression must have been when they saw a Chinese person in the nomination vote.

That's why Lu Jiang always felt guilty about this nomination.

Cheating is definitely not the right way to go.

However, that feeling is gone now.

After receiving a nomination, he gained international fame and attracted great attention from Warner Bros. headquarters.

Therefore, he estimates that even without the gold insurance, the next EP will likely still achieve the same results as the original.

The Grammy Awards concluded at 11 p.m.

Tan Dun and Yo-Yo Ma, two Chinese, ultimately won the award.

The mainland erupted in cheers.

At the same time, they were more tolerant of Lu Jiang and others who did not win awards. Lu Jiang did not enjoy the same treatment as Liu Xiang when he failed twice.

The reason is also very simple.

Sina and other online media outlets have already published information about the prestige of Lu Jiang's nomination, as well as his situation in the United States in recent days.

For the first time, a Chinese artist appeared in the Best Male Pop Artist and Best Single of the Year awards; it was the number one radio listener; and it was the closing performance.
Besides these, the most shocking thing was that "Lu Jiang won 11 North American endorsements on the same day".

This is what you call influence!

Everyone knows that at the Grammys, a major pop category nomination almost overshadows the second-highest official award.

Therefore, everyone was much more at ease about Lu Jiang not winning the award this time.

Of course, going into too much detail can really affect your mood.

For example, the other four nominees for Best Pop Male Artist earned an average of three times more than him that day.

But since none of the major portals mentioned it, the Chinese public naturally didn't know.

Lu Jiang suggested that everyone write it down when they get back.

It's important to let people know about real-world issues.

Otherwise, if Chinese people are too naive and simple-minded when looking at things from abroad, Lu Jiang himself will ultimately suffer the consequences.

So not only should they be made to write it down, but I should also go back and tell them myself.

That way, if you actually win an award next time, it will be much more prestigious.

Hmm, why do I feel like I'm being so calculating?
Shaking his head, Lu Jiang ended the post-Grammy party and headed back to his hotel.

Back at the hotel, as soon as I reached my floor, the elevator doors opened and I saw a face that was breathtakingly beautiful.

"Ta-da! Surprised? Unexpected?"

Fan Binbin's stunning good looks suddenly appeared before my eyes.

The people from the music association around her also wore maternal smiles.

Clearly, this was a surprise they had secretly planned and orchestrated!

Lu Jiang didn't care about anything else, grabbed Fan Binbin and spun her around a few times, making Fan Binbin giggle. Then he gave her a breathtaking kiss, and the entire hotel corridor was soon filled with their lovey-dovey moments.

Fan Binbin originally wanted to come along.

Besides wanting to broaden his horizons, he also wanted to witness Lu Jiang's milestone moment in life.

However, CCTV later proposed to film the entire process, and Fan Binbin himself was also very busy, so the plan was eventually abandoned.

However, despite saying that, the girl still secretly came.

Are you moved?
That's a must!
How to repay?

We'll talk about it tonight.

Now, let's unpack it!
This box is not that box.

It was a gift box from the Grammys.

Soon, Lu Jiang, holding Fan Binbin's hand, led the CCTV and Music Association personnel to his suite.

Upon entering, I saw a large box with a platinum-colored packaging.

At this year's Grammys, everyone who presented an award, performed, or was nominated received a Grammy gift bag simply for attending the awards ceremony.

The nominees are more upscale, with platinum packaging, while the others are bronze.

The people from the Music Association have already seen what's inside, because these were distributed during the red carpet event, and they were there to collect them on behalf of the recipients.

They also gained a lot this time, because Lu Jiang won a major award, so he was able to visit the Grammys in depth, which is something that a classical nomination can't compare to.

Back to the point, when everyone arrived at the box, Lao Zhang from the Music Association explained, "It's said that this gift package is worth at least $1.6."

1.6, that's more than 12 RMB!
"That's incredibly extravagant!"

CCTV's Lao Wang immediately sighed and then quickly zoomed in on the camera.

Lu Jiang smiled and gestured to Fan Binbin, "You drive it and see what's inside."

"The camera's here, go ahead and start it." "It's alright, we can just film it again later." Old Wang from CCTV was very understanding.

Fan Binbin then had no more reservations and immediately opened the box.

Then, one by one, the gifts were laid out.

First, there's the airfare, which is a collaboration between the Grammy Awards and the airline.

There are two tickets in total. The departure point is Los Angeles, and the destination is not specified, because any destination that this airline can reach can be redeemed.

If Lu Jiang were to exchange these two tickets for a trip from Los Angeles to Beijing, they would probably be worth around two thousand US dollars.

Everyone was envious, but Lu Jiang said with a hint of regret, "It's a pity it wasn't first class."

Let's continue.

Peppermints and deodorant are must-haves for foreigners, but Chinese people rarely use them.

A state-of-the-art BlackBerry Bluetooth phone capable of sending emails.

DKNY全套牛仔系列、3天2夜的艾迪逊住宿两人位、13英寸的菲力浦小型电视一台、价值1900美元的项链、价值4500美元的全年著名健身俱乐部会员金卡、卡西欧最新数码相机及手表
A stack of gifts, dazzling and impressive, from a highly developed industrial society, left everyone in awe of luxury and high technology!

Everyone knows that these are definitely sponsored by brands.

Its purpose is certainly not simply to present it as a gift.

Celebrities are never short of money.

The main reason for doing this is to generate additional profits.

Lu Jiang didn't quite understand the specifics of how it would work, but one thing was certain: by doing it this way, advertisers, Grammys, celebrities—all parties could benefit.

Reflecting on what they had seen and heard these past few days, the members of the Music Association seemed to be deep in thought.

Lu Jiang wasn't going to say anything.

How to learn from advanced experiences, how to adjust and make suggestions to the industry after returning to China, or whether to leave everything unchanged—that's their business.

Anyway, Lu Jiang's mission is over, so he just needs to take care of himself from now on.

After unpacking and taking photos again, everyone checked the itinerary one last time.

My journey to the Grammys has now come to a complete end.

The Musicians Association and the Central Conservatory of Music will leave tomorrow.

CCTV's filming will continue.

According to the plan, filming will continue until Lu Jiang returns to China three days later.

The last shot had already been planned; it was said that the scene would freeze on Lu Jiang returning to his home recording studio and closing the door before it would be truly over.

This documentary appears to have a beginning and an end.

However, because Lu Jiang did not win an award, only a portion of the footage from this documentary will be shown on television, while the majority of the footage will remain unused and gathering dust in a warehouse.

Even so, the crew remained highly motivated.

The reason is also very simple.

Lu Jiang's itinerary for the next two days will involve three states in the United States.

This is an American again.

Since we finally got to come here on business, everyone naturally wanted to follow along and see as much as possible.

Lu Jiang was also in a playful mood.

Who says source material will just gather dust?

I'm determined to make it a dazzling debut in the future!
So starting the next day, he began making all sorts of promises in front of the camera.

"Right now I'm only considered a second-tier singer in North America, but I definitely won't be next year."

"A Grammy nomination is the minimum next year!"

"Do you believe my new album will sell at least 500 million copies? Otherwise, I'll run naked in the Hollywood Hills!"

The series of ambitious goals he set made CCTV staff worry that Lu Jiang might be getting too arrogant.

But Lu Jiang wasn't done yet.

When we arrived at the Hollywood Hills and saw the iconic "HOLLYWOOD" sign...

Lu Jiang then changed the subject: "Actually, being a singer is just a side job for me. My main job is still directing. One day, I will reach the pinnacle of world cinema!"

"it is good!"

"Ambitious!"

The crowd cheered.

But apart from Fan Binbin, no one took it seriously.
On his last day in the US, before returning home, Lu Jiang finalized some details about the new album with people at Warner Music headquarters.

Now that Lujiang has achieved sales and honors, and has gained recognition in the United States, it's time to strike while the iron is hot.

The three songs from the new album are basically confirmed for release between the end of April and the beginning of May.

The competition at this time is relatively less intense, which is quite favorable for a newcomer like Lu Jiang and is also in line with his status.

Once the timeline was set, Lu Jiang's task was to return to China and expedite the retouching of the song, aiming to send it to the Americans within two weeks to complete the various pre-release procedures.

So, the release of "You" was delayed for six months in the early stages. Zhou Jianhui said that's how the American process works, and now it seems that it really was a "man-made disaster".
After discussing the song, Lu Jiang also mentioned the movie to Warner Music headquarters.

His requirements were simple: if the new album performed well, you had to provide me with relevant resources.

Ideally, they should be given the opportunity to write and direct their own films.

His goal was precisely "Happy Death Day".

This film is perfect for those who want to achieve big results with small investments.

Lu Jiang planned to have Fan Binbin go directly to the front.

This was something Fan Binbin fought for himself.

If she hadn't suddenly appeared and surprised everyone at the Grammys, Lu Jiang wouldn't have decided to go all out. He would have continued with his original plan: the Chinese version would be the Chinese version, and the American version would be the American version.

Regarding Lu Jiang's request, Warner Music stated that they would seriously consider it. Warner Music and Warner Pictures have relevant cooperation agreements, and if the sales are truly good, they can provide relevant resources.

With this attitude, Lu Jiang felt a little more at ease.

However, we can't let John go either.

More insurance means more peace of mind.

After finishing all the business, Lu Jiang set off to return to China.

On March 2, 2002, Lu Jiang landed in Beijing.

Under CCTV's cameras, Lu Jiang was greeted by hundreds of fans and media.

CCTV has already broadcast some documentary footage of Lu Jiang's Grammy trip.

After the Grammys, the music association staff took some of the materials back to China.

CCTV also broadcast a minute and a half of footage on its news last night.

The collection includes many memorable moments, such as being asked questions in Chinese by Americans and being the focus of attention on the Grammy red carpet.

CCTV gave it high praise, and East and Southeast Asia also praised Lu Jiang's Grammy trip as "making history" and "honorable despite defeat."

After all, this is truly the first time an Asian has made their mark on some of the most prestigious Grammy awards.

Therefore, Lu Jiang's return to China this time can still be considered a triumphant return, so much so that even without publicly available flight information, so many people are still waiting for him.

Lu Jiang then spent some time with the people who came to pick him up at the airport.

"What are your thoughts on this trip to the US? I'm looking forward to having a good, authentic Chinese meal to refresh myself, haha. This trip to the US broadened my horizons, I learned a lot, and gained a better understanding of the Western market. From now on, I won't be working in isolation anymore; I'll try to write more songs that are more suitable for the Western market."

"The Chinese album has been written and is currently being recorded. It will be released as early as May, but there aren't many songs. As everyone knows, I've been quite busy this year."

"Earned $3 million in a day? Not that much, only a little over $2 million. And that's considered low. The other nominees averaged three times what I made!"

"Have you encountered discrimination? Of course I have, that's normal. Don't worry, I didn't suffer any losses, I fought back against them all. But this made me understand the old saying even more: if you fall behind, you will be bullied. If you want others to respect you, you have to become stronger!"

"Why did Fan Binbin go with us? I discussed some movie matters with the Americans this time. As the company's top female star and the leading lady, of course I had to make an appearance."

"Are they going to break into Hollywood? Not necessarily. Let's keep in touch. We'll let you know if there's good news."

The questions about the trip to America lasted for about ten minutes.

Lu Jianglian's explanation, including dropping the bomb, greatly excited the reporters.

Finally, there are other issues:
"Filming for The Heaven Sword and Dragon Saber has already started, and I'll be joining the crew in a few days."

When will "The World's Number One" air? Post-production is basically complete, and it will air during the summer vacation.

About half an hour later, Lu Jiang finally got on the bus and went back to the company.

Even after arriving at the company, I didn't rest and continued filming the ending of the documentary.

With the recording studio doors closed, this Grammy copy was finally completed.

However, Lu Jiang still did not rest.

After briefly saying goodbye to the CCTV staff, he spent half a day at the company, dealing with some pressing matters, before heading to the airport again.

Next stop: Xiandu, Lishui, Zhejiang.

Shi Xiaolong has almost finished enduring all the hardships; it's time for Lu Jiang to enjoy the good life!
(End of this chapter)