Why bother writing songs? Fast forward to the "Don't Laugh Challenge"

Chapter 27: Impossible to Break Through
Zhang Hao was initially looking forward to it and feeling happy, but upon hearing the voice and seeing who it was, he was shocked to find that it was his brother-in-law, Chen Wangjia, who was then the director of the artist coordination department of July Records.

At this moment, Chen Wangjia was glaring angrily at his brother-in-law, his face as black as the bottom of a pot.

"Is there a problem, brother-in-law? I'm just thinking about my future." Zhang Hao said, frowning.

He didn't think there was anything wrong with what he did, nor did he think it would have any consequences.

He originally thought that his brother-in-law, who had always been very protective of him, would definitely support such an arrangement. In fact, he had previously been very supportive of him taking this opportunity and had even suggested more than once that he should get to know Zhou Yumeng better if possible.

Why has your attitude changed so much now?

He immediately said, "Didn't you say you wanted me to try harder? And you also said this opportunity is very good, and if I can get it, it will be great for my future development."

"You said it yourself, that was before!" Chen Jiawang gritted his teeth. "But now the selection has been made, you shouldn't be arguing anymore!"

After a moment, he rubbed his temples wearily, then looked at Zhang Hao with a worried expression: "I'll just ask you one question: do you know what this cooperation means for the company? Do you know what a 'King of Dramas' means? And what does a 'King of Dramas' soundtrack mean?"

"."

Zhang Hao remained silent.

As for the concept, he certainly knows it.

Original soundtracks for movies and TV series are released differently from regular singles and albums.

A hit song may have a limited lifespan. After being popular for a while, its popularity will fade, and during this period, its audience will decrease, especially in today's fast-paced information age.

However, the soundtracks of movies and TV series will continue to be popular as long as the show is watched.

Furthermore, when a song or multiple songs are bundled with a hit TV series or movie, the commercial value generated is definitely more than just the sum of its parts.

"Then there's another issue. Have you considered what would happen if the project failed once this contract was signed? What would the company say? Would all the investment be wasted?" Chen Jiawang asked.

Zhang Hao seemed to sense something unusual in his brother-in-law's words, but he still frowned and said, "This doesn't seem like a problem, does it?"

Xia Shen is just an ordinary musician with little experience, and he only makes those viral internet songs, so there's no question of any background for him.”

He didn't say some things explicitly, but the meaning was already very clear.

With a company as large as theirs, if they really wanted to use some underhanded tactics, a small-time musician with no connections would be like an ant, easily crushed in their hands.

Without going into too much detail, if their company doesn't want to admit it, they have plenty of ways to deny it. They can go to court directly, and their main strategy is to stall. What can a small musician like you do to compete with large capital?
Not to mention they also have a complete legal department, where the lawyers are not just there for show; they're there specifically for this kind of work.

"The problem isn't Xia Shen, it's Zhou Yumeng!" Chen Jiawang sighed.

"Zhou Yumeng?" Zhang Hao was taken aback.

“I understand what you mean. Let me put it this way: what you’re thinking might work for others, but it won’t work for Zhou Yumeng.” Chen Jiawang said, “Let me tell you this: this project was negotiated personally by the vice president. The reason why Kelida Films chose our company is because of Zhou Yumeng.”

In other words, this soundtrack can only be sung by her; no one else can.

Therefore, since this contract involves Zhou Yumeng, once it's signed, it must be in black and white, and the contract must be exactly as it is, without any other circumstances.

Because she can become famous no matter which company she chooses, not just in July. Do you understand what I mean?

"."

At this moment, Zhang Hao realized the seriousness of the matter, which seemed to be beyond his imagination.

He had considered that Zhou Yumeng might not be simple, but this was actually quite normal in the industry. It's a well-known fact that there are no ordinary people in the entertainment industry.

In this industry today, you can't just rely on your work or a little bit of talent to succeed.

The Chinese entertainment industry is very special, extremely special.

It wouldn't be an exaggeration to call it a gruesome and intoxicating arena of fame and fortune, or even a dark and murky one.

However, if things have come to this point, it only shows that he underestimated the power behind Zhou Yumeng.

He also had a slight toothache.

He was utterly perplexed.

If that's the case, then how did Xia Shen come to know this great-aunt?
"Is it too late to cancel the contract now and get a new A-type visa?"

"It's too late, it's already been signed," Chen Jiawang said with a wry smile.

"It probably won't be that easy to break through, will it?" Zhang Hao said with a somewhat strained smile.

"You better pray that's the case," Chen Jiawang said expressionlessly. "Otherwise, if the company suffers huge losses as a result, the company certainly won't bear those losses. As the leader, and I'm the nominal person in charge, then we'll have to bear these losses ourselves."

Even more serious.

Fortunately, the chances of breaking through are indeed slim.

Chen Jiawang said.

This is still somewhat comforting, and that's the only way he can console himself.

On the other hand, Xia Shen had indeed signed his name on the contract.

Although this performance-based agreement seems very harsh, the benefits it contains are also enormous.

To reiterate, if the soundtrack of a hit drama series is involved, and the copyright and revenue are in his own hands, he can hardly imagine how much this wave of success would bring him.

Admittedly, it's impossible for every single song on an album to break records. Xia Shen hadn't considered this, nor would he ever think about it, because it's simply unrealistic.

But it doesn't matter. As long as one song breaks the record, the contract will be profitable for him. If it breaks the record, it means that the song has high commercial value. If it doesn't, it proves that its value is already there. Whether he competes for it or not doesn't really matter.

However, the conditions are indeed very demanding.

A single song with over 5 million audio plays and streaming views is unlike those works specifically designed for short video culture; it is naturally suited for self-media dissemination.

All I can say is that I did my best.

Meanwhile, Zhou Yumeng, who was standing to the side, thought about it but still didn't contact the management.

Her idea was very simple.

Since Xia Shen wants to try, she'll support her.

They are currently chatting in Zhou Yumeng's personal studio.

"Your company's situation is quite complicated," Xia Shen said with a smile. "But it's understandable."

(End of this chapter)