HuaYu97: Starting as a Singer

Chapter 343 [343] A historic first! A Chinese singer tops the Billboard Hot 200 album chart!

"Mr. Zhou said that the Taiwanese media were much quieter today, probably because they also know that four of your songs have entered the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart at the same time."

"Mr. Zhou's idea is to help you launch a major marketing campaign domestically, suppressing all the top stars in the domestic entertainment industry who could potentially replace you."

Zhang Hao couldn't help but laugh. Qi Yuan, who had successfully made it in the US, was in a league of her own when she returned to China. Even if Deng Lijun were to be resurrected, it wouldn't make a difference.

Zhang Hao wiped his forehead and said, "This time your actions were a bit risky. You're from the mainland, and you're sitting on the throne of the number one in the Chinese music scene. Too many people want to pull you down."

Fortunately, your songs are very strong on the Billboard charts, and your album sales are booming.

Otherwise, your situation will become very dangerous; those people will really take the opportunity to bring you down.

Zhang Hao has been a talent agent in Hong Kong and Taiwan for over a decade, and he knows those people's methods all too well.

Fortunately, Qi Yuan won his gamble, and after today, he can truly achieve a double success in both beauty and extravagance.

Zhang Hao still felt compelled to remind her: "A-Yuan, don't take such big risks next time. We can be more careful."

Qi Yuan verbally agreed to Zhang Hao's request, but inwardly he didn't think so.

Zhang Hao's experience was all accumulated in China. As I said before, the experience gained in the Chinese server won't work in the American server.

In the American music scene, if you don't dance or make big news, nobody cares about your album releases. Singers here are always up to something.

You release an album and honestly promote it by charting.

The other side releases an album, dissing who's dating whom, and who's a slut.

Ordinary Americans are all focused on singers with juicy stories, who cares about you?

Qi Yuan also remembered those domestic people who kicked him when he was down.

You want to take him down? You want to get rid of him? When he returns to China, he'll pull off a big one and use these people as a sacrifice for the legend.

Good news from the pony: they've secured a permanent, exclusive agency deal for the legend for two million dollars.

According to Little Pony, the Korean initially asked for an exorbitant three million.

The foal ignored them, but two days later the Koreans couldn't hold back anymore.

Legendary has a paradise of competitors in South Korea. The latter came out earlier, and by the time the former was released, the latter had already completely seized the market, leaving the former with nothing.

For example, the status of Lineage in the hearts of South Korean players is equivalent to that of Legend in the hearts of domestic players; it is irreplaceable.

More than a decade later, why do these kinds of games still need to be called "Legend" in China? The answer is simple: players only recognize this IP.

South Koreans are the same; they only recognize heaven.

After realizing that demanding a high price wouldn't work, Actoz and Wemade patiently brought the pony back to the negotiating table, eventually settling on a buyout price of two million US dollars.

There was no other way; Wemade had already lost a fortune developing this game, and now they finally had a major client in China willing to give them two million US dollars—how could they possibly let that opportunity slip by?

They themselves lacked confidence in the game.

It flopped in South Korea, how could it possibly make money in China? I heard there are only a little over ten million internet users in China.

If these Chinese don't lose their underwear, they'll shut down the company.

And so, the two sides reached a friendly cooperation agreement.

Actoz and Wemade felt like they'd won big, getting two million dollars for free.

Qi Yuan and Little Pony both felt they had won too much, especially the former, who knew all too well how sensational the Legend would be if it were launched in China.

Those who lived through that era know just how influential this game was in China.

Qi Yuan plans to write a promotional song for Legend.

He had already thought of the song; he would use Jay Chou's "General".

This song is very timely, a legendary promotional song, and also Qi Yuan's response to those media outlets or people who wish for his downfall.

Want to see me fail? Want to see me fall from grace? I'll crush your dejected face. I'll gaze at the sunset, and you can only bow your head and leave in sorrow. Using a song to respond to the media's efforts to generate buzz for the legend, Qi Yuan couldn't even imagine how explosive the legend's popularity would become.

Qi Yuan could only remind Little Pony to do a good job setting up the server, so as not to crash the server on the day of the public beta.

According to Little Pony, the public beta test should begin in about a month.

This timing is perfect; Qi Yuan should be back in China by then.

Now, Qi Yuan has to continue promoting the product.

Every time he performs his songs at a music event in a city, his songs' numbers on local radio stations skyrocket that night—that's the power of a roadshow.

Correspondingly, offline sales of her physical records and merchandise are also rising.

The Warner executives were all smiles.

……

On December 14th, a new Thursday, the b list was updated again.

Qi Yuan's efforts in running around to multiple venues a day were not in vain, nor were the media's ridicule for nothing.

His new song has delivered an impressive performance.

"You're Beautiful" climbed to number 6.

Sugar climbed to number 9

"Baby" climbed to number 13.

"Free Loop" rose to 61st place.

On the weekly chart of the top 200 albums, Qi Yuan's "22" took first place with weekly sales of 771200 copies.

Qi Yuan was lucky; December is a slow season for the North American music scene, and American singers don't like to release new albums in December.

For Americans, Christmas is like Chinese New Year. Chinese singers generally don't release new albums around the time of Chinese New Year, because who wants to spend every day promoting their albums during the holidays?

Qi Yuan, a Chinese person who doesn't celebrate Christmas, took advantage of the time difference.

It's worth mentioning that Madonna's album "Music," released in October, was also suppressed by Qi Yuan on the Top 10 Albums chart.

Zhang Hao's smile was brighter than a chrysanthemum: "You've made history again. Your EP has topped the Billboard 200 list."

During peak season, when faced with powerhouses like Britney Spears, Westlife, and Linkin Park, weekly sales of 77 copies are not enough to take the top spot.

As I said before, it's the off-season now, so even a champion with inflated numbers is still a champion!

The American media was in an uproar.

[In the darkest hour of the American music scene, no one could resist the invasion of the King of China]

What's happening to the American music scene? The darkest hour for the American music industry!

For the first time in history, an East Asian singer has topped the weekly album sales charts in the United States.

……

American record companies, singers, musicians, and listeners have firmly remembered the name Chris Qi and the face of Qi Yuan.

Thankfully, no major American singers have released new albums recently, otherwise they might have already attacked Qi Yuan. Dissing each other to generate buzz is a traditional skill in the American music scene, an ancestral practice that cannot be changed.

Qi Yuan has a special identity as a Chinese citizen. If an American singer criticizes Qi Yuan, he will definitely gain a lot of attention.

……

Taiwan.

Upon receiving Qi Yuan's report of victory, Zhou Jianhui, who was stationed at the rear, immediately ordered the propaganda department: "If you fail to execute this plan, every single one of you in your department will have to commit seppuku to atone for your sins to A Yuan!"

(End of this chapter)