Huayu: From the Era of Ringtones to Becoming a Legend

BIGBANG, the Big Bang.

As soon as Lu Jiuge said this, the eyes of Jiang Dasheng and the other three lit up instantly.

For a group, especially an idol group that wants to fight its way through the competition stage, besides having high-quality songs, the name is the first impression.

The name BIGBANG is both powerful and rhythmic; just shouting it out is enough to command attention.

After waiting for two or three minutes and seeing that none of the four people had any objections, Lu Jiuge didn't waste a second and got straight to the point.

"I'll be the team leader."

In one sentence, the soul of the entire team was determined.

Jiang Dasheng did not hesitate at all; in fact, he felt that it should be done this way.

From pulling him out of Class F, to helping him advance to the next class with a single song, and now to overcoming all opposition to assemble this team, Lu Jiuge has always been the backbone who makes decisions and sets the direction.

The other three trainees from Class F didn't hesitate either. They were marginalized outcasts in the industry, invisible people who could be eliminated by the production team at any time. Lu Jiuge gave them the only chance to stay.

Who the team leader is doesn't matter; what matters is who you can follow to survive and stand on the stage.

"Do you have a problem with me being the team leader?"

Lu Jiuge's gaze swept over the four people, her tone carrying an unyielding seriousness:

"Speak up now if you have any opinions or ideas, don't wait until later rehearsals to gossip behind people's backs."

"We're all being targeted by the production team, and with the time so tight—the second round of competition starts in seven days—I don't have time to waste with you guys."

The words were spoken bluntly, even a bit rough, but Jiang Dasheng and the other three heard them clearly.

This is not being domineering; it's the kind of decisiveness that's necessary in dire situations.

All four shook their heads; not one of them voiced any objection.

Cui Mingze, with his red hair, swallowed hard and leaned closer to ask in a low voice:

"So, what will we sing next? We can't just sing the old songs again, can we?"

That hit the nail on the head.

In the previous round, Lu Jiuge sang "Gangnam Style" a cappella. He was gambling on luck by going it alone, knowing that Li Zaixiu wouldn't dare to openly eliminate him.

But now it's a group competition, with five people tied together, so they need a killer song that can dominate the whole scene.

If they keep messing around, forget about ruining the show; they'll be lucky if they don't get eliminated first by the production team.

Lu Jiuge didn't answer immediately. Instead, she walked to her desk in the dormitory, picked up a pen and blank sheet music, and started writing.

This scene shocked Cui Mingze and the other two so much that they covered their mouths and didn't dare to breathe.

Jiang Dasheng was also stunned.

He had never seen Lu Jiuge compose a song on the spot before; the pace was unbelievably fast.

Half an hour later, Lu Jiuge stopped writing.

He spread the paper on the table, looked up at the four of them, and smiled confidently:

"The group is called BIGBANG, so let's write a title track called 'BANG BANG BANG'."

He pushed the sheet music over and continued:

"The rhythm, melody, and even the emotional progression of this song were tailor-made for the five of us!"

"Once this song is released, the production team, the directors, and all those people secretly trying to trip us up will have to shut up!"

Jiang Dasheng and the other three huddled together to look at the lyrics and sheet music, their eyes widening as they stared at them.

"Amazing! These lyrics are so powerful!"

Cui Mingze was the first to speak, his finger lightly tapping on the paper:

"BANG BANG BANG, shout it out and it'll explode!"

"This melody is definitely difficult, but it'll absolutely blow the stage away!"

"This is BIGBANG's battle anthem!"

The group chatted amongst themselves, praising the lyrics, but they didn't truly realize the significance of the song.

Lu Jiuge could see clearly that the song was not yet fully formed, and they did not have a complete auditory concept in their minds, so they naturally could not understand how popular the song could become in the future.

He didn't explain further, but changed the subject, looking at the four people:

"There's one more thing. Tomorrow morning, the five of us will apply to go out."

"Going out?"

Cui Mingze was taken aback:

"Go outside to rehearse?"

"Rehearsals aren't in the rush; the most important thing is to record the song first. I don't trust the show's recording studio!"

Jiang Dasheng's expression was serious, and he strongly agreed with Lu Jiuge's words:

"Brother Lu is right, we absolutely can't use the show's recording studio! If this song falls into their hands, it might be snatched up by someone else before the second round of competition!"

Upon hearing this, the other three people's expressions changed slightly. They all understood the implications and echoed his words.

After a moment's thought, Jiang Dasheng immediately spoke:

"I know a private recording studio. The owner is tight-lipped and we have a good relationship. It's the safest place to go."

Lu Jiuge nodded:

"Then I'll leave the arrangements to you. Remember, keep it a secret the whole time; not a single word can be leaked."

……

Silent all night.

At 11 a.m. the next morning, Lu Jiuge and the other four left the manor where the production team was located and headed straight for the recording studio that Jiang Dasheng had arranged.

The taxi drove for twenty minutes before stopping in a quiet alley.

At the entrance of the alley hangs an inconspicuous sign that reads "Starry Night Recording Studio".

"Brother Kim Jae-wook, we're here."

Jiang Dasheng pushed open the door and called out familiarly to those inside.

The middle-aged man called Kim Jae-wook walked out of the recording studio and patted Kang Dae-seung on the shoulder:

"Dasheng, you're here? Come in quickly, we've saved rooms for you."

Kim Jae-wook made no formalities and led the group directly into the recording studio:

"The equipment is all set up and ready to use."

"Thank you, Brother Jin!"

Jiang Dasheng saw Jin Zaixu off and closed the door behind him.

"Alright, the time from now on belongs to BIGBANG."

After giving a brief explanation, Lu Jiuge began assigning tasks, directing the group to assist with the recording and arrangement.

For the next four hours, Jiang Dasheng and his three companions were completely dumbfounded.

From recording instruments to arranging and splicing music, from rhythm calibration to sound effect layering, almost everything was done by Lu Jiuge alone.

The four stood aside, barely daring to breathe, their awe rising rapidly.

After listening to the synthesized melody twice and confirming that there were no problems, Lu Jiuge announced that recording would begin.

"Jiang Dasheng, you're in charge of the verses and the first chorus. Your voice is steady and you can build up the emotions."

Lu Jiuge pointed to the sheet music:

"Cui Mingze, you're in charge of harmony. Your voice is clear and bright, and you can handle the high notes."

Li Tai and Zheng Hao, you two are in charge of the harmonies for the main plot and the ending. The key is to maximize the explosive power.

……

Lu Jiuge explained in great detail, and the four listened very attentively, taking notes and humming along with her explanations.

Lu Jiuge explained the division of labor, emotions, and breathing points very clearly.

The four of them sang it several times, and he pointed out every slight deviation with his sharp insight.

There were no unnecessary words; every sentence hit the nail on the head.

The more they sang, the more apprehensive they became, yet also the more at ease they felt.

Once a true understanding had formed, Lu Jiuge raised her hand:

"Okay, let's begin recording."

Recording begins.

Jiang Dasheng started the song, delivering a steady and powerful verse that unfolded layer by layer with emotion.

Cui Mingze's harmonic entry is clear and sharp.

The addition of Li Tai and Zheng Hao's harmonies instantly filled in the gaps in the vocals.

The moment the chorus arrived, Lu Jiuge's voice rose naturally:

"BANG BANG BANG!"

The melody was explosive, the rhythm was catchy, and the five voices blended seamlessly, instantly pushing the atmosphere in the recording studio to its peak.

After recording one take, Lu Jiuge pressed pause.

Just as he was about to offer his suggestions for improvement, the recording studio door was suddenly pushed open from the outside.

A man in a casual suit and wearing black-rimmed glasses stood at the door, his face full of shock.

The man's gaze was fixed on the five people in the recording studio, finally settling on Lu Jiuge, his voice trembling:

"That song just now, was it you who sang it?"

"Which company are you trainees from?"

"I'm a talent scout from Star Entertainment, and I absolutely love this song!"

"I want to sign a formal contract with you right now!"