A band, or a battleground?

Su Muluo looked Qi Yuan up and down, then glanced at the three girls with different styles and high looks beside him, and smiled and said, "This lousy production team is full of unkempt middle-aged men. Finally, I see a few colleagues who are easy to look at."

"Colleagues?" Qi Yuan was slightly taken aback. "Aren't all the participants in this program colleagues?"

Su Mulu shook his head and said, "A band is just a name. In the entertainment industry, everyone sells an image. Those bearded uncles sell the persona of professional musicians. As for us, we sell the persona of idols who have both good looks and good music."

Qi Yuan: "You may have misunderstood something. Our band is not an idol group."

"Isn't that right?" Su Muluo asked in surprise. "Isn't the company positioning you as idols? By the way, which company do you belong to?"

Qi Yuan shook his head slightly: "We haven't signed with any company."

Su Muluo was even more shocked: "An individual trainee!"

Qi Yuan: "I think we're not really trainees, just an amateur band."

Su Muluo: "Amateurs can pass the preliminary rounds? Do you have some extraordinary connections?"

Before Qi Yuan could answer, Ning Qianyu spoke up first: "We don't have any connections, we rely on our strength!"

Su Muluo smiled: "I understand. Connections are a form of strength. Don't worry, there are no cameras pointing this way, so it's fine."

Ning Qianyu wanted to say something more, but Qi Yuan stopped her.

He steered the conversation back to where it started: "We do have a bit of a history with the Titans."

Su Muluo suppressed her smile and lowered her voice: "I knew it, the way they were looking at you was weird."

Qi Yuan subtly inquired, "The Titans, are they very talented?"

Su Muluo said in a low voice, "Of course, they used to call themselves an independent band, doing all that underground stuff. But this year, Jufeng Music signed them."

"Jufeng?" Qi Yuan vaguely recognized the name; it seemed like he had heard it somewhere before.

Jiang Yi whispered a reminder: "A large company that specializes in producing bands."

Qiu Mengxue added softly, "You could say they're giants. In the world of bands, there's no one bigger than them."

Jiang Yi couldn't help but worry: "No wonder they were so arrogant, it turns out they signed with Jufeng Music..."

Su Muluo slapped her thigh: "That's right, that's why they're so arrogant. We can hear them laughing at us as we walk by, it's absolutely outrageous."

Qi Yuan: "You didn't provoke them at all, yet they still want to provoke you, right?"

“It’s not really provoking them. They’ll just look at you with a contemptuous look, but they won’t talk to you…” Su Muluo sighed as she spoke. “This season, I heard that Jufeng Music only signed two bands, and they’ll definitely be guaranteed a spot in the semifinals.”

Qi Yuan then asked, "What about after the semi-finals?"

Su Muluo: "After the semi-finals, it will depend on the audience vote, and the finals will be voted on online. There is less and less room for manipulation. However, with the connection of Jufeng Music, they will definitely get the most screen time, and their popularity should not be low."

Qi Yuan said he understood: "So that's how it is. They thought advancing was a piece of cake, so they looked down on everyone."

But Su Muluo asked, "What are you holding?"

Qi Yuan: "Hold it in your hand and pinch it."

Su Muluo: "What does this mean?"

Qi Yuan: "...It just means I'm very confident, nothing more. So, brother, are you trying to tell me that the Titans have strong connections and I should be careful around them?"

Su Muluo nodded: "Yes, be careful, and we're both idols... uh, in the looks category, so we can cooperate with each other."

Qi Yuan thought for a moment and asked, "How do we cooperate?"

Su Muluo explained with a smile, "When one band goes on stage to perform, the other bands are watching from below. The camera not only films the stage but also the audience. For example, after your performance, we clap our hands and say a few words about how well you sang. Wouldn't that give the production team some material? If it gets edited into the final cut, it can engage the fans."

Qi Yuan nodded: "That makes sense."

"Okay, we've finished taking our costume photos, so we'll be leaving now. Oh, and don't eat too much for lunch, it'll affect your performance."

After saying this, Su Muluo waved and left with a smile.

The four members of the Kasuga Kage Band were still sitting there.

"Don't eat too much for lunch..." Ning Qianyu muttered under her breath, "They really treat us like amateur kids."

Qi Yuan said calmly, "You can't hit someone who's smiling at you. After all, they meant well. At least compared to the Titans, this band is much easier to get along with."

Qiu Mengxue was looking at her phone at the moment: "Their name is Star Element Band. The lead singer is Su Muluo, who has an entry on Baidu Baike and hundreds of thousands of followers on his blog."

Jiang Yi was taken aback: "Wow, that's amazing, over a hundred thousand followers?"

Qiu Mengxue calmly explained, "They're not necessarily all real people. It's easy to build a fan base. They're signed with Tianhua Entertainment. You should all know Tianhua Entertainment, right? Most of the popular idol dramas in recent years were produced by this company."

Ning Qianyu muttered, "Film and television dramas and bands are two different fields."

Qiu Mengxue continued to explain: "Tianhua Entertainment's core focus is idols. Whether it's film and television dramas or music, as long as it can attract fans and manage fan circles, they are very good at it. However, I haven't heard of Tianhua Entertainment promoting any bands, but they do have several popular boy groups and girl groups."

Jiang Yi couldn't help but sigh, "It's all about capital. Among the bands that passed the auditions, how many are like us who haven't signed with any company?"

Ning Qianyu was also a little worried: "Even if we perform very well, what if there's something fishy going on..."

The three girls fell silent.

But Qi Yuan remained nonchalant: "Passing one round is one round, nothing to worry about. If you're eliminated early, just go back to class. You've already passed the preliminary rounds, someone's treating you to a trip to the capital, is that a bad deal?"

Qiu Mengxue smiled and said, "That's right, we're just nobody, we have nothing to lose."

Ning Qianyu, however, stood with her hands on her hips and puffed out her chest: "Heroic roles should begin from humble beginnings."

Jiang Yi: "That's a bit too much, Qian Yu..."

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

046 I really can't sleep here

The recording studio for the show was very spacious. It featured a highly professional studio with a stage illuminated by spotlights and a large semi-circular audience seating area. Between the audience and the stage were three tall thrones—the seats for the three judges.

However, although there will be spectator seats, no spectators will be invited for the first round of group matches.

For the past two days, besides the host, three judges, and necessary staff, the only people in the studio were the members of these one hundred bands.

At 2 PM, the four members of the Spring Shadow Band, led by staff, found their seats—the very last row, on the far left.

Qi Yuan yawned as soon as he sat down: "No wonder they're freelance musicians, this is just marginalized treatment."

Ning Qianyu frowned and asked, "Will the camera be able to capture our reaction?"

"I don't care about the reaction. As long as we can go on stage and complete the performance normally, that's enough."

As Qiu Mengxue said this, she sat down to Qi Yuan's right.

As for Qi Yuan's left side, there was no space to sit.

So Ning Qianyu and Jiang Yi sat down to Qiu Mengxue's right. A few meters to their right was another band, consisting of four middle-aged men.

The older men just glanced at them and didn't come over to say anything.

The audience members were chatting in their own bands, checking their phones, and waiting for the main show to begin.

Jiang Yi looked at the notification on her phone and muttered, "Our performance is tomorrow afternoon, so we'll just be audience members today?"

Qi Yuan: "Yes, as an audience member."

Jiang Yi continued flipping through the performance list and suddenly saw two band names: "Titans are actually opening! They'll be the first to perform after the host finishes his speech."

Qi Yuan: "That's why they say Jufeng has strong connections."

Ning Qianyu frowned and said, "When this episode airs, no matter what the other bands do, Titan, who performed first, will definitely be included in the final cut. The judges should have also been bribed to say a few good words to them, so the audience's first impression of them should be good."

Qiu Mengxue whispered, "His manners are so low..."

“Low quality isn’t necessarily a bad thing for a band,” Qi Yuan said with a smile. “Fighting, sleeping with fans, drinking heavily—aren’t those the norm in the band scene? Oh, at least it’s more restrained in China than abroad. In Europe and America, people are always doing drugs.”

"It's starting! It's starting!" Jiang Yi exclaimed excitedly.

Just then, the lights in the studio suddenly flickered, even creating a rhythmic, breathing-like effect. This was undoubtedly a reminder that the program was about to begin recording.

One hundred bands and nearly four hundred musicians who emerged from the nationwide auditions have all taken their seats in the spectator stands.

The diverse outfits and the clash of different styles filled the studio with a restless energy.

The main stage lights suddenly turned on, and spotlights shone on the center of the stage.

He Dong, a well-known host in his forties, looked much younger than his actual age, dressed in a light blue casual suit. Holding a microphone, he strode confidently to the center of the stage.

Although He Dong is not from a musical background, his years of experience hosting large-scale programs have made him adept at handling such situations.

"Hello everyone, fellow music fans, viewers watching on screens, and the 100 bands performing live! Welcome to Tomorrow's Band!"

He Dong's voice was loud and penetrating, instantly suppressing the noise in the room.

"Someone once asked me, 'What exactly is rock and roll?' This is a difficult question for me to answer, because, and I'm not afraid to admit it, I'm tone-deaf. Many songs that others find appealing, I can't understand why they're good. My musician friends can talk endlessly about the differences between this kind of rock and that kind, but I don't even really know what rock and roll is. Friends, can you tell me, what is rock and roll?!"

In the stands, many band members whistled, and some even pounded on the railings, shouting, "This is rock and roll!"

He Dong, microphone in hand, surveyed the audience, his voice rising in pitch:

"Today, here we gather 100 of the most attitude-driven bands from across the country! Among you are veterans who have been battered and bruised in the underground livehouse scene for years, yet still stubbornly persevere..."

As He Dong spoke, the director's camera panned across a corner of the spectator stands.

In the Titans' section, lead singer Zhao Xukun stood with his arms crossed, a confident smile playing on his lips. Next to him, guitarist Li Qiye chewed gum dismissively.

"...There are also newly formed forces, full of enthusiasm and fearlessness, like newborn calves!" He Dong continued.

The camera slowly panned across several bands, including Star Elements, who were sitting in the front row.

Lead singer Su Muluo had already straightened his back. At this moment, he also found the right position for the camera, and the corners of his mouth turned up, revealing a perfect smile that he had practiced countless times.

The camera panned across many bands, but Qi Yuan could see clearly that none of the several cameras pointing at the audience were aimed at him.

He turned his head and saw Qiu Mengxue sitting stiffly beside him, like a well-behaved primary school student. He chuckled and reminded her, "Don't be so nervous, you won't be able to get a picture of us."

The girl bit her lip, stared at him, and said defiantly, "I'm not nervous!"

Qi Yuan laughed and said, "Then don't clench your fist."

Qiu Mengxue looked down at it before flattening her palm.

On stage, He Dong, holding the microphone, continued:

"Because I'm a novice, I even asked a friend who plays rock music what I would need to prepare if I were to host a show like this. He said... Remember to buy personal insurance and have the production team prepare a first aid team."

The audience burst into laughter.

He Dong blinked, a playful look on his face: "So, my fellow band members, promise me one thing: don't fight, okay? Although I've heard many people say that when a group of band members get together, they're bound to fight, here, we only want your work. Use your work to conquer our three superstar mentors!"

Unbeknownst to them, He Dong's tone became increasingly intense, drawing everyone's attention more and more closely.

"In the first round of the group stage, out of one hundred bands, only sixty will remain! Forty of the bands will only be able to sing one song today before they have to pack their bags and go home! Is it cruel? Of course it is! But this is the starting point for your path to tomorrow!"

He Dong paused for two seconds, listened to the shouts and commotion erupting from the audience, smiled with satisfaction, and then shouted in a loud voice:

"I now declare that the first round of the Top 100 group competition for 'The Tomorrow Band' has officially begun!"

In an instant, high-pressure air columns shot out from all around the stage, and dazzling lights swept wildly throughout the entire studio.

Inspired by this, the hundreds of musicians in the audience also erupted in deafening cheers.

Only the last row, on the left, remained calm.

Qi Yuan yawned again.

Qiu Mengxue, who was standing next to her, asked, "Are you sleepy?"

Qi Yuan: "This is usually my afternoon nap time. Even the teacher lecturing on stage can't stop me. Tsk, there's nothing I can do, it's too noisy here, I really can't fall asleep."

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

047 The more I look at it, the more reassured I feel.

After a dazzling display of sound and light, the lights suddenly focused on the three tall seats in front of the stage.

Then everyone realized that the three mentors were already sitting there.

He Dong spoke into the microphone: "Although the three superstar mentors here are already known throughout the country, I would still like to reintroduce them. First of all, there is our veteran diva, Liang Fei, who has won the Heavenly Voice Award five times and the Golden Melody Award four times, and is undoubtedly the goddess of lyric poetry!"

Even though she's over forty, Liang Fei's makeup is still exquisite and beautiful. She sits there, wearing a shimmering champagne-colored long dress, her long hair slightly curled and draped over her shoulders, with sparkling earrings dangling from her ears, exuding a queenly aura that is both elegant and approachable.

"I am Liang Fei. Techniques can be practiced, but emotions cannot be faked. I look forward to hearing your love for music in your voices."

The superstar mentor had a microphone hanging from his collar, so that everyone could hear him as soon as he spoke.

Amidst applause, He Dong pointed to the seat in the center: "And then there's our superstar, Chen Jiashu! Countless people thought he had retired, but after five years of silence, his song 'Dopamine Trap' still ignited the music scene last year, winning him his fifth Golden Melody Award without any controversy!"