Chapter 27: New Album (1)
9th place. A single-digit rank that I never imagined my song would reach, a position that always felt distant. I had no idea how to react, but Yoo Ah-ra moved first.
“See? What did I tell you? Look at this!”
She brought over a laptop from somewhere and bounced up to my side.
‘Mountain Scenery’ was trending on the real-time search list, and it was also featured in the entertainment section. Not just ‘Mountain Scenery’—Yoo Ah-ra was ranked 5th and Heli was 8th.
This was the first time I had ever made it onto the trending list, but I didn’t have time to focus on such things now. I grabbed a fresh article that had just been posted 30 minutes ago, which was already ranked 7th in Naver’s entertainment section.
[Oh! Yoo Ah-ra, Her First Solo Song in 3 Years Created as an OST]
Yoo Ah-ra has released her first solo track in 3 years, ‘Mountain Scenery’.
‘Mountain Scenery’ is a drama OST created with producer Heli, and the simple guitar melody that harmonizes with Yoo Ah-ra’s voice has received widespread praise.
The song, which first captured viewers’ attention when it was featured in SBC’s drama ‘Small Diary’, was perfectly re-enacted once again in the latest episode of the reality show ‘Travel Log’, reminding the audience of the emotional impact it had in the drama…
-The song is amazing. I didn’t know Yoo Ah-ra’s voice was this beautiful.
-Yoo Ah-ra’s acting isn’t great, but her singing is good. But it was so forced that she appeared with the producer on ‘Travel Log’. They should have just said they were there to promote.
-Who cares as long as the song is good? And her acting is way better than those Romeo kids’ lol.
-Why even mention Romeo here? Ridiculous lol. Are you kidding me?
I briefly looked away from the laptop.
“Do you think this is the company helping with promotion…?”
But Yoo Ah-ra was already gone. Come to think of it, when I was reading the article and comments, I think I heard her say something like, ‘I’m going home for a bit!’
“Wow.”
I let out a short exclamation before sinking into the sofa.
What is this feeling? It’s both satisfying and exhausting. I’m anxious, yet my head feels light. It’s like walking on clouds… but it feels too unstable to be that.
It feels like I’m flying, yet there’s a precariousness, as if I could fall at any moment.
Wiiing— wiiing—
Just then, my phone rang.
It was Yoon Seong-woo from JM Entertainment, my friend.
“Hello?”
-Hey, you! Congrats.
His voice was relaxed, as if he wasn’t even surprised.
-Real-time 9th place. Good results.
“…I got lucky, a little. Doesn’t your company have anything to say about it?”
There are a few people at JM Entertainment who know my face. I’ve been in and out of the studio for album work.
-The employees who knew you here, except for me and the CEO, all quit. The CEO doesn’t even know Heli’s Kim So-ha.
I couldn’t help but chuckle.
“Figures. The unlucky icon, Kim So-ha.”
-Heh. When you have time, let’s grab a drink. Seems like your name was the issue. As soon as you dropped So-ha, success followed.
“You’re full of it. Wait, drink? Aren’t you busy?”
-I’m about to take a break. Luckily, my schedule isn’t overlapping with Lilac’s activities. Oh, by the way, I’ve been making it obvious at the company that I know you, and they’re asking if I can introduce you to anyone.
“…Tell them I’m busy working on the album.”
-Got it. Oh, and by the way, there’s a reunion next month…
The conversation continued a bit longer.
Even though we hadn’t seen each other in a long time, we had plenty to talk about. It was nice to swear casually and laugh comfortably for the first time in a while.
We set the drinking date for two weeks from today. Hopefully, I’ll be able to relax a bit more that day.
I met with the three songwriters for the tracks I decided to include on the Lilac album. The purpose was to discuss the arrangement direction.
Each one had a different reaction. One was stubborn, another was quick to agree, probably to avoid any issues with the contract, and the third wanted to discuss the direction together, speaking back and forth…
I made the necessary adjustments, and we finished the final arrangements.
So, on January 6th.
I submitted the six completed tracks to the company.
In track order: ‘On a Snowy Day’, ‘Dream’, ‘Stars’, ‘Old Memories’, ‘Flower Scent’, ‘Idol’.
Now, the first decision would be made through an internal blind vote: would these six tracks be included on the album, or would some of them be rejected?
If the album is confirmed for release, then the next step would be to decide which track would be the title song.
After that, if everything is confirmed, it’s time for music video shoots, promotional variety show appearances, events… busy days that won’t give me a moment to breathe.
For Lilac, at least.
As for me, I’ll probably have some free time. But in exchange, I won’t be seeing the Lilac members.
Actually, starting today, the moment I submitted the six tracks, I’m unemployed.
My work as a producer is done. Now, I just wait for the album release, watching TV or whatever.
Ah, there are still some small things to take care of.
-Heli-ssi, I made a few lyric changes to the first verse of ‘Flower Scent’.
“Please send them to me. I’ll forward them to the company.”
Quick communication with the lyricist.
-Sure. Oh, and by the way…
Just for reference, Kim Ji-in was responsible for writing the lyrics to the three songs I composed. For ‘Idol’, since the main framework of the lyrics was mine, we worked together as co-writers, but for ‘Flower Scent’ and ‘On a Snowy Day’, she took full responsibility for the lyrics.
-When are we going to grab a drink together?
“A drink?”
-Yes! ‘Mountain Scenery’ was a huge hit! We should definitely celebrate. Director Yoon Seung-han is incredibly grateful, too.
“Hmm…”
From what I’d heard from Yoon Seung-han, Kim Ji-in had decided to fully commit to a career in songwriting after this project.
“Well, I’m up for it. Let’s meet up soon.”
-Alright, I’ll hang up for now. Another project just came in~
With Kim Ji-in’s cheerful voice lingering, the call ended, and at that very moment, a familiar voice came from the TV.
-I, uh, can imitate the sound of a ship horn.
It was Wednesday night, 11 PM, and the live broadcast of ‘Hello Radio’ was on. Yoon Hyeok-pil, appearing as a guest, brought the mic to his throat and made a booming ship horn sound.
‘Hello Radio’, which could be considered the top of weekday variety talk shows, was no small stage. Surprisingly, he was handling it well, and the impersonations we’d planned together were getting a great reaction.
So, I was sitting back, watching comfortably as if it didn’t concern me. Then suddenly, my name came up.
-So, how did you meet Producer Heli? I heard he recently appeared on the S Broadcasting weekend variety show.
-Oh, right. Heli’s been getting pretty popular lately. I listened to ‘Mountain Scenery’ too.
Kim Gu-dong set it up, and Shin Yoon-jong jumped in, acting like he knew me well. The other two hosts seemed clueless, just repeating, ‘Heli? Heli?’
But hearing that I’m gaining attention… Well, hearing it from Shin Yoon-jong, who’s so well-connected in the industry, made me feel a bit proud.
-Well, you see…
Yoon Hyeok-pil, hesitating, began to share what had happened. He said I was a lifesaver who’d come to him like a comet when he was about to give up on being a singer.
Listening to him talk made me feel unexpectedly embarrassed. So that’s why he insisted so strongly that I shouldn’t watch the live broadcast.
As the lively conversation between the MCs and guests continued, an hour and ten minutes flew by, and before I knew it, the final segment was upon us. The four MCs joined together in a chorus.
-The song that changed my life!
Yoon Hyeok-pil’s chosen song was… his own, ‘Alleyway’.
He explained his choice with candid honesty.
-It’s such a good song, but it never got the attention it deserved…
With that, Yoon Hyeok-pil stepped onto the stage and passionately sang ‘Alleyway’. Though edited down to about 90 seconds, the climactic part was all there. Somehow, his vocals seemed even stronger and more refined than before. I wish his agency would start planning his next album already.
-Wow, he’s really good. Has he always been around?
-Of course! He wouldn’t be here otherwise.
Shin Yoon-jong and Kim Gu-dong exchanged comments of admiration, while Yoon Hyeok-pil shyly smiled as he came down from the stage.
-See you next week… hopefully…
The final segment ended with the signature closing phrase, bringing the show to a close. I glanced at the clock. It was 12:10 AM.
Here I was, in the Lilac studio—without Lilac.
In other words, still in Letter’s studio. Home would’ve been more comfortable for resting, but for some reason, I chose to come here. The reason was…
“It’s about that time…”
Most likely, it’s because of Ji Ah-young.
I’m not sure what’s gotten into me. Maybe it’s the urge to create a new masterpiece with her beautiful voice as my painting. Or perhaps it’s the allure of her appearance and aura, so reminiscent of Jeong Ha-yeon.
I still don’t fully understand myself.
Hoping to see her again tonight, I went down to the first floor.
In the peak of winter chill, on January 8th, soft but lively music flowed through the conference room of Letter, where several team members were gathered.
‘This one’s the title track.’
Lee Ha-yeon thought to herself, eyes closed as she listened to the melody. Once the song ended, she turned to a team member.
“What’s the title of this track again?”
“Uh… just a sec…”
One of the staff members flipped through some papers.
“It’s called ‘Flower Scent’.”
Lee Ha-yeon jotted down a score in her notebook: ‘Flower Scent’ – 80 points, a strong contender for the title track.
“Alright, let’s play the next song.”
The next track began with a lively British pop-inspired intro. Instinctively, her fingers tapped along to the beat.
The genre was mainstream pop, yet distinctly different from the usual chart music. It had a unique quality, a bright sound tinged with melancholy.
It was a concept that girl groups rarely attempted, yet this song captured it perfectly.
The better the song sounded, however, the more Lee Ha-yeon frowned with contemplation. This one, too, was a strong contender for the title track…
“This is the song Lilac kept singing praises about, right? ‘Idol’?”
“Yes, that’s the one.”
“Hmm…”
All three songs composed by Heli were good enough to be the title track. ‘On a Snowy Day’, being a ballad, could be ruled out from the title track contenders. But ‘Flower Scent’ and ‘Idol’ were neck-and-neck. The team members also seemed to be wrestling with the decision, their faces showing deep concentration.
‘These are all solid songs…’
Lee Ha-yeon thought, recalling Heli. Initially, she had merely seen him as a somewhat capable composer.
However, in an era where MIDI technology has evolved and countless music production courses are readily available, there are plenty of skilled composers. The industry now demands that composers, much like singers, offer distinctiveness and uniqueness.
Lee Ha-yeon didn’t think of Heli in that way. She didn’t consider him the type of ‘star composer’ that agencies would go to great lengths to retain, even at a loss.
Yet now, her initial assessment had been completely overturned. The three songs he produced were highly praised by the team, and his OST, ‘Mountain Scenery’, was holding strong at fifth on the music charts.
It was about time Lee Ha-yeon reconsidered her evaluation of Heli.
“But listen, I’m telling you, we should go with Jelly’s song instead.”
An intrusive voice cut into her thoughts. Lee Ha-yeon shot a glare in that direction.
It was, of course, Kim Yo-han. From the beginning, he had been pushing to make Jelly’s song the title track instead of Heli’s.
“These songs are good, but do we really need to spend extra on that guy’s track?”
He continued.
“Heli doesn’t have any standout achievements, right? He’s only released two songs so far, and that fifth-place ranking for ‘Mountain Scenery’? That was only because it got a push from both a variety show and a drama. His other song, what was it… ‘Alleyway’? Did that even make the top 100? And think about it, Jelly sent us this track with us in mind. If we don’t use it, what happens to our relationship with him? Jelly is the hot name these days.”
Just as the tension between Lee Ha-yeon and Kim Yo-han was about to escalate, a team member suddenly gasped quietly.
“Wow…”
Both of their gazes turned toward her. One of the team members was looking at her smartphone.
She was using her phone in the middle of a meeting, and though Lee Ha-yeon shot her a disapproving look, the woman only smiled, holding up her phone.
“Look at this, you two.”
“…What’s going on?”
Lee Ha-yeon asked, still skeptical.
“What’s so important?”
Kim Yohan added.
The team member replied.
“’Alleyway’ is trending again. It just re-entered the charts a moment ago.”
“What?”
“What?”
Lee Ha-yeon squinted at the screen, focusing on the ranking.
Rommel’s real-time chart, 40th place.
‘Alleyway’ had briefly entered the charts at 75th before disappearing again, but now, there it was, rising higher.
[January 11th: 19th on Rommel’s real-time chart, ‘Alleyway’ by Yoon Hyeok-pil]
“…Is it really aiming for the top?”
The episode of ‘Hello Radio’ with Yoon Hyeok-pil aired on January 6th, and up until then, the chart movement hadn’t been significant. But now, thanks to amateur singers covering ‘Alleyway’ on Facebook and other social media platforms, the song surged back onto the charts, reaching an impressive 19th place.
With this sudden stroke of luck, Yoo Ah-ra and the other members of Lilac sent congratulatory messages to Yoon Hyeok-pil on social media. Even at Letter, more people started seeing him in a new light. Yoon Hyeok-pil himself was still in disbelief, and honestly, so was I.
“…Wow, they really nailed it.”
As I admired the cover versions of ‘Alleyway’ that were trending on social media, especially the ones with tons of ‘likes’, a new message notification popped up.
[Lilac’s third mini-album, ‘Lonely Flower’, confirmed for release on February 5th. No changes to the song list; the title track will be ‘Idol’.]
“Yes!”
Without realizing it, I punched the air with a celebratory uppercut. It seemed good news really does come in waves. My track was locked in as the title without a hitch. Now I’d have the honor of being the title producer for a major idol group. And if I could avoid any scandals, maybe I’d even earn the title ‘successful’.
This elated feeling? I couldn’t sit still with it.
I hurriedly opened my DAW, took up my virtual instrument ‘brush’, and, with a racing heartbeat and fully focused mind, began crafting a song to capture this soaring feeling.
Today’s creation would go up on YouTube—on ‘alleyH’’s channel, where I’d already gathered 800 subscribers.
alleyH – Happiness Held in Starlight [2:59]
Views: 983
Likes: 38 / Dislikes: 0
Posted: 2016.1.11
[alleyH.
Striving to weave the indescribable happiness that occasionally touches us from somewhere up above into music]
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