Chapter 183: Sponsorship Contract
At the very beginning when singing that bad song, neither the company nor she herself had great expectations. So the company didn’t do any packaging, just uploaded the song Good Brother online, together with those crudely made network dance tracks.
However, it unexpectedly became a hit.
At that time, the domestic music scene was when physical album sales began to shrink. Good Brother didn’t even release a legitimate album, yet it made a fortune selling ringtones.
The company was greatly encouraged and arranged a series of similar “explosive dance tracks” for Chang Wen, making them as brainwashing as possible. And with the fame from the first hit song, starting from the second song, they could even shoot MVs for her.
But because of the style requirements, in the MV she wore revealing even exposing clothes, with spicy makeup, dancing hot dances. And the company even arranged plastic surgery for her.
Once the MV was released, it instantly exploded in popularity. Videos spreading for free online naturally couldn’t bring direct profits, but riding on this fame, she could perform commercial gigs everywhere to make money. Although a large portion of the profits were taken by the company, Chang Wen’s own annual income still reached millions of yuan.
After that, it was one divine song after another, allowing her to secure a foothold in places like square dance and big sales…
Chatting to this point, Chang Wen gave a bitter smile: “Ten years ago when I first became popular, I even argued with the company executives, wanting to change my music style and sing songs I wrote myself. I still remember what that executive said. He said I was just a little girl who hadn’t grown up, couldn’t see the vastness of heaven and earth, and didn’t understand market demand. He also said he wouldn’t blame me for confronting him to his face, because later I wouldn’t be so naive and would apologize to him.”
Pei Ningle couldn’t help but ask: “And then did you apologize to him?”
Chang Wen nodded: “When I got the revenue share from the ringtones, that million yuan check, I apologized.”
Wang Heng didn’t speak, just feeling a bit heavy. And the atmosphere in the lounge seemed to become oppressive as well.
Chang Wen suddenly took out a pack of high-end cigarettes, drew one out, held it in her mouth, and lit it with a lighter.
She took a puff and continued: “Indeed, you can’t blame others. After seeing the money, even I myself made the same choice. Writing songs is very tiring, really tiring. And what I needed to do in the company was just sing bad songs written by others, dance nightclub-style dances, then sit and collect money. Even running commercial performances all over the country was very easy. I didn’t need to worry about singing effects, even lip-syncing was fine, not many people cared about that. Everyone just wanted to hear the hottest and most popular divine songs, see the person singing divine songs, take a photo to show off, that’s all.”
Pei Ningle suddenly asked: “Do you feel regret now?”
Chang Wen gazed at the misty smoke rising from her hand and said softly: “Talking about regret or not, it doesn’t matter anymore. What they said was indeed right; the music market back then was like that. The most popular were Hong Kong and Taiwan music, followed by the talent show craze. I’m not from Hong Kong or Taiwan, and I didn’t catch the talent show wave. To stand out, I could only sing divine songs; becoming overplayed was success. If I didn’t do that, I’d starve, no other choice.”
Pei Ningle: “Then do I have other choices now?”
Chang Wen looked at this petite girl and suddenly smiled: “To be honest, I don’t know. It feels like the wind has changed a bit in the past two years, with more fans paying attention to original music, so there are people like Yan Sheng writing articles. Ten years ago, this kind of self-media focused on independent musicians simply couldn’t exist.”
Wang Heng interjected: “There was no self-media ten years ago. Although there were blogs, the audience was too small.”
Chang Wen nodded, her gaze still fixed on the young girl’s face, and continued: “I don’t know if you’ll make it by continuing to sing, but I hope you don’t give up. Even if there’s a shortcut right in front of you, don’t give up, don’t abandon your own songs. Of course, me, someone who killed her own original intention, advising you to hold onto yours, seems a bit selfish…”
“I don’t think it’s selfish at all,” Pei Ningle interrupted, “and no matter what you say, I was going to continue anyway.”
Chang Wen was stunned for a moment, then suddenly laughed: “When I argued with the company executive back then, my eyes were just like yours now.”
Pei Ningle blinked, didn’t speak. The young girl felt that this hit song diva in front of her, though unwilling to admit it, must have regretted countless times over the years.
But those regrets simply couldn’t withstand the power of the check.
Chang Wen took another deep puff of the cigarette, then slowly exhaled: “So, I want to sponsor you. Don’t be polite with me; this isn’t charity, I just want to see a stubborn girl persevere.”
Pei Ningle tilted her head: “Why should I be polite with you? You’re giving me money, why would I refuse?”
Chang Wen was stunned, then slapped her leg and burst into laughter: “Hahahaha… Well said, that’s how it should be!”
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Chang Wen left.
She had a commercial performance the next day, so naturally she couldn’t stay in Rongdu too long. What she left in Rongdu, left for Pei Ningle, was one hundred thousand in the bank card, and a contract with almost zero binding force.
She was originally a follower of Yan Sheng’s official account, and now she also followed Pei Ningle’s Wangyu Music account. In the future, whenever Pei Ningle released a new song, she could hear it.
The contract also stipulated that in the future, for every original new song Pei Ningle released, she could get fifty thousand from her.
For a hit song diva like Chang Wen, the expense of mere one hundred thousand or fifty thousand was just a drop in the bucket. However, for an original musician like Pei Ningle who had just started, this sponsorship contract was like a timely help.
After settling the contract, Wang Heng returned to school to continue tutoring his roommate in mathematics.
And in her own room, looking at the freshly made contract and the transfer message on her mobile phone, Pei Ningle, full of joy, made two phone calls.
After all, when something good happens, you always want to share it with friends!
The first call connected, and Pei Ningle happily said: “Hey, Xiao Xuan? Have you returned to Rongdu… Oh, you arrived the day before yesterday. Let me tell you, now I’m also a musician with sponsorship!”
Han Yixuan on the other end of the phone was somewhat baffled: “Sponsorship? Did Wang Heng sponsor you with money again?”
Pei Ningle: “He’s an agent, not a sponsor. The older sister who sponsored me, you definitely can’t guess who she is…”
Not knowing which “older sister” she associated with, Han Yixuan’s voice immediately tensed up: “Who is it?”
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