The Road to Superstardom: Starting as a Singer

Producer Mark was already there. After introductions and pleasantries, they quickly got down to business.

Mark played a demo of "What Makes You Beautiful".

A light and energetic guitar intro begins, followed by Huang Weijie's clear and bright vocals.

Taylor Swift listened intently, her body swaying gently to the rhythm, her fingers tapping silently on her knees.

After the song finished playing, Mark looked at her and said, "How did you feel, Taylor? We think that if we added a powerful yet sweet female voice like yours to the chorus of this song, it would create a wonderful echo and dialogue."

The lyrics are about discovering a girl's unique inner beauty and encouraging her confidence, which aligns well with the themes of many of your works.

Taylor Swift nodded, her blue eyes sparkling: "The melody is fantastic, very catchy, and the chorus is very memorable. However..."

She paused for a moment, then looked at Huang Weijie, "Jace, I listened to the lyrics you wrote. 'You don't know you're beautiful, that's what makes you beautiful'... This idea is very good."

But I'm thinking, what if we slightly adjust the narrative perspective, so that the female voice not only agrees or praises, but expresses the girl's own feelings more directly, even with a little bit of rebuttal?

For example, the girl actually knows her strengths, she just doesn't care what others think, or perhaps she prefers to have other qualities seen? Wouldn't that make the character more complex, and... a bit cooler?

After she finished speaking, she looked at Huang Weijie with a mixture of anticipation and nervousness.

Offering suggestions for improvement is nothing special; it's all for the sake of making the work better.

But it depends on the person. As a fellow creator, she knows that some creators don't allow others to criticize their work.

Taylor Swift knew that the album was entirely written by Huang Weijie, a very talented young man, but she didn't know if he was open to accepting other people's opinions.

Huang Weijie did not answer immediately.

He leaned against the console, his fingers tapping lightly on the table unconsciously, as if deep in thought.

Sunlight streamed through the gaps in the blinds, casting interplay of light and shadow on his profile, making his features even more defined.

A few seconds later, he looked up at Taylor Swift, his eyes showing no displeasure but rather appreciation: "An interesting angle, Taylor, but have you considered...?"

As he spoke, Huang Weijie walked to the whiteboard, picked up a marker, and quickly wrote a few lines of English: "Actually, in the bridge section after the second verse, or in the verses you featured, you could add lyrics like these..."

"I see the lights, I hear the cheers, but that's not why I'm standing here / I know the person in the mirror, and I choose the path that's clearer..."

As Huang Weijie wrote, he said, "In this way, the theme of the song is elevated from simply 'a boy telling a girl that she is beautiful' to 'a boy appreciating a girl, while the girl has independent self-awareness and choices.' It is still positive and uplifting, but it is more in line with the psychology of modern women and can resonate more with them."

Taylor Swift's blue eyes grew brighter as she looked at the flowing handwriting on the whiteboard and listened to his clear analysis.

Before she came, her impression of Jace Huang was mainly limited to "a super handsome new pop star", "his song 'Baby' was very popular", and "he is a singer-songwriter".

At that moment, she sensed the other person's quick comprehension, open creative mindset, and deep reflection on musical expression.

This is far more than just an idol who relies on his looks and a hit single to make a living.

"Yes! That's it!" Taylor Swift clapped her hands excitedly. "That's exactly what I meant! Jace, you got it right! This change completely changes the tone of the song!"

Mark smiled approvingly and nodded to himself.

Jace's talent and maturity always bring him surprises.

Huang Weijie put down his marker, clapped his hands, and said that all his years of music studies had not been in vain.

"What Makes You Beautiful" was originally a song released by the boy group One Direction on September 11, 2011.

这首歌的历史成绩不仅超700万销量，还是全球16周冠军，更是斩获2012全英音乐奖的最佳单曲（终结女歌手连续 6年垄断）、2012 MTV音乐录影带大奖的最佳流行录影带、最具分享价值录影带、最佳新人等多项音乐大奖。

The most impressive thing was that One Direction was invited to perform this song at the closing ceremony of the 2012 London Olympics, which was watched by billions of viewers around the world!

Huang Weijie not only plans to sing this song with Taylor Swift, but also plans to release a solo version later.

So, having a distinction was originally his plan, but it just so happened that Taylor Swift brought it up, so he just went along with it and could also conveniently show off a bit.

The recording process went exceptionally smoothly from there.

Taylor Swift is a singer-songwriter with a strong control over the expressiveness of her voice and the interpretation of lyrics.

Huang Weijie demonstrated excellent qualities as a collaborator, offering accurate suggestions and humbly accepting reasonable contributions from others.

The two rehearsed, discussed, and adjusted the harmonies in the recording studio, creating a professional yet pleasant atmosphere.

During a break, Huang Weijie was discussing a harmony detail with Taylor Swift when the recording studio door was gently pushed open.

Agent Madeline Jensen poked her head in.

Madeline's blonde hair was neatly combed today, and she wore a well-tailored suit skirt, making her look capable and shrewd. You would never guess that she is almost forty years old.

"Jace, excuse me for bothering you, but I need to confirm some urgent work with you."

Huang Weijie gave Taylor Swift an apologetic smile and walked to the door.

Madeline handed her an iPad with a densely packed list of invitations.

"First, there are commercial endorsements. Pepsi wants you to be their North American teen brand ambassador for a year, with a offer of $120 million. Converse wants you to endorse their classic canvas shoe line for their fall campaign, with a offer of $80. And there's a newly emerging fast fashion brand..."

Huang Weijie quickly scanned the list and shook his head: "Stop everything, Madeline. Tell them I'm honored, but at this stage I'm focused on music creation and album production, and have no plans for commercial endorsements."

Madeline frowned slightly, but she wasn't surprised. Ever since Huang Weijie was able to stay out of the entertainment industry for three years, she knew that this young employer was very opinionated and farsighted.

She scrolled to the next screen: "Commercial performances. A three-song solo performance at the opening gala of a new resort in Las Vegas, priced at $25. A charity gala performance in New York, $15. Several other main stage offers at music festivals, ranging from $30 to $50..."

"I'm not accepting any more offers for now," Huang Weijie said calmly. "Large music festivals are an option, but that would have to wait until after the album is released, as part of the promotion. I'll decline the others for now."

Madeline nodded and switched to the next page: "And these? The cover interview and inside photo shoot for Rolling Stone magazine, which is the highlight of their 'Newcomer of the Year' feature."

GQ (the world’s leading men’s fashion magazine) US edition also sent an invitation, wanting to do a fashion feature on you.

Needless to say, Teen Vogue's readers are one of your core audiences.

In addition, Warner Bros. is casting for a teen movie. Although it's not a lead role, the character is very appealing, and they'd like to invite you to audition..."

Huang Weijie looked at the proposals carefully this time, and after a moment's thought, said, "I can accept magazine interviews and photo shoots. Especially Rolling Stone and GQ, I'll take them. As for film auditions... send me the scripts first. We'll put the others on hold for now."

Madeline was somewhat puzzled: "Jace, you're currently very popular, and your commercial value is real. These endorsements and performances are very lucrative, and they can greatly increase your public exposure and income. Magazine shoots may elevate your image, but the economic benefits..."

Huang Weijie smiled, but his eyes remained calm: "Madeline, I believe 'Baby' is just the beginning. If the album performs as expected after its release, my value will be even higher than it is now."

Taking on a bunch of endorsements and commercial performances now could easily deplete my value, and it might also affect future high-end brand collaborations due to a lack of careful selection.

Magazine shoots are different; they showcase my multifaceted personality, fashion potential, and deep thinking—they're for my fans, the industry, and potential future partners. As for films... I'm cautiously considering them, but not opposed to them.

He paused, then added, "Also, I remember you mentioned before that, with the Olympics approaching, you've received some publicity-related offers from within China?"

Madeline immediately flipped to another document: "Yes. China's national television station has sent an invitation, hoping that you can participate in the recording of an Olympic-themed music video and sing an inspirational song."

"Time is tight; the recording is this month and will be held in Beijing. Several other leading Chinese fashion magazines and music media outlets also want to do overseas interviews. Considering your Chinese background and current international popularity, we at China attach great importance to this."

Huang Weijie's eyes lit up.

Returning home to participate in Olympic-related activities is of great significance.

"I have to go. I'll coordinate the time and arrange the schedule as soon as possible. I'll work on my part to finish the album recording as quickly as possible. We can coordinate the collaboration part by adjusting the time difference or we can finish it when I get back."

"Time is very tight," Madeline glanced at the schedule. "If we're going to Beijing, we have to leave no later than the day after tomorrow. Album recording and magazine photoshoots will have to be compressed or adjusted."

"Then let's adjust it."

Huang Weijie decisively said, "Madeline, you coordinate immediately: First, Taylor and I will finish the main part of today's recording as soon as possible."

Secondly, I contacted the teams of other collaborating singers to see if the recording time could be postponed slightly, or if I could record my part in advance.

Third, communicate with Rolling Stone and GQ to see if a shoot can be arranged as soon as possible before departure or after return.

Fourth, book the earliest flight to Beijing for the day after tomorrow and coordinate with the liaison team there.

Fifth, regarding Jive, according to the contract, I can now return to China as an international artist. They need to provide complete team support, including styling, makeup, security, local coordination, etc. You must finalize the details with them. There should be a grand reception, but everything should be based on my opinion and the actual situation in China.

Madeline quickly jotted down the key points: "Understood. Besides the Olympic music video, there are also some commercial event invitations and media interviews in China. I'll screen them for you after you confirm your schedule."

"Okay, you can go ahead and get busy." Huang Weijie rubbed his temples; time was indeed very tight.

Madeline left in a flurry.

Back in the recording studio, Huang Weijie shrugged at Taylor Swift, who was looking over, and said, "Something urgent came up. Shall we hurry up and finish recording this last part of the harmony?"

"Ha, that's what happens when you become famous; you don't even have time to yourself," Taylor Swift said, laughing as she looked at him.

"Fire? Maybe." Huang Weijie didn't say much, put on his headphones, and faced the microphone.

For him right now, this "fire" is still too weak.

The album "Jace Huang" will be a crucial step for him to truly establish himself and move from a "hit single" singer to a "pop star".

The popularity of "Baby" opened that door.

Now, he needs to go in and make sure everyone remembers his name.

Huang Weijie took a deep breath and nodded toward the control room.

The music intro begins...