The Road to Superstardom: Starting as a Singer

Curtis' motto is "Learn by Doing".

However, it can also be understood as "graduation is possible once you have learned it," with graduation time mainly depending on whether students have earned enough credits and reached the required artistic level.

In early 2008, Huang Weijie completed his credits six months ahead of schedule, meeting the graduation requirements.

According to the school calendar tradition, the graduation ceremony is usually held on the third Sunday of May, which is May 18.

Huang Weijie plans to use this time before graduation to fully prepare for his debut.

Although he had already gained some fame online by singing "One Time" while playing the guitar and covering other people's songs, a debut requires official works.

For example, Taylor Swift released her debut single in 2006, which is the most classic way to debut in the Western music scene.

Huang Weijie also plans to follow this approach, officially releasing his first single on May 20th of this year, and then...

Debut!

With a goal in mind, you'll naturally be full of energy.

Jive Records was also very cooperative; more than three years had passed since they signed Huang Weijie, and they had been eager for him to get back to work.

If it weren't for a provision in the previously signed contract.

If it weren't for the fact that Huang Weijie had been consistently producing results over the past three years...

If Huang Weijie's image weren't so suitable for being a star.

If not...

Well, in fact, Huang Weijie's agent, Madeline Jensen, had already started to get angry.

Before signing the contract, she used every means at her disposal to become Huang Weijie's agent, engaging in fierce competition before finally succeeding.

She always thought she was about to reach the peak of her career, but what she ended up with was a three-year wait.

Her income is tied to Huang Weijie; if he doesn't become a celebrity, she can only "be frugal and thrifty."

Thankfully... these hard times are finally coming to an end!

Overjoyed, Madeline became radiant and began actively helping Huang Weijie prepare for his debut.

In her words: Jace, you just focus on creating and performing, leave the rest to me!

......

2008, April 5.

Los Angeles, Jive Records recording studio.

Ohh wooaahh~

You know you love me, I know you care

Just shout whenever, and I'll be there......"

A clear, bright voice with just the right youthful quality flowed from the monitor speakers, precisely hitting the pulsating electronic beats.

His voice has a sunny vitality and a touch of youthful confidence, which perfectly matches the mood of the song.

At the control panel, producer Mark, wearing headphones, tapped his fingers lightly on the table in rhythm, a satisfied smile on his face.

He looked toward the recording studio on the other side of the soundproof glass.

Sixteen-year-old Huang Weijie stood there, wearing a listening headset, his eyes slightly closed, one hand lightly supporting the headset, the other hand swaying gently to the rhythm.

He was wearing a simple white cotton T-shirt with a loose denim shirt over it, the sleeves casually rolled up to his elbows.

Years of physical training and diet control have shed his youthful thinness, broadened his shoulders, made his arms smooth and firm, and increased his height to 1.78 meters with an upright posture.

But what really catches the eye is his face.

It wasn't the rugged handsomeness favored by the Western fashion world, nor the gentle and refined good looks of traditional Eastern aesthetics, but rather a striking and impactful kind of handsomeness that fell somewhere in between.

The facial bone structure is clear and sharp, and the jawline is clean and distinct, exuding a youthful and lean feel, yet without any signs of thinness.

At this moment, his face still retained a touch of childishness, but overall he already possessed a highly distinctive handsomeness.

His black hair was neatly trimmed, with a few unruly strands hanging down his forehead, swaying gently with the slight movements of his body, adding a touch of casual liveliness.

When those light brown eyes opened, they were even more deep and expressive than when they were children.

In Mark's private conversation with a colleague, he put it: Jace possesses a rare quality... a boy's fresh energy and a man's calm focus, all coexisting in him. That's very attractive!

The final chorus ends with a steady, clean finish.

Huang Weijie opened his eyes and looked at the control room through the glass.

Mark gave a thumbs up.

He breathed a sigh of relief, took off his headphones, and pushed open the heavy recording studio door to walk out.

The cold air outside invigorated him.

"Perfect, Jace!"

Mark patted him on the shoulder excitedly, "The emotion and technique this time around are impeccable, especially that transition in the second verse, it's so natural. Oh shit, this song is destined to be a hit!"

Huang Weijie smiled, took the warm water handed to him by his assistant, and took a sip.

My throat is a little dry, but I feel fine.

four years ago.

From arriving in America at the age of twelve to standing here now, having recorded my first official commercial single.

During those four years, he eagerly absorbed knowledge at the music academy, sweated late into the night in the practice room, honed his skills in countless small performances, and witnessed the realities and cruelty of the industry.

He finally made it here.

He has taken a big step closer to his dream of becoming an "international superstar".

"Mark, when will the mastering be finished?" Huang Weijie asked.

The voice has lost its childlike quality; it is now a clear and pleasant young man's tone, with the fluency of American English.

"At the latest, it will be the day after tomorrow, and then, as planned, it will be released globally on May 20th." Mark looked at the schedule. "We need to hurry up with the music video. You have to go back to your graduation ceremony on the 18th. If the music video isn't filmed soon, there won't be enough time for post-production."

"Yes, I know that. She said it would arrive by tomorrow at the latest. I'll confirm with her again later."

"OK, all the promotional materials are ready. The radio pre-release will start next week, and the music video will be released simultaneously on the official YouTube channel and your personal channel on May 20th."

By the way, Mr. Huang just called. He said he'll fly over on the 17th to witness your graduation in person.

Huang Weijie nodded, a warm feeling welling up inside him.

In recent years, I've been traveling abroad, and the family's money has been flowing out like water.

Although I signed with Jive Records, I didn't make any money for the first three years because I was focused on learning and planning...

He remembers everything his grandfather has done for him over the years.

Just then, someone quietly entered the recording studio.

Huang Weijie, who was facing away from the door, didn't notice, but Mark, who was sitting in front of the control panel, glanced up and then raised his eyebrows and smiled knowingly.

"Oh, dear Jace," Mark shrugged, "it seems we'll have to talk about some things another day."

"?"

Mark gestured with his lip and shrugged behind Huang Weijie.

Huang Weijie turned around.

At the entrance to the recording studio, a girl leaned against the door frame.

She was wearing a simple gray hooded sweatshirt with the sleeves rolled up to her elbows, faded skinny jeans, and Converse sneakers.

Her long, dark brown hair was a little messy, as if it had just been blown by the wind, with a few strands sticking to her cheeks.

She didn't wear much makeup, just a little clear lipstick on her lips; what was most captivating were her eyes.

His eyes were grayish-green, somewhat unfocused, with a hint of nonchalant laziness, but they lit up instantly when he saw Huang Weijie turn around.

In 2008, Kristen Stewart was eighteen years old, her temperament a mixture of girlish naiveté and a touch of precocious rebelliousness.

She has acted in quite a few movies, from Jodie Foster's daughter in "War Room" to some independent films and thrillers in recent years, and has become a familiar face, but she is still far from being a "star".

Huang Weijie raised an eyebrow, showing no surprise, and walked directly towards her.

Having lived in the United States for four years, immersed in this environment that values ​​confidence and extroversion, Huang Weijie has changed quite a bit.

He has transformed from a cautious and timid office worker in his past life into a sixteen-year-old boy who knows what he has, what he wants, and dares to fight for it.

In terms of relationships, his American-style campus romance views have made him very open-minded about "dating".

Christine is his third girlfriend, and also his longest relationship to date.

The two met at a party after an independent film screening. She had just finished filming a low-budget horror movie and was in a bad mood, drinking soda alone in a corner.

Huang Weijie was pulled along by his friend and immediately noticed the girl who seemed out of place in the lively atmosphere.

After they started chatting, he discovered that the girl was actually "Isabella," so Huang Weijie promptly started showing off.

Kristen Stewart was immediately attracted to a handsome and talented man.

After a while, the two of them became boyfriend and girlfriend.

"Hey, Christine," Huang Weijie walked up to her, reaching out to brush a stray strand of hair from her forehead, "What brings you here? Filming finished?"

The girl in front of him was the female lead who had agreed to star in his music video. Huang Weijie knew that the movie she was going to film was the one that made her famous, "Twilight".

Following the original trajectory, the movie will be released in a few months, and the casually dressed girl with the wandering eyes in front of us will become an idol for teenagers around the world.

Huang Weijie was well aware of the realities of America, especially since the girl in front of him had been working in Hollywood since childhood. Even though they were currently a close couple, if he still hadn't changed his mind after she became famous in a few months...

Well, it's hard to say what will happen to their relationship then.

But now...

His single "Baby" is about to be released.

If all goes well...

Well, Huang Weijie felt it might not go smoothly. He knew that the reason the Twilight movie series was so popular was not only because of the crazy support from book fans, but also because of the hype surrounding the on-screen couple.

With Kristen Stewart as the female lead in this film, it's obvious to Huang Weijie that the capital would definitely not miss the opportunity to hype up the romance between the male and female leads.

Let's just keep going. Dating and breaking up is perfectly normal in the entertainment industry.

Kristen Stewart grabbed Huang Weijie's mischievous hand and held it in her hand.

My little hands are a bit cold.

"We just finished filming yesterday. Weren't you supposed to be shooting a music video? So I took the earliest flight back today." Her voice was a little hoarse, as if she hadn't rested well, but her eyes were bright as she looked at Huang Weijie. "Have you finished recording your song?"

"Yeah, just finished work." Huang Weijie grabbed her hand and chuckled softly, "Haha, then I have to thank you for coming to help me so eagerly. Want to come to my place?"

Kristen Stewart rolled her eyes at him, but a slight smile played on her lips; she didn't object.

......

Back at the apartment, it was empty.

The Chinese nanny he had previously hired resigned due to family matters, so Huang Weijie didn't plan to hire anyone else.

Firstly, he felt that he had hands and feet and could take care of himself.

Secondly... it's always inconvenient to have an outsider around once you start dating.

Americans are indeed open-minded in this regard. Although Huang Weijie is not yet 18, he is very devoted and will always like 18-year-old girls!

Anyway, he's the one who's a minor now, so he's in the right no matter what he says.

Upon returning home, Huang Weijie didn't rush to do anything else, but went straight into the open kitchen.

The refrigerator was fully stocked with ingredients, so he put on an apron and began washing vegetables and cutting meat.

"Do you need my help?" Kristen Stewart leaned closer to him.

"No need, just sit and wait for your food."

Without even looking up, Huang Weijie skillfully cut the chicken breast into even small cubes.

The culinary skills he honed living alone in his previous life have unexpectedly become a "bonus" in this life.

His two past girlfriends, including his current girlfriend Christine, were attracted not only by his handsome face, his increasingly solid musical talent, and his well-proportioned and upright physique, but also by his authentic Chinese cuisine.

It's just that his skin color is off right now; otherwise, even more girls would be throwing themselves at him, so he wouldn't need to show off any talent.

Heat a wok, add oil, sauté dried chilies and Sichuan peppercorns until fragrant, then add diced chicken and stir-fry...

Soon, a plate of Kung Pao Chicken, with its bright red color and enticing aroma, was ready.

Next came the sweet and sour pineapple pork, and finally a large plate of golden and fragrant fried rice.

As soon as the three simple dishes were served, Kristen Stewart sat down eagerly and picked up her spoon.

Huang Weijie, holding two pairs of chopsticks, glanced at her and said, "You promised me you'd learn to use chopsticks, but it's been so long and you still haven't learned?"

"Jace, the filming schedule for that show was really tight. I was exhausted every day after work, and I simply didn't have the energy to learn anything..."

"Although I feel sorry for you," Huang Weijie interrupted her with a smile, "that's not an excuse. You didn't keep your promise; shouldn't you be punished?"

Kristen Stewart glanced at his mischievous grin and rolled her eyes at him: "Hey, I rushed here as soon as I finished filming, I'm exhausted."

"Let's keep things separate." Huang Weijie said without changing his expression, "You don't want me to break my promises to you so easily in the future, do you...?"

"OK! OK! Stop!" Christine quickly raised her spoon in surrender. "Let's enjoy the food first, okay?"

After finishing her meal, Kristen Stewart volunteered to clear the dishes.

Um, actually it just means putting things in the dishwasher; she doesn't need to wash the dishes.

Huang Weijie then went into the bedroom and took out a thick black hardcover notebook from the desk drawer.

Inside, there were his handwritten sheet music and lyrics.

This contains fragments or full versions of songs that he can clearly recall as future hits.

It includes not only English songs, but also melodic frameworks or core lyrics of some Chinese, Korean, and even Japanese songs.

Every time he "creates" a song, he immediately goes to the copyright agency to register it.

In this country, at this age, with his Asian face, he can still be quite successful in love. Besides his face and physique, the amazing musical "talent" he occasionally reveals is what truly fascinates women.

"You've got a new idea again?"

After Kristen Stewart finished tidying up, she quietly slipped into the room, naturally snuggled into his arms, and curiously peered at the page he was writing on.

Next to a light and bouncy melody line in the notebook, the words "Beauty and a Beat" were written.

When she looked at Huang Weijie's profile, the admiration in her eyes was almost undisguised.

What teenage girl could resist a boy who is handsome, sings and plays instruments well, and can write beautiful melodies on the spot?

She was already completely captivated, and with that thought, a mist gradually appeared in Christine Stewart's grey-green eyes...