The Road to Superstardom: Starting as a Singer

Like Emily, many people specifically listen to Huang Weijie's album at midnight.

And everyone had high hopes.

Some people are hoping the song will be as good as the first three pre-release singles, while others are secretly hoping it will be worse, giving them more room to impress.

But their fourth single, "Beauty and a Beat," was a stunning surprise.

Such innovative filming techniques and such dynamic musical rhythms all indicate that this is another high-quality song!

Not to mention other new songs.

Emily then clicked on the next song, "Hold On".

The music video for this song also has a unique opening scene, which is a chase scene between police and criminals. Watching this scene, Emily couldn't help but admire Huang Weijie's sincerity.

People who don't know might think this is a movie!

After the clip ends, there's a simple guitar chord progression, and then a warm, slightly husky male voice begins to speak:

"You know you can call me if you need someone~"

(If you need company, feel free to call me.)

Emily's eyes widened slightly. Something was wrong! That wasn't Jace's voice.

Sure enough, the next moment.

A curly-haired blond boy entered the scene, holding a guitar and continuing to sing:

"I'll pick up the pieces if you come undone~"

(I will clean up your mess when you are down.)

After the blond-haired boy sang for a while, Huang Weijie's voice came in during the climax:

I need you to hold on.

(I hope you will persevere and move forward)

"Heaven is a place not too far away"

(Heaven is not far away)

"We all know I should be the one to say we all make mistadkes"

(I would comfort you by saying that neither of us is without fault.)

Whew, that feels so good!

Emily swayed her body slightly to the rhythm.

This song is really unique. Jace wasn't the lead singer at the beginning, so I almost thought that blond guy was the lead singer.

Emily was mesmerized as she watched Jace singing so passionately on the screen.

Even if you're not the first one to appear, I still know you're the main character!

Unlike the previous fast-paced electronic dance track, this song focuses on healing and comfort.

Even so, Emily still thought it sounded wonderful!

It wasn't until I clicked to play the sixth song on the album, "As Long As You Love Me"...

Oh my god!

Emily couldn't help but rewind and listen to it again.

She did think the first two new songs were good, not only because of their good rhythms, but also because the music videos were very eye-catching. However, after hearing "As Long As You Love Me", Emily felt that she had spoken too soon!

Although the music video for this song is rather "standard" and lacks originality, the song itself is just so catchy!

After just two listens, her mind was filled with "As long as you lo lo lo lo ~love me~".

It's so catchy and addictive, I love it!

As expected, the most anticipated new song is the collaboration between Jace and Kendrick for the second time!

Just like the first song, "Baby," it's unforgettable.

Upon hearing this, Emily could no longer contain her urge to share. She opened Twitter and was about to post her feelings when she discovered a more appealing topic in the trending topics.

#Teenage Dream Jace appears naked

Huh? Jace appeared naked?

Is this real or fake?

Emily subconsciously licked her lips, then exited Twitter and reopened the music video, grumbling and cursing.

The intro to "Teenage Dream" is an upbeat pop-rock rhythm, and the storyline is simple: sunshine, beaches, and the taste of summer.

What made Emily somewhat disappointed and her breathing quicken was a section in the middle:

In a warehouse, Huang Weijie, shirtless, repeatedly struck a sandbag.

Sweat streamed down the lines of his back muscles, each strike accompanied by the contraction and relaxation of his muscles.

The camera shoots his abs from the side, his broad shoulders and back from behind, and the arc of his arm as he throws a punch from a low angle.

This segment had a completion rate of over 500% on Emily's channel.

Although it wasn't as naked as she had imagined, the fact that her upper body was bare was enough to make her drool.

After watching it five, six, seven, or eight times, she finally finished watching the last song, "One Time," in one go.

"One Time" is a song that Huang Weijie sang and played on YouTube in 2005.

Back then, he was a cute boy with a sweet voice, but now in the MV, he is a spirited and energetic young man!

The rhythm is still the same rhythm, the lyrics are still the same lyrics, and the gestures are still the same gestures.

In both the 2005 and 2008 footage, Huang Weijie made that signature gesture:

Make a peace sign, then flip your wrist to form an inverted V.

He was a bit clumsy when he did this move in 2005, but this year, he did it smoothly and naturally.

Emily's eyes welled up with tears.

She knew the meaning of that gesture!

In an earlier interview, Huang Weijie said that the upside-down V represents "redefining victory".

It's not about defeating others, but about surpassing your past self!

At the end of the music video, the two scenes merge.

The boy from 2005 and the teenager from 2008 sat side by side, playing the last chord together.

Then the boy from 2005 turned to the teenager from 2008 and said, "You did it."

The boy in 2008 smiled slightly, said nothing, and looked up into the distance.

Black screen, subtitle: "For everyone who believed from the beginning."

(To all those who believed from the beginning.)

Emily took off her headphones and found tears on her face.

She wasn't a fan of his since 2005, but at that moment, she felt she understood something.

I understand why he included this song on the album, I understand why he keeps emphasizing "staying true to his original aspirations," I understand now...

Reopen Twitter and type rapidly:

"I just finished listening to the entire Jace Huang album. First, let me share my personal opinion: I think this is the best pop album of the year!"

Every song on this album has its own soul. "Beauty and a Beat" makes you want to dance, "Hold On" makes you want to hug a friend, "Teenage Dream" takes you back to summer, and "One Time" is simple yet touching...

But is that all? No!

This album's musical style encompasses elements of teen pop, R&B, and electronic dance music. While it may seem like the styles are inconsistent, the opposite is true; the styles are actually highly unified!

The theme revolves around youth, love, and confidence! Jace wants to tell us through the songs on this album that this is not a collection of love songs, but a musical diary about how we grow up!

From awkwardly liking someone, to learning how to love someone, to finally understanding that the starting point of all love is actually learning to love the imperfect self!

And all the collaborators—I won't list them all here—I can only say that Jace deserves everyone's respect for mentoring newcomers!

Finally, if you haven't bought this album yet, go buy it. It's not just about supporting a good singer, but also supporting a young idol who believes music can connect people's hearts!

P.S.: I recommend two songs: "As Long As You Love Me" and "One Time".

The former is probably the bravest love song I've heard this year. In an era where everyone is singing "I love you because you're rich and good-looking," Jace sings "Even if we have nothing, as long as you love me." That's precious!

The latter is the last song on the album, and while it may not be the most catchy, I think it's probably the most important. It's the closing of a circle, and also a new beginning!

Thank you for putting this song on the album, Jace. And thank you for starting all of this in 2005!

Within minutes of Emily posting this tweet, there were already dozens of replies:

"Emily, you've touched my heart!"

"As Long As You Love Me is absolutely amazing..."

"This is my favorite song too!"

"Deluxe Edition + Digital Edition + 1!"

"Actually, I think 'Teenage Dream' is also very good, and I'm already listening to it on repeat."

……

Many people online, like Emily, post tweets. Some express their reflections after the fact, while others simply recommend a song from the album.

Overall, teenagers across the United States were quite restless on the internet tonight.

They all left their ratings in the iTunes album review section:

[I bought 23 albums this year, and this is the only one I watched from beginning to end without fast-forwarding. Every song has its reason for being, and the whole album is like a complete movie.] —Mark from New York, 4.9 stars

"Baby" is a fitting opening track for the album, reminding us that Jace started from there. But after listening to the deeper songs that follow, you'll realize just how far he's come. — Lisa from Chicago, 4.9 stars

[“Beauty and a Beat” is perfect for parties! The perfect blend of electronic beats and pop melody, plus the choreography is fantastic! Jace and the dancers work together flawlessly, especially the pool scene!] —Carlos from Miami, 5 stars

Jace really put in so much effort; the "Hold On" music video made me feel like I was watching a movie! Simple melody, profound emotion—I admit I need a song like this to heal my current anxieties. —Olivia from Phoenix, 5 stars

[You're all right, but all I want to say is that "As Long As You Love Me" is the best love song on this album, bar none!] — Ben from Washington, D.C., 5 stars

[Teenage Dream is the perfect summer song! Sia's harmonies are like sunshine in the background—not overpowering, but indispensable. The chorus melody is so catchy; you can hum it after just one listen.] —Lucas from Orlando, 5 stars

In addition, several collaborators who had worked with Huang Weijie, as well as a group of well-known musicians whom Jive mobilized to support, all jumped out to show their support.

Huang Weijie had seen most of these comments.

Because he was concerned about the album's performance in the first hour, he resisted his sleepiness and stayed up to read people's comments about the album "Jace Huang" online.

Actually, the comments during this period weren't that objective, because apart from a small number of casual viewers, the vast majority were definitely his fans trying to boost sales and create a lot of comments.

But this doesn't stop Huang Weijie from going to see it. Besides wanting to be praised, the most important thing is that he needs to maintain absolute self-confidence.

In the coming period, he will be doing some radio live interviews and online autograph sessions in order to maximize album sales.

When giving interviews, you will encounter all sorts of questions, and among them, there will definitely be doubts.

Western audiences particularly enjoy this type of segment.

Those who admire individual heroism want to see an artist maintain strong self-confidence even when facing numerous difficulties.

If Huang Weijie lacks absolute confidence, even the slightest hesitation will be seized upon by the media and amplified as a lack of "confidence." This will cause some fans to leave in disappointment, turning to pursue more dazzling idols, while onlookers will quickly lose interest.

On this stage that worships the strong, those who come seeking fame yearn to follow the strong, not the cowardly.

Vulnerability and doubt are never tolerated!

……

At 1:20 a.m., Huang Weijie was hesitating whether to make himself a cup of coffee to perk himself up when his phone rang.

"The first hour's data is in." Madeline's usually calm voice was now tinged with excitement. "The digital album was downloaded 87.4 times globally in the first hour!"

Huang Weijie tightened his grip on his phone.

"Among them, 28.9 were sold in the United States, setting a new record for single-day album sales on iTunes! (The previous record was 24 by Coldplay). 9.2 in the United Kingdom, 8.7 in Japan, 6.5 in China (exclusive to QQ Music), and 5.1 in South Korea..."

Madeline read quickly, "Regarding physical CDs, although it's the middle of the night, Amazon's midnight delivery orders have already exceeded 1.2, and we expect the first peak after the physical stores open in the morning."

After a pause, she continued, "Also, I just received news that 'As Long As You Love Me' has been downloaded 14 times in its first hour! This means that many people immediately bought the song again after purchasing the album. This song might become a hit!"

"Hmm, what about the radio station?" Huang Weijie asked, trying to calm his excitement.

"KIIS-FM starts at midnight and plays one album track every hour, in the following order: Just the Way You Are, Beauty and a Beat, and As Long As You Love Me, on repeat."

Of the calls we've received so far, 70% are asking when "As Long As You Love Me" will be released for charting.

Madeline said, "My marketing team and I have decided to meet tomorrow morning to discuss whether to adjust our charting strategy. We originally planned to continue promoting 'Just the Way You Are,' but it seems that 'As Long As You Love Me' has received a stronger market response."

"What about 'Teenage Dream'?"

"What?"

"How are the numbers for the song 'Teenage Dream'?" Huang Weijie repeated, recalling that the song was number one on Billboard.

"The data is okay, but it's still a bit different from 'As Long As You Love Me.' Jace, all the songs on this album are great, so don't worry."

Madeline thought Huang Weijie was worried about the album's performance, so she quickly offered some words of comfort.

Huang Weijie scratched his head, thinking that maybe it had only been an hour since it was released and hadn't started to exert its full force yet.

"Okay, if there's nothing else, I'll go and rest."

"Okay, uh...you probably won't be going to her place tonight, right?" Madeline was about to hang up when she suddenly remembered something and asked again.

"No, it'll take too much time to go back and forth." Huang Weijie said helplessly, "I know I have to attend a live interview on KIIS-FM in the morning, it won't be a problem, you can pick me up at the hotel at 7:30."

Okay, goodnight.

After hanging up the phone, Huang Weijie walked to the window, where the lights of Los Angeles were still shining brightly in the early morning.

Silent all night.

The next morning at 7:30, the black van pulled up in front of the hotel right on time.

When Huang Weijie got into the car, Madeline was already inside.

"morning."

Madeline was in good spirits. After the car door closed, she eagerly reported, "The data has been updated. As of 7:00 AM, the digital album has been downloaded 142 million times globally. As for physical CDs, Amazon orders have accumulated to 38,000 copies. Walmart and Target stores will open in two hours, but based on pre-orders, physical sales should easily surpass 100,000 copies today."

The car drove onto the highway.

The morning sunlight streamed in through the car window.

"Also," Madeline handed him the iPad, "the iTunes album review section already has over 30,000 ratings, with an average score of 4.9 stars. You can take a look."

"I won't watch it." Huang Weijie didn't take the iPad, but instead instructed Jesse in the passenger seat, "Jesse, during this time, you should organize the popular comments online and see what people think of my album, collect both the good and the bad."

He had already checked the album's comment section in the early hours of the morning, and to be honest, it was almost entirely full of praise.

He might have been interested in checking it out if Madeline had said the rating was 4.5, but since it's 4.9, it's probably similar to what he saw in the early morning.

"Okay, Jace," Jesse replied, turning her head from the passenger seat.

The car was still moving, and the morning light in Los Angeles outside the window was getting brighter and brighter.

Madeline handed him the iPad and gently shook it: "KIIS-FM's live broadcast is expected to have more than two million listeners online at the same time."

There's something I need to remind you: this live broadcast isn't a completely mild interview. The radio station might ask some pointed questions to boost ratings...

The materials I gave you here offer suggestions on how to respond, but live streaming requires real-time responses, so the most important thing is to remain calm and professional.

Huang Weijie took the iPad. He was already prepared for what Madeline said. In the four months since his debut, he had experienced similar doubts and even difficulties. It was just that more people were paying attention to him today.

The comments praising him that he saw last night were quite effective; when he woke up, Huang Weijie felt confident.

At least for now, the success of his singles and the album sales are his best weapons.

Looking down, Madeline's prepared materials were very detailed, listing three versions for each possible question: a "safe answer," a "high emotional intelligence answer," and a "firm response when necessary."

……

As the car exited the highway, the sign of the KIIS-FM building became increasingly clear in the morning light.

KIIS-FM is located in a five-story building in West Hollywood, Los Angeles.

As the most-listened pop music radio station in the United States, its studio is equipped with state-of-the-art facilities, and through the huge glass curtain wall, one can see the outline of downtown Los Angeles.

The car was parked in the parking lot of the KIIS-FM building.

Staff guided them into the lounge.

Host Ryan Seacrest came in to say hello ten minutes before the live broadcast started.

He looked to be in his forties, dressed in a casual suit, with a professional smile: "Jace, welcome. There will be several call-in segments in today's live stream. We've screened the audience's questions, but anything can happen on set."

"I understand." Huang Weijie shook hands with him.

"Also," Ryan lowered his voice, "the station's higher-ups want today's interview to have some 'explosive' moments. So I'll be asking a few slightly pointed questions, but not personally—purely for the sake of the show. You know what I mean."

It's not that I'm targeting you, but the higher-ups at the station gave me instructions. I'm sure you can understand me, right?

"As long as the question respects the facts, I can answer it," Huang Weijie nodded with a smile.

Of course I understand. I can answer normal questions, but as for abnormal questions... tsk.

Ryan smiled and said, "That's good. See you later."