Chinese Entertainment King: Starting as a Fat Boy and Becoming a Singing King

Chapter 86 Xu Yao's Debate with the Confucian Scholars (Third Update, Begging for First Subscription)

Mr. Liu leaned back in his chair, tapped his fingers lightly on the table twice, and a half-smile appeared on his lips.

"Young people just don't know their own limitations."

He placed the data report on Xu Yao's single on the table, and the paper slid half an inch off the surface before stopping.

"So far, Xiao Xu, you've only released one single. Na Ying tagged you, Yang Kun tagged you, Liu Yifei tagged you too. I admit, you have the ability to get these big names to endorse you. But what's the result? You barely squeezed into the top 50 of the new song chart."

Upon hearing this, everyone laughed.

Mr. Liu stared straight at Xu Yao, his gaze passing over the top of his gold-rimmed glasses.

"Do you know what Hua Chenyu from next door did after winning the championship last year? His debut single, 'Me and Me,' was directly included in the Super Boy compilation album. Less than half a year after his debut, he represented Hunan TV in 'Road to Spring Festival Gala,' securing a ticket to the Year of the Horse Spring Festival Gala. Even director Feng Xiaogang praised him personally. In September 2014, he held two Mars solo concerts at the Beijing MasterCard Center. Guess how many seconds it took for tickets to go on sale? 1 minute and 32 seconds, sold out. In the same month, his first solo album, 'The Gift of Quasimodo,' was released. The mainland version directly topped the JD.com annual music sales chart, and the overseas version remained number one on the Five Music Chart. A newcomer, in his first year, an original album, a double champion."

"You beat up Hua Chenyu? Xu Yao, do you think we're three-year-olds? That we'll believe everything you say?"

Xu Yao didn't look away. He waited for President Liu to finish speaking, then picked up the mineral water and took a sip.

"It's precisely because even President Liu thinks this way that 'The Voice of China' can't produce a superstar. But why can't it?"

His words echoed in the conference room, and everyone fell silent.

"Why are the contestants on 'The Voice of China' considered waste material and unable to become talents? Contestants from other channels can hold solo concerts, release original albums, and perform on the Spring Festival Gala within a year of their debut. What are the contestants on 'The Voice of China' doing after a year? Singing in shopping mall atriums, singing at real estate openings, singing at supermarket promotional booths, and accompanying guests at drinking parties. Every achievement of Hua Chenyu that Mr. Liu just listed isn't just slapping me, Xu Yao, in the face; it's slapping 'The Voice of China' in the face. Other channels invest heavily in developing singers. Is it because our contestants are incompetent, or because no one has truly nurtured them?"

"Who says The Voice of China lacks talent?"

Minister Zhou's voice suddenly interrupted. She closed the document she was flipping through, looked up at Xu Yao, and seemed to have been waiting for these words.

"Wu Mochou, isn't she talented? She debuted as the runner-up in the 2012 Voice of China, and in less than two years, she released six number-one singles. Her debut solo album, 'Ubiquitous,' featured producers like Lin Xi, Wu Lecheng, Harlem Yu, Wang Zhiping, and Chang Shilei—look them up; aren't they all top-tier producers in the industry? The album contains twelve songs, ranging from electronic to R&B to ballads, and her vocal range is even wider than the arrangement. In 2014, she won both the Chairman's Award and the Best Newcomer Award at the Music Billboard Awards. That same year, she also won the Top Ten Golden Songs Award and the Media Recommendation Award at the Oriental Billboard Awards. What about her fashion resources? She's been to Paris Fashion Week and New York Fashion Week, has been the spokesperson for over twenty top brands, and has appeared on the covers of over forty magazines. Hua Chenyu from the next station held a solo concert, and Li Mochou also held a solo concert. Isn't she talented?"

She looked at Xu Yao, paused for a few seconds, and did not look away.

"Xu Yao, I admit you have talent and the ability to win a championship. But you just said that the contestants on The Voice of China are all 'waste materials.' Think about it: can those seniors who supported you be reduced to nothing with just a few words?"

Xu Yao did not stand up, but simply leaned forward slightly, turning the conversation towards Minister Zhou.

"Minister Zhou is right. Senior Wu Mochou is indeed one of the most commercially successful contestants from The Voice of China. She has many singles, many endorsements, and many events."

Then he paused for a moment.

"But a singer's true recognition in the industry is ultimately judged by the entire album. Whether a complete album, from its concept to its musical style to its production quality, can be repeatedly discussed on the annual music charts, and whether it can occupy a few lines in professional music critics' year-end reviews, is the ultimate measure of a singer's musical value."

"So, among the contestants from 'The Voice of China,' which contestant's album has received industry-level recommendations and sparked widespread discussion within the industry?"

"Besides, Wu Mochou is famous for her personality but not for her songs, right?"

Minister Zhou frowned slightly but did not answer immediately.

Jin Lei pointed out the company's weakness: in the three years since The Voice of China started, no album by any of its contestants has had a lasting impact in the professional field.

"You're only speaking from the students' perspective."

Mr. Chen, the general manager of Canxing Culture, finally spoke.

"Have you considered the company's profit? Each season of 'The Voice of China' recruits dozens of contestants. If each one receives an investment to produce a single, and the production and promotion cost a million per song, that's fifty to sixty million. And if each contestant releases an album? The production and promotion of an album would cost at least six to seven million, that's several hundred million. Xu Yao, are you going to pay for this? Or are you going to earn it?"

A few soft laughs rippled through the conference room after these words were spoken.

Laughter erupted from several corners simultaneously.

Xu Yao was not in a hurry.

"Mr. Chen is right, everyone should indeed focus on business."

"I'm not saying the company has to release an album for every trainee. I'm saying the company can invest in each trainee based on their popularity. From the audition data organized by the company, the top-ranked trainees can release singles first. If the market feedback of the singles reaches a certain standard, and the indicators are objective and public, then we can proceed to test the waters with album preparation and investment. It's not about spreading the burden evenly to everyone, nor is it about giving no one a chance at all."

"You make it sound so easy."

When Mr. Liu realized that his group had gained the upper hand, he joined the fray.

"You released a single for student A, but what do students B, C, and D think? They won't think it's because A is more popular," they'll think, "Why not me?" Is that fair? They all put in the same effort to get to this point."

She stopped, picked up her teacup, and took a sip.

"Moreover, Xu Yao, the company has tried before. In the first season, with Li Daimo, the company saw his popularity and spent money to prepare an album, but what happened? He got into trouble, and all their efforts were in vain."

"And look at you. The champion of the third season, the company treated you like a golden brand, giving you the best promotion and the best resources, and what happened? You and I both know the truth, you plotted to terminate your contract."

"If the company has invested, where is the return? Is it part of your contract termination calculation?"

Xu Yao did not avoid her gaze.

"Mr. Liu, I am also very sorry about what happened to my senior brother Li Daimo, whom I mentioned earlier. But I believe that what is most abundant on the road to success is actually failed attempts. What is truly scarce is unwavering patience."

"The other channel invests so much in their talent show contestants. Each program has a dedicated music production department that follows up on their development from start to finish. I won't even go into details. Why do companies so easily give up on nurturing their trainees? If they manage to cultivate one, are they just going to end up with a popular singer?"

He shifted his gaze from Minister Zhou to General Manager Liu, and then to each of the silent people at the long table.

"What do we gain? We gain a replicable and successful business model for creating singers. From talent shows to debut, from training to original song development, and then to securing ticket sales for nationwide tours, once this path is established, the resulting momentum will not only benefit a single season's contestants, but the entire system structure of the program. How much is that worth? That's the priceless commercial value."

"Shut up, have you lost your bearings after winning a championship?"

Mr. Liu finally lost his temper and angrily rebuked him.

"Who here doesn't spend their days staring at those three lines—profit and loss statements, revenue, and market share—between sleep and wakefulness? Have you ever worked a day in your life? Have you ever started a business? Do you even know what business is?"

Xu Yao continued to fight back: "I only understand that the value of The Voice lies in the contestants. Exploiting the contestants is the future of exploiting The Voice."

Deputy Director Wang finally raised his hand and gently pressed it onto the table.

That's enough.

Xu Yao did not respond.

All eyes were on Deputy Director Wang's hand, which was not yet fully placed back on the table.

He picked up his teacup and took a sip.

Everyone waited quietly for him to speak.