My daily life with the original diva

However, when she made this request, the three people present all had strange expressions. There was no way around it; they had sung karaoke together before, and they all knew very well what Miyazawa Rie's voice was like. It was on par with Matsumoto Iyo's, and she really couldn't be a singer.

Seeing everyone's expressions, Rie Miyazawa immediately understood what was going on. She was also unhappy and wrinkled her nose, saying, "Hmph, I knew you guys disliked me. You think my voice is bad? You three are really mean! I'm ignoring you."

"No, no, Rie-chan, don't be angry. How could we dislike you? If you don't sing well, I can teach you. Come to my apartment whenever you have time, and I'll teach you to sing. I guarantee you'll learn well." Nakamori Akina quickly comforted Miyazawa Rie when she saw that she seemed angry.

At this moment, Kimura Hiroshi really wanted to say that her voice was probably not something that could be learned by singing, but rather something that was innate. However, he did not speak, but instead coughed twice before saying, "It's not impossible for Rie-chan to become a singer. You can be considered a second-tier idol now. If you want, you can just sign with a record company directly. You don't need to participate in any talent shows."

That's true. Over the years, Rie Miyazawa has gained fame through numerous movies and TV dramas. Although she's not quite a top-tier idol yet, she's definitely a second-tier one, similar to Noriko Sakai. She could easily release an album.

Rie Miyazawa's eyes widened immediately, her face filled with joy, and she said, "Really? Then I want to sign with Hiro-nii, Akina-nee, and Sachiko-chan to a record company. I want to release a single too, and Hiro-nii will write a single for me as my debut song."

Unexpectedly, this girl had even planned this out. Kimura Hiroshi couldn't help but shake his head with a wry smile and said, "Okay, I'll write your debut song, but don't release it this year. Wait until next year, when you're more famous."

"Okay, okay, I'll listen to Hiro-nii. Next year it is, I can wait." Miyazawa Rie was happy and started eating the food in front of her again.

"Wait, something's not right, Rie-chan. Why do you call Kimura-san and Akina-san 'older brother' and 'older sister' but not 'older sister'? I'm not that much younger than your Hiro-nii-san." Sachiko Kamachi suddenly noticed something amiss in Rie Miyazawa's words and asked back.

Rie Miyazawa, who was focused on eating, didn't expect such a question. Her eyes darted around, and she said with the food in her mouth, "That's because Hiro-nii and Akina-nee are my seniors, so I call them brother and sister. Sachiko-chan is not, she's actually my junior, so you should call me sister... Ah, why did Hiro-nii hit me?"

Before she could finish speaking, Kimura Hiroshi picked up a chopstick and tapped Miyazawa Rie on the head. In response to her question, Kimura Hiroshi straightened his face and said, "You're not allowed to be disrespectful. You don't have to call me 'older sister,' but you can't let others call you 'older sister,' understand?"

"Oh, I was wrong, Hiro-nii," Rie Miyazawa said, pouting.

"Alright, your brother Hiro shouldn't have hit him. He was wrong too. As punishment, I'll buy you a gift. Tell me what you want, and I'll have him buy it for you when we get back." Nakamori Akina quickly comforted Miyazawa Rie when she saw that she was about to cry. Miyazawa Rie immediately cheered up and even looked at Kimura Hiro provocatively, as if she had found someone to back her up.

This is a bit too much pampering, Kimura Hiroshi thought, shaking his head. He wondered how spoiled he would be if he and Nakamori Akina had a child. It seemed he would have to play the stern father himself.

“Sachiko-chan, you won’t be in the top three this time. I need to tell you this in advance so that you won’t be caught off guard and it won’t affect your mood.” Kimura Hiroshi didn’t continue talking about Miyazawa Rie, but turned to Sachiko Kamachi and said.

But as soon as he said that, the other three people present were stunned. They seemed to be unable to understand why the audition that was scheduled for Sachiko Kamachi was not going to give her a championship, or even a place in the top three.

"Ah, I don't understand, Kimura-san, why is that?" Sachiko Kamachi asked, quite puzzled.

"Yeah, it's an event prepared for Sachiko-chan. Why would they do that?" Nakamori Akina was equally confused.

Pretending to be profound, Hiroshi Kimura took a sip of his drink and said, "It's too cliché to debut after being among the top few in a talent show. It's not attractive at all. So Sachiko-chan will definitely not be in the top three. The path I set for Sachiko-chan was full of hardships. She had to climb up step by step on her own. And it's still the same now."

In Japan, newcomers are often given a persona. For example, when Nakamori Akina first debuted, she was portrayed as a somewhat sexy girl. Although she was quite different from that persona from the beginning, personas are necessary so that viewers who know nothing about you can quickly form an impression of you.

Upon hearing this, Akina Nakamori immediately understood. She nodded and said nothing more, deciding that following Hiroshi Kimura's arrangements was the right thing to do.

As for Sachiko Kamachi, she was a newcomer and didn't quite understand, but she knew that following Hiroshi Kimura's arrangements was the right thing to do, so she could only nod and acknowledge that she understood.

Instead of continuing the conversation about work, Kimura Hiroshi and the three pretty girls started chatting casually, discussing their future plans and where they should go for fun together. They enjoyed the meal quite a bit.

It was midnight when everyone had to part ways because they all had things to do the next day. Rie Miyazawa and Sachiko Kamachi went together, while Hiroshi Kimura and Akina Nakamori went together.

On their way to the parking lot, Akina Nakamori put her arm around Hiroshi Kimura's shoulder and fell silent. She seemed to want to speak several times, but didn't know how to say it, as if she was holding it in.

Her expression didn't escape Kimura Hiroshi's notice. He couldn't help but pinch Nakamori Akina's nose and said, "Akina, what's wrong? If you have something to say, just say it. Holding it in isn't the straightforward Akina you're used to. Tell me, is there anything we can't say to each other?"

Kimura Hiroshi's last sentence was spoken with exceptional gentleness and affection, which gave Nakamori Akina the confidence to speak. She took a deep breath and said, "What I want to ask is, since this audition is prepared for Sachiko-chan, does that mean the other participants won't have a chance to debut and release an album? I feel that's too unfair to them."

"Just like me back then, I performed very well, but those guys deliberately made me lose. Now, thinking about those people, they probably thought it was a great opportunity, but in the end, it was all for nothing. That feeling is really painful. But I also know that this is a job arranged by Hongjun. If I change it because of my words, it will only cause trouble for Hongjun."

So that's why. Kimura Hiroshi couldn't help but hug Nakamori Akina. He really did find a very kind girlfriend. She is very considerate of other people's feelings and can empathize with others because of her own experiences. She doesn't want them to encounter the same bad situation as her.

“Then, for Akina’s sake, let’s select some outstanding individuals from among these people. The original plan was to select the top three, so let’s really select the top three. The publicity and resources given will be the same as advertised. This is for their benefit, right? What do you think, Akina?” Kimura Hiroshi said to Nakamori Akina with a smile.

Originally, he and Warner planned to select a few strong newcomers from these newcomers to cultivate as singers for the new generation. However, he deliberately said it this way, as if she had moved him and made him change his mind, so that Nakamori Akina could feel more accomplished.

Sure enough, upon hearing Hiroshi Kimura's words, Akina Nakamori jumped up with joy and said, "Really? Then I'll thank Hiroshi-kun on their behalf! That's great! Now they really have the opportunity to debut and release an album. As for whether they can become popular singers, that depends on themselves."

"Yes, I've given them the opportunity. The final outcome depends on them. But since I did this, shouldn't Akina give me some reward, like tonight..."

"No way! Hiro-kun is really awful, getting worse and worse. I don't want to talk to you." With that, Nakamori Akina ran quickly toward the car.

Chapter 535 A Woman's Little Schemes

In its second week of official release, "Whenever" continued to dominate the record sales charts, selling over 220,000 copies, achieving a remarkable feat of selling over 500,000 copies in two weeks.

Following Hiroshi Kimura is Akina Nakamori's single "Walking into Your Heart" in second place, but its sales barely exceeded 80,000 copies because it has been on sale for almost a month and has passed its peak sales period.

Even after the peak sales period, Akina Nakamori remained meticulous in promoting the album. She even went to Paris with the Night HIT program crew to film the show. They had originally invited Hiroshi Kimura, but he didn't have time to go because Warner's new generation singer selection event was about to begin.

It's said that the Night HIT program booked a famous location near the Eiffel Tower for this recording, and that Hai covered all the expenses of the participating guests, which is definitely a big spender.

When Kimura Hiro saw the extravagant spending on Night HIT, he simply sighed. At the peak of the bubble economy, TV stations and program production teams were truly insane. Spending such a huge amount of money on a single episode—even if the ratings increased, could the costs really be recovered? No wonder the hugely popular Night HIT announced its cancellation at the end of the year.

These are not things that Kimura Hiroshi needs to pay too much attention to. His current focus is on the singer selection event. The selection event will officially begin at nine o'clock in the morning on March 18th. There are more than a hundred participants in the preliminary selection this time. The selection will select twenty people from them to enter the finals, and then determine the top three.

Warner Music organized the event in a very professional manner, renting a venue for the selection process. Not only were there media present, but audience seats were also opened, and the equipment on site was quite professional.

As a special guest, Hiroshi Kimura also attended the event. He greeted the judges first, and then sat on the judges' panel. However, he did not give formal scores, but instead judged the singers he thought were good.

At nine o'clock, the selection competition officially began. According to the pre-arranged numbers, these newcomers and amateurs began to take the stage one after another, preparing to perform. This was a rare opportunity to sign a contract with a record company directly, so everyone took it very seriously, and the atmosphere on site was quite solemn.

"First up, Fujimoto Rena from Shibuya Ward, Tokyo. Please come up and sing a song." As the host announced the first contestant, she took the stage. She was a very sweet-looking girl, but she was clearly a little nervous. Her breathing was quite rapid during her self-introduction, and she didn't seem to finish what she wanted to say before she began to sing.

Fortunately, there were no problems during the performance, and the overall quality was quite good. However, her voice was only so-so. If she had been an idol in the past, she might have had a chance to become famous. But the 1990s was an ice age for idols, and it was really too difficult for idol contestants like her to become famous.

So while the judges were making their assessments, Kimura Hiroshi sat there without saying a word. Although Ms. Rena would occasionally look at him, hoping he would say something, he did not respond at all.

Soon the first contestant finished her performance and left the stage. Her score was also released, which was quite good, but whether she could advance depended on the scores of the others.

After that, more than a dozen people came up on stage one after another. How should I put it? A good voice is even rarer than good looks. There are plenty of pretty and handsome people, but very few with excellent voices. Kimura Hiroshi just sat there, not moving at all, as if he were a statue.

"The twenty-first performer is Ms. Maki Ohguro from Sapporo, Hokkaido. Please come up and sing a song." As the host announced the lineup, a familiar name rang in Hiroshi Kimura's ears.

Instantly, Kimura Hiroshi perked up, a glint of light flashing in his eyes as his mind raced. "Oh, Maki Ohguro, what's she doing here? Could it be someone with the same name? If it really is her, then I definitely have to sign her. But it seems she's probably doing some music work right now, right?"

Maki Ohguro is a well-known Japanese rock singer. Hiroshi Kimura is familiar with her mainly because of the ending theme song of Slam Dunk, "I Only Gaze at You". This song is a single she wrote and sang herself, which makes her a rare talent.

Soon, a very young woman took the stage. Unlike many other female singers who dressed in very pink or bright and sunny outfits, she had long, slightly wavy hair that was quite different from the short-haired image that we are familiar with in later generations. She wore denim and looked somewhat unruly and casual. This look was very much in line with what a rock singer should look like.

Upon stepping onto the stage, she naturally glanced at Hiroshi Kimura, but quickly looked away before speaking, "Hello, judges. I am Maki Ohguro from Sapporo, Hokkaido. Today I will be performing a rock single, Hiroshi Kimura's 'Until the End of the World'."

This was the first time a girl had gone on stage to sing a rock single, and the judges were really interested, saying, "Then please, Ms. Maki Ohguro, begin your performance."

The accompaniment started playing quickly, and Maki Ohguro began to sway her body to the music. Her movements were very natural and casual, a stage performance that was not what a newcomer should have.

"Alone, wandering in the metropolis, like an empty beer can that has been discarded..." As Maki Ohguro's voice rang out, everyone present was stunned, because her voice was really good, and the song actually had high notes, which she could sing very easily. Her voice was truly amazing.

The song was short, and she finished singing quickly. During the subsequent judging session, the judges gave her voice extremely high praise and high scores. There was no doubt that her voice was exceptional; she was definitely a top choice for a singer. If there was any shortcoming, it would be that her appearance was not outstanding enough.

This might have been a big problem a few years ago, but not now, because there is a successful example of all-female rock: the PRINCESS PRINCESS band, which became popular at the end of last year and whose popularity has exploded this year. This all-female band doesn't exactly have any conventionally beautiful women, but they are very popular.

Clearly, the record market has begun to shift. Although Hiroshi Kimura and Akina Nakamori, both former idol singers, still dominate the top spots, they have not been following the idol style in the last two years. Everyone has felt the change in the market and is more accepting of other styles.

Of course, this style isn't something you can just follow whenever you want. For example, last year, the popular idol Momoko Kikuchi started a transformation. She also formed a rock band and her style change was quite radical, but the result was a complete flop. Not only did casual fans not accept it, but even her original fans couldn't accept it, calling her "the lost Momoko".

After the judges finished their comments, Kimura Hiroshi sat up straight, picked up the microphone that had been far away, and spoke for the first time. He asked, "Ms. Ohguro Maki, you have a very good voice. I think you can sing higher notes, right?"

Unexpectedly, Hiroshi Kimura, who had been silent all along, suddenly spoke up, which surprised everyone present. Maki Ohguro was also stunned for a moment before replying, "Yes, Mr. Kimura, I can sing even higher notes."

"Hmm, very good. I also noticed that you changed some of the melody to make the song more suitable for your style. Have you studied song composition?" Kimura Hiroshi then asked.

Maki Ohguro was even more surprised. She hadn't expected that Hiroshi Kimura would actually recognize her voice. She nodded repeatedly and admitted, "Yes, Mr. Kimura, I studied composition, so I changed some of the tones to make it more suitable for me. Please don't mind."

Reassured that everything was alright, Kimura Hiroshi continued, "So, does Ms. Ooku Maki have a management company on contract?"

With such a direct question, everyone present understood that Hiroshi Kimura had taken a liking to Ms. Maki Ohguro, who had an exceptionally beautiful voice. Whether they had just finished singing or were newcomers or amateurs waiting to go on stage, everyone looked on with extreme envy. Having gained Hiroshi Kimura's approval, signing a record deal was definitely not a problem.

"Ah, no, no, I originally wanted to do some auditions to see if I could get a chance to sing, and then I saw Warner's audition, so I came to give it a try. I'm not signed with any agency." Maki Ohguro's breathing quickened. She knew this was her chance, her chance to become a singer, and it was impossible for her not to be nervous.

Upon hearing this, Kimura Hiroshi simply smiled and said, "Alright, I've asked all my questions. Now please go down and await the results of the selection."

"Ah, okay, okay." Maki Ohguro was completely bewildered that Hiroshi Kimura would let her go so easily. She didn't understand what Hiroshi Kimura meant or whether he had taken a liking to her.

What she didn't know was that even if Kimura Hiroshi took a liking to her and decided to select her, he couldn't say it on the spot. Because this was a selection process, to ensure fairness, he wouldn't say it on the spot. He would just let her go down and wait for the selection results. Moreover, judging from the current situation, her probability of being selected was infinitely high. Even if she was eliminated in the end, it wouldn't be too late for Kimura Hiroshi to select her.

After the stunning performance of Maki Ohguro, more than a dozen singers took the stage, but most of them were rather mediocre, and even the few outstanding ones failed to attract Hiroshi Kimura's attention.

There's no way around it. The 1990s were the hottest era for Japanese records, but also the most competitive time. Being good enough wasn't enough to stand out unless you were exceptionally good, like Maki Ohguro with a huge vocal advantage, or you had a very distinctive style. Otherwise, you could only become a stepping stone. Hiroshi Kimura wouldn't choose to be a stepping stone.

"The sixty-seventh performer is Ms. Sachiko Kamachi from Hiratsuka City, Kanagawa Prefecture. Please come to the stage and sing a song." Upon hearing this name, Hiroshi Kimura remained calm, leaning back in his chair without making any special movements, waiting for Sachiko Kamachi to take the stage.

A short while later, Sachiko Kamachi stepped up a few steps from backstage onto the stage, and at that moment, Hiroshi Kimura couldn't help but be drawn to her.

Sachiko Kamachi was simply too eye-catching. This year, she had her hair down, wore light makeup, and had a beautiful face. She wore a loose shirt with a denim jacket and denim shorts, and her long legs were dazzling. These were the kind of very straight long legs that are rare in Japan. They were not much different from the leg goddess, Chisato Moritaka. Moreover, she had a slim waist and a full figure, truly showing off her good figure.

Although she followed Kimura Hiroshi's request to dress as plainly as possible, her outfit was clearly a little clever. She dressed simply, but she was still eye-catching. Sure enough, as soon as she appeared, everyone's attention was drawn to her. A beauty like her, even before she sang, she was already captivating.

When Sachiko Kamachi went on stage, she glanced at Hiroshi Kimura with an upward-slanting look, clearly a provocation. Hiroshi Kimura had always forbidden her from wearing heavy makeup and strictly restricted her attire. Now that she was following his instructions, she was still able to attract attention. He had nothing to say about that.

"This guy actually dared to provoke her boss, he's absolutely despicable. He'll get what's coming to him soon enough," Kimura Hiroshi thought viciously.

"Hello, judges. I am Sachiko Kamachi from Hiratsuka City, Kanagawa Prefecture. Today, I will be performing the single 'Gradually Attracted to You' from Hiroshi Kimura's album." Sachiko Kamachi announced the single she was going to sing.

However, her choice made the judges present look a little strange. Why is she singing Kimura's song again? The excellent Maki Ohguro just sang a single by Kimura Hiroshi. Now there is another one, and it is a rock song. And she is so good-looking. If she were not a little older, she could be an idol just based on her looks.

As the accompaniment began, Sachiko Kamachi quickly got into character. Although it was her first time participating in such a talent show, her previous work as a karaoke queen had given her a wealth of stage performance experience. So, she was quite adept at handling this situation and wasn't stage-frightened at all. Her body began to sway to the music.

But her swaying attracted the attention of the male audience members and contestants, who no longer paid attention to her singing. Kimura Hiroshi could only sigh and think, "Sachiko-chan, do you even realize how attractive you are to men? If you keep doing this, even if you sing well, people won't listen; their attention will be elsewhere."

"Gradually, my heart was drawn to your radiant smile, escaping from the boundless darkness. Hold my hand tightly..." As Sachiko Kamachi began to speak, everyone present gasped. This beautiful woman was not only stunningly beautiful, but also possessed an exceptional voice. Her high notes were executed with remarkable precision. She was destined to be the champion, if she didn't make any mistakes.

Chapter 536 Benefits Shouldn't Be Shown to Others Casually

The professional vocal training that Sachiko Kamachi received at Stardust Broadcasting over the past two years has not been in vain. Coupled with her familiarity with the song "Gradually Attracted to You," you can imagine how well she sang it. On this song alone, her pitch and melody are basically impeccable, and her performance is quite perfect.

When Sachiko Kamachi finished singing, both the scattered audience members and the contestants waiting backstage exclaimed in amazement, feeling the pressure exerted on them by a powerful opponent.

The judges were getting impatient and gave high scores, praising Sachiko Kamachi highly for both her appearance and singing, without any criticism or dissatisfaction.

After the judges finished their evaluations, they all looked at Hiroshi Kimura. They knew that with such an outstanding contestant, Hiroshi Kimura would definitely have something to say, and they all wanted to see what kind of praise he would give.

Kimura Hiroshi was indeed going to speak. He sat up straight and spoke into the microphone in front of him, "Ms. Kamachi Sachiko, is that right?"

"Yes, Mr. Kimura, I am Sachiko Kamachi." Pretending not to know her, Sachiko Kamachi answered seriously. However, her acting skills had not been professionally trained, and if you looked closely, you would find that Sachiko Kamachi was trying very hard to suppress her laughter.

"Your singing is very good, and your voice is excellent. However, your singing technique and melody are a direct copy of my singing style. You have no original ideas and you did not think about how to make it suitable for you. There are two high notes that you obviously struggled with. Why didn't you choose to lower them? Does singing have to be so rigid? Don't you have any of your own ideas?"

Originally, it was thought that Hiroshi Kimura would praise her, but instead he launched into a tirade of criticism, which stunned the judges and Sachiko Kamachi herself. How could such an excellent performance not win his approval? Not only does one have to sing well, but one also has to have their own ideas.

This wasn't the end of it. Hiroshi Kimura continued, "Our goal for this audition is to find singers who can adapt to the new generation of the music scene. I think the new generation is a stage for singers with real talent, so this kind of copying performance won't work. You need to receive more creative training. Also, Ms. Sachiko seems to be very clear about her strengths. Well, she's very pretty and attractive, but these are only suitable for being an idol, not a singer with real talent."

She really showed no mercy, launching into a barrage of criticism that starkly contrasted with the judges' earlier praise. Now, the judges were somewhat embarrassed, unsure of what to do next. They had already given her a very high score, but Kimura Hiroshi seemed to dislike her. What should they do?

Sachiko Kamachi on stage hadn't expected to be criticized like this by Hiroshi Kimura, and she was completely flustered. She roughly knew what was going on: she had performed too well, the judges had given her too high a score, and Hiroshi Kimura's initial plan was to eliminate her. Now that her score was so high, if he wanted to eliminate her, then Hiroshi Kimura himself would have to cause trouble.

Of course, it's also possible that her outfit today contained some of her own little tricks, which displeased Kimura Hiroshi, so she wanted to give him a little blow and let him know how formidable he was.

Without saying much, Sachiko Kamachi bowed and said, "Thank you for your comments, Mr. Kimura. I'll take my leave now."