radicalducati Chapter 028 Contradictions
Chapter 028 Contradictions
Early in the morning, Yang Du stood in front of the bathroom mirror and began a task that was somewhat beyond the scope of a producer, but essential for anyone who needed to survive in the entertainment industry—disguise.
A white shirt, jeans, and blow-dried hair falling smoothly across his forehead—he looks like an innocent college student who hasn't yet experienced the harsh realities of society.
Pure, harmless, and even a little bit naive.
perfect.
This is exactly the effect I wanted.
An hour later, when Yang Du got out of the car, the passersby who had been chatting and looking at the scenery suddenly swarmed around him, pulling out their equipment from somewhere and shoving their long guns and short guns at him.
"Yang Du, what is your response to the Weibo post made by pop star Xu Xiao late last night? Do you believe you have been unfairly criticized?"
"Producer Yang, there are rumors online that yesterday in the recording studio you took advantage of your position as producer and deliberately bullied Xu Xiao, making her leave in anger. Is this true?"
"Are you acting like a big shot? Do you think you can do whatever you want just because you became famous with 'Flammable and Explosive'?"
"Do you already have a personal prejudice against Xu Xiao?"
Faced with this display, Yang Du "subconsciously" took a half step back, slightly raised his hands, and "stuttered" as he said:
"Um... everyone, please don't push... please don't push... how about you take turns? This is the first time I've ever been interviewed, I'm a little nervous."
Upon hearing this, several entertainment reporters in the front row who were holding recording pens almost burst out laughing.
The laughter was partly due to finding the young man in front of him amusing, who had revealed all his secrets, and partly due to the sheer joy of easily capturing his prey today.
nervous?
Being nervous is a good thing!
Veteran paparazzi who have worked in the entertainment industry for many years know that those seasoned celebrity PR veterans are incredibly shrewd when interviewed. They talk non-stop for two or three minutes, but in the end, they say nothing at all, providing zero information.
What they like best are newcomers who are just starting out, haven't seen much of the world, and can't even manage their facial expressions.
When people are nervous or flustered, they may speak carelessly and unconsciously say things they don't think before they speak, even if they are slightly provoked by words.
If even half a wrong word is recorded and then taken out of context, it will become today's hot topic and headline, and this month's bonus will be guaranteed.
"Okay, okay, we'll take it one at a time. Don't be nervous, Ms. Yang, we're just having a casual chat."
A female reporter, quick as a flash, occupied the center position directly in front of Yang Du, her tone sounding exactly like the Big Bad Wolf.
The interview begins.
The female reporter asked, "Producer Yang, there are rumors online that you've become arrogant because of the amazing success of 'Flammable and Explosive,' and that you didn't respect your seniors in the recording studio? Do you think that with your current talent, you no longer need to respect industry veterans?"
"This...this is definitely a misunderstanding."
Yang Du stammered as he explained, "Xu Xiao is an extremely talented singer who plays a pivotal role in the Chinese music scene. Her personal style is very distinctive and unique in the industry. You can listen to her live renditions; they are truly amazing."
"As a junior who has just entered the industry, I have always respected her very much, and I personally look forward to having the opportunity to work with senior Xu Xiao in the recording studio."
After speaking, Yang Du stood still, waiting for the next question.
Several reporters holding recording pens looked at each other, wondering, "Is this all there is to it?"
Are you really only going to answer this part?
No leaks that got out of control?
Faced with such overwhelming accusations, shouldn't a normal person's reaction be to deny the accusations and then immediately explain and clarify them, so as to avoid being unable to defend themselves?
Is he a rare contestant who speaks even less because of nervousness?
Unwilling to give up, the paparazzi immediately threw out an even more pointed question:
"Yang Du, since you say you respect Xu Xiao, how do you explain Xu Xiao's post on Weibo last night, which implied that you are unprofessional and lack reverence for music?"
Yang Du frowned slightly, making a wronged expression: "I saw it this morning too. Actually, I'm not sure if that Weibo post was about me, but since everyone's asking—"
"I don't think this is a matter of professionalism or lack thereof, but rather a difference in philosophy."
"As everyone knows, the song I'm currently working on is called 'Painting Heart,' which is the official theme song for the S-level big-budget movie 'Life After Life: Falling Flowers.'"
"From the very beginning, this song was created to serve the film and the huge fan base of the book and the movie. As the producer, my first priority is to ensure that the song's emotions, artistic conception, and compatibility with the film."
"I insist that 'Painting Heart' should be a pure movie theme song. Under this premise, the singer needs to bring the song to life. This means that in the arrangement and performance, the singer's personal characteristics need to be reduced so that they don't overshadow the song."
"If a movie theme song, in the end, only makes the audience remember the singer's singing skills or distinctive characteristics, but forget the movie itself, then that is my dereliction of duty as a producer."
The explanation is good, but—
Where is the counterattack?
Where's the melodrama?
Where is the conflict?
Before the reporters could recover from this serious theory and continue asking questions, several tall and burly security guards had already squeezed in.
"Excuse me, friends from the media, this interview has come to an end. Producer Yang still needs to go into the studio to work, please make way."
Several reporters exchanged suspicious glances: "Was he really nervous just now? Or was he just acting?"
……
In this age of information overload, it only takes a few minutes from the end of an interview to the video being uploaded online.
Yang Du publicly responds to the recording studio controversy for the first time: It's a difference of opinion; the background music should serve the film.
After watching the video, the reactions of onlookers immediately became polarized.
Netizens and passersby expressed their agreement.
To be fair, movie soundtracks are meant to enhance the plot. If singers only focus on showing off their skills, isn't that putting the cart before the horse?
[Support Yang Du! Many OSTs these days are just for promoting actors, completely disregarding the movie plot, which is really distracting.]
However, Xu Xiao's fans almost collectively went ballistic after seeing the video.
Stop trying to change the subject. Who said Xiaoxiao was going to show off her skills?
[Yang Du, don't be ridiculous. Xiaoxiao has always respected songwriters, composers, and arrangers, okay?]
[Exactly, stop throwing mud at our sister. You can't even manage a singer yourself, yet you're making sarcastic remarks. People with such a narrow mindset are destined to go nowhere!]
Just as the two sides were arguing fiercely, a third party intervened—fans of the original novel, "Life After Life: Falling Flowers".
As a major IP with tens of millions of readers, the fighting power of its book fans is no less than that of the traffic fans in the entertainment industry.
They already had reservations about the film's casting and adaptation, and kept a close eye on the official Weibo account every day.
Seeing the interview now, I was immediately struck by Yang Du's words, "to serve book fans and movie fans."
In an era where fans of original works are generally being exploited or misled by capital and traffic, the sudden appearance of a producer willing to refuse a popular young star in order to maintain the effect of the work is undoubtedly a breath of fresh air.
Both morally and logically, we should offer our support.
Yang Du is right. The situation is clear: one side wants to prioritize serving the film, while the other wants to highlight their personal style. From their standpoints, neither is wrong. But I'm a book fan, and I support Yang Du! Yes, that's how clear my stance is.
What's wrong with you? We're such a big IP, why should we tolerate your little incident? How dare you be so shameless?
[We firmly oppose a certain singer adding their own drama to their performance. There should be rules for what constitutes an interlude. Yang Du did a great job.]
As book fans joined in, the battle escalated instantly, turning into a three-way melee, and the buzz on Weibo soared.
However, just as the fan club began to organize a counterattack, some netizens discovered a blind spot and posted an unremarkable screenshot.
On the left is a compilation of comments from Xu Xiao's fans this morning, trying to refute Yang Du's claims that Xu Xiao doesn't make random adaptations. On the right is a collection of comments that fans shared wildly yesterday, all praising Xu Xiao's impromptu adaptation skills, and it's still trending on social media.
The contrast was so stark, it was practically a public execution, prompting onlookers to erupt in merciless ridicule and quickly create a new meme—Xu Xiao of Schrödinger.
[Hahahaha, help! I'm so sorry, I just couldn't hold it in and burst out laughing like a pig.]
[The best comeback of the year!]
[This is hilarious! Xu Xiao, the Schrödinger of all people! When she needs to show off her singing skills, she's an improvisational genius. When she needs to be dedicated, she's a great singer who never interferes with the arrangement.]
Good grief, so you fans have said all the good and bad things?
[A modern-day version of self-contradiction! Even the peddler of contradictions in Chu would be impressed by your expertise and feel ashamed of his own shortcomings!]
Xu Xiao's fans were stunned.