Chapter 160: *Chapter 160: Sister Thunder*
By six in the evening, as it was time to get off work, the entrance of Roortop Bar began to get crowded.
The more than ten booths on the second floor were gradually occupied by patrons.
In one of the booths near the reading rack, Link sat with his legs crossed, listening to the conversation between Eva and the female singer across from him.
The female singer, in her twenties, was dressed in a red leather jacket, jeans, and sneakers, standing over 170 cm tall with a slender figure.
Her face was decent, but with heavy makeup—black eyeshadow, long false eyelashes, and bright red lips, making her look overly made-up.
Makeup is quite normal; the women around Link also wear makeup, though Taylor usually only wears light makeup at home, and sometimes opts for a bare face when she's too lazy.
Eva's eyebrows, lips, cheeks, and nails were meticulously done, giving her a polished and beautiful appearance, though her makeup skills made it look like a light touch.
In contrast, Link preferred light makeup. He felt that women who favored heavy makeup often used their looks and figure as selling points, suggesting they had less to offer in terms of inner qualities, so he didn't pay much attention to them.
"Miss Grant, I've seen many names associated with you, Liz Grant, Finu Mono, Lana Del Rey—what's your real name?"
Eva asked, turning sideways.
"None of those. My real name is Elizabeth Woolrich Grant. The others are stage names."
Lana glanced at Link as she spoke, noticing that Link's expression seemed a bit odd, as if he was scrutinizing her face for something unpleasant.
Link was indeed surprised to hear her stage names. 'Sister Thunder' seemed to be Lana Del Rey.
She had performed the theme songs for The Great Gatsby like "Young and Beautiful," "Video Games," "Summertime Sadness," and collaborated with Taylor on "Snow on the Beach." She had won several Grammy Awards and was quite famous in the international music scene.
Link had seen her posters—a brunette with classical charm. It was hard to say if her current appearance was due to surgery or makeup, but she didn't look as stunning as in the posters.
"Lana Del Rey? Is there any special meaning behind this stage name?"
Link asked.
"Yes, it's derived from Lana Turner and Ford Del Rey. I consider them my mentors in music."
Lana explained.
Link smiled lightly. Lana Turner was a Hollywood film star from the 1950s and 60s, nominated for an Oscar for Best Actress and very beautiful.
Ford Del Rey was a Broadway actor. Link had only heard of him but never seen his work. He was said to be handsome and charming.
Using such a stage name for Lana was similar to naming someone Marilyn Guanxi.
Lana noticed he didn't ask more questions and continued to talk about herself. She was also from Manhattan, New York, and studied philosophy at Fordham University.
To pursue her music dream, she dropped out in her sophomore year to become a singer. Last year, she released a mini-album with five songs she personally composed.
"Dropped out to become a singer? Do your parents support your decision?"
Eva asked.
Lana shrugged nonchalantly, "Pursuing dreams is a personal matter. It has nothing to do with them."
"Cool!"
Eva's eyes flashed with a hint of strange amusement as she looked at Link, "Do you have anything else?"
Link thought for a moment, then wrote a segment of lyrics and music from "Young and Beautiful" on paper and pushed it towards her.
Just from the name, he couldn't be sure if she was 'Sister Thunder,' but he had heard the song and knew the voice was distinctive and unforgettable.
"Miss Del Rey, please try singing this!"
Lana glanced at the lyrics and melody. It seemed ordinary—neither pop nor rock, not even country, but somewhat like 60s baroque pop, not her preferred style.
Following Link's request, she picked up her guitar and played the intro.
After a few strums, she was surprised and looked at Link with curiosity. Was this something he just wrote?
*Lyrics:*
I've seen the world
I've seen the world's splendor
Done it all, had my cake now
Endured hardships, enjoyed the sweet fruit
Diamonds, brilliant, and Bel-Air now
Now there are diamonds and jewels, fame, and a grand mansion
"Wow!"
After singing just a short segment, Lana suddenly covered her mouth. She had never realized that her voice combined with this tune could sound so good.
Eva also looked at Link in surprise. When Lana sang on stage earlier, her voice had some distinctiveness, but it couldn't compare to how it sounded now.
Now her voice was like a timeless French opera singer softly singing on a velvet carpet in the Louvre—languid, enchanting, and magnificent, very captivating.
It seemed signing her was a good idea.
Link nodded, recognizing that the similarity in the voice indicated she was indeed 'Sister Thunder.'
"Miss Del Rey, your voice is quite distinctive. If you're considering a singing career, you might want to think about joining Link Music. We're confident we can turn you into a real star."
Link said.
Lana was stunned for a moment. Was she really about to sign a contract? Could she really sign with a record company?
Given her past experience of being dropped after just one album, she suppressed her excitement and asked, "Mr. Beck, how many albums are you planning to sign me for?"
Link looked at Eva, who signaled him to decide.
"You are a promising singer. We want to develop you, so it won't be just one album. My Certainly, continuing with the translation:
---
*Link continued*: "My plan is for five albums or more."
Lana was somewhat surprised. Starting with five albums was quite a bold decision. If her albums sold well after release, it would be great. But if they didn't, the company would face losses. However, with a contract in place, the company would have to continue working with her until all five albums were produced.
Link's offer of a five-album contract showed he had high expectations for her and wanted a long-term commitment.
Lana looked at him, feeling a bit embarrassed. Previously, whenever she sang in front of Link, he always seemed disinterested. She had privately complained about his lack of appreciation.
Now, Link was offering her a major contract.
She decided to retract her previous thoughts. Link's musical appreciation was very high; he was definitely a musical genius.
"Mr. Beck, thank you for believing in me. I'm willing to join Link Music."
Lana smiled.
"Welcome!"
Link extended his hand for a handshake.
"Mr. Beck, I have one request. Could you be the producer for my five albums?"
Lana asked.
Link raised an eyebrow. This request was quite demanding.
Being a music producer requires understanding how to train singers, knowledge of arranging music, mixing, electronic sounds, and various instruments, with expertise in genres like pop, rock, blues, and rap. It's similar to being a versatile musician.
For example, Graham Goodall, who had played in bands, worked at Sony Music for twelve years, and had extensive professional knowledge and music production experience, could be a producer.
Link, however, lacked these skills.
"Miss Del Rey, I have many part-time commitments and don't have the time to participate in album production. However, I can promise to be involved in writing songs for your albums."
Link said.
Lana felt a mix of disappointment and surprise. She knew Link had many part-time jobs, but she was aware of his strong music composition skills. He had written many great songs, including two chart-topping singles.
With his help in songwriting, Lana felt confident about her future in the music industry.
---
"Was that song something you just wrote?"
Outside the bar, with the neon lights dazzling, Eva, in high heels, walked beside him and asked.
"So, you think I'm amazing, right?"
Link said, hands in his pockets, with a smug smile on his face.
Eva glanced at the man beside her—handsome, tall, strong, and exceptionally talented—he seemed to have no flaws, but people like him should not be spoiled.
"Yes, you're impressive—a musical genius. So, I'm planning to make your second album a deluxe edition, with the remaining songs written by you. For a creative genius, that should be no problem, right?"
Eva asked in a detached tone.
"A deluxe edition? Is that really necessary?"
Link said, looking troubled.
A standard album has over ten songs; a deluxe edition would have more than twenty, which is more expensive. But asking him to write more than ten additional songs was quite demanding.
"Yes, it's necessary, and I believe with your ability, you can do it, right?"
Eva stopped and looked at him with her blue-gray eyes. Link met her gaze briefly, then shook his head and looked at the streetlights.
"No, I'm too busy to write that many songs."
"Time is something you make. You said you would do math problems in the rest room before your fights with Tyson. Why can't you write songs?"
Eva's eyes held a hint of strange amusement.
Link's mouth twitched. Last time on The View show, he had joked about studying before fights, but now Eva was using that against him.
"Alright, it's settled then."
Eva saw his darkened face and felt inexplicably pleased. She said, "Goodbye," picked up her handbag, and walked towards her car. Under the dazzling neon lights, her peach-shaped hips, wrapped in a pencil skirt, looked sexy and alluring.
"Hey, when will you take me to meet the second singer you have in mind?"
After meeting Lana Del Rey, Link thought Eva's choice of people was indeed impressive. The second candidate might also be a future big star.
Eva paused by the car door. The black car highlighted her tall and graceful figure, making her appear even more dazzling.
"There is no second one. That jerk had poor manners and an extremely rude gaze. I won't work with someone so crude and disrespectful."
Link chuckled and shrugged. "Why not give him a chance? Men are like this. Place a million dollars and a stunning woman together, and he will certainly look at the woman first. It's a genetic habit that's hard to change."
"Alright, I'll give you the address. You can check it out."
Eva provided a name and address and then disappeared into the twilight streets in her car.
Link shook his head. This woman was too alluring; it was better to avoid getting too close.
(End of Chapter)
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