Chapter 76: Chapter 76: Single Release
Ethan sat in the car for an hour after talking on the phone with Henry and Jimmy. He then noticed his front door was wide open, and several women with daughters were coming out.
He couldn't help but raise an eyebrow, as these women were neighbors who had visited when he first moved in.
However, after they learned about his family's financial struggles, he hadn't seen them again.
It was surprising to see them all together in his living room today.
After they left, Ethan entered the house. His two younger brothers weren't in the living room; they were probably playing in their rooms.
Carmela was tidying up the messy table, and when she saw Ethan return, she immediately smiled and said, "Oh! My big director is home late today."
"I saw a lot of neighbors come by. Did something happen?" Ethan changed into his slippers and sat on the sofa.
"No, they just saw you at the intersection," Carmela teased. "They brought their kids over. You know, maybe you should try to get to know them?"
Ethan spread his hands in resignation. "Come on, Carmela, you know I'm not lacking in women."
It's just that he had been out of luck lately, unable to get any action.
"Yes, yes, I know you're not lacking, so I turned them down for you." Carmela threw the trash into the bag, making a rustling sound.
"That's good. But we'll be moving to a new neighborhood soon. If anyone comes by then, just refuse them for me," he said. He wasn't comfortable getting involved with neighbors and didn't like being tied down, so he had no plans to get married. This situation suited him perfectly in Hollywood.
"Sure thing." Carmela understood her son well and readily agreed.
The next day, Carl found Ethan in the dining room, accompanied by co-director Jose.
"What's going on? You both look pretty happy," Ethan remarked, puzzled by their excitement.
After sitting down, Carl immediately pulled out a newspaper. "Look, Ethan, The New York Times reported on our MV!"
"The New York Times?" Ethan tilted his chin, took the newspaper, and opened it, where a headline caught his eye.
"Grand Concert in the Middle of the Street! Eye-Popping Creative Fireworks!"
After reading the headline, he continued to the main article. The reporter described their experience of witnessing the colorful fog and expressed their astonishment.
They interviewed the extras and crew after taking photos and learned that this wasn't a movie shoot, but an MV, which led to even more surprise.
"As far as I can remember, there's never been an MV quite so extravagant. Sorry, but I have to use that word to describe it. The director chose to block off an intersection and rented two buildings to realize his vision—this is undoubtedly an incredibly extravagant act."
"But I can't help but wonder what kind of song could match such visuals. From what I understand, this song was created by Avril Lavigne, who topped the Billboard chart a month ago. The MV was directed by Ethan, who previously directed her first song's MV. I tried to find more information about the song, but unfortunately, we may have to wait for its release to learn more."
"Great report," Ethan said, nodding with a smile after finishing. "This is very beneficial for Avril's new song release."
"Exactly!" Carl's brows shot up, along with the wrinkles on his forehead, making him look like Mr. Bean. Ethan couldn't help but wonder if this was an Englishman's talent.
Jose chimed in with a smile, "Yesterday, when we were shooting, the reporter rushed over to interview you, but you were busy with the aftermath of the fireworks. I only spoke to him briefly, and I didn't expect it to actually make the newspaper."
"You did well, Jose. If there are any future interviews like that, just decline them for me." Ethan didn't like facing reporters on set because he hated being disturbed while creating.
"By the way, Ethan, there's something else…" Carl hesitated for a moment before continuing, "Eminem's new song was released a few days ago."
"It should be getting a lot of attention, right?" Although Ethan and Joseph had never explicitly mentioned a competition, there were whispers within the company, as Ethan was seen as the most promising new director after taking the reins from Brady. People often compared him to Joseph in private.
Especially since Ethan was a tyrant on set, some who had been scolded by him took the opportunity to spread bad rumors about him in other crews.
Ethan hadn't actively looked into those remarks, but Mike had mentioned such things before and hoped he would be considerate of others' feelings and be more approachable.
Unfortunately, Ethan wouldn't compromise on his work, so their conversation ended on a sour note.
Carl didn't try to persuade Ethan; he simply shared the current situation.
Eminem's new song had been out for three days, and since it coincided with Billboard's update, his single quickly climbed to the top five, looking poised to take first place.
The song received rave reviews in music magazines, and the various critiques of music industry oddities had many insiders buzzing. Everyone was saying Eminem was back, and this song would dominate the music scene, becoming the undeniable rap top hit.
Joseph's MV was also being discussed and had reached a high level of praise, with its comic book style and celebrity parodies making it an instant classic among niche circles. Many fans regarded it as the MV of the year, and even critics from various magazines echoed that sentiment.
But Carl felt anxious and uneasy upon hearing all this. He worried whether Ethan's MV for Avril could surpass Joseph's and rightfully claim the title of MV of the year.
In fact, as the date for the MTV Video Music Awards drew closer, many magazines began analyzing who would win the annual MTV award this year. Originally, Ethan's two MVs were among those being speculated.
However, with the release of Eminem's new song, everyone quickly unified in proclaiming "Without Me" as the frontrunner, which diminished discussions about other MVs.
Carl felt an increased pressure. Whenever he encountered other colleagues, he sensed skepticism in their gazes, as if they were silently questioning whether he was trying to ride on Ethan's coattails to make a comeback. Comparing himself to Norting, the core agent under Brady, seemed utterly foolish.
Yet when Ethan learned about all this, he merely nodded and said, "Hmm," as if he hadn't taken it to heart.
"Ethan, aren't you worried?" Carl couldn't help but ask, putting down his knife and fork.
Jose looked curiously at him as well.
Ethan raised an eyebrow. "Why should I worry?"
"About Joseph's MV… What if they win the MTV award?"
Ethan frowned. "Why should I worry about something that won't happen?"
"Won't happen?" Carl and Jose were taken aback, immediately sensing the confidence in his words.
"Of course! You both followed me from start to finish during the shoot. Didn't you see what we were creating? While I admit his style is interesting, that's all it is—just interesting!"
Ethan shoved a piece of steak into his mouth. "But our MV is not just interesting, is it?"
"Yeah, you're right, Ethan," Jose nodded in agreement. "Our creativity is way cooler, no doubt about it!"
Carl was caught up in the mood, and his unease evaporated significantly. He raised his cup and said to the two, "It's a pity there's no alcohol. I mean… let's hope we win big!"
"Cheers!"
"Win big!"
Time quickly passed, and after a week, when Billboard updated, Eminem's new song shot straight to number one.
All the music stores were playing his rap, and even the dogs passing by seemed to be barking along with the rhythm.
Amid this rap-dominated atmosphere, Avril's new song "Sk8er Boi" was officially released!
Outside DiVal's music store, Milen had been in line since early morning, surrounded by many men and women—fans of Avril.
They had been waiting for half an hour to be among the first to get Avril's song.
"Hey, Milen!" A white girl wearing a sweater ran over and patted Milen on the back.
When Milen turned around, he found it was Judy, a classmate from his school.
"Hey, Judy, what are you doing here?" Milen looked around, noticing her boyfriend wasn't with her.
Judy shrugged. "Because I want to buy Avril's album."
"You're a fan of hers too?" Milen exclaimed in surprise. "That's incredible! I thought you would like jazz or classical music."
After all, she was studying ballet at school, and he had seen her perform beautifully at a talent show.
Judy smiled, brushing her wind-blown hair back to reveal her faint freckles. "I'm young too, so of course I like what young people should like."
"That doesn't sound like something a young person would say, Judy," Milen teased, and Judy burst into giggles.
"I learned that from my dad."
"Then I advise you to stay away from your dad, or he might turn you into a government spokesperson." Judy came from a wealthy family; her father was a high-ranking official in the New York City government, and her mother was a pianist.
Milen often wondered if they had Judy learn ballet with the intention of forming a family band.
Mother on piano, father reciting, and daughter dancing ballet.
When he shared this guess with Judy, she immediately burst into uncontrollable laughter. "You're so ridiculous, Milen."
Once the laughter died down, she looked at Milen with curiosity. "But I didn't expect you to be this funny."
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