章 90: Behind the Curtain

The countdown on the stage finally reached zero.

At that moment, the stage itself seemed to tremble. In their anticipation, the crowd's excited movements were shifting the hastily constructed set, causing the curtain to move back and forth violently.

"TMY! TMY! TMY!"

Thunderous shouts fill the air, shaking the hearts of those present. In the electrifying atmosphere, both the live audience and the viewers watching from a screen and typing in the chat couldn't help but chant those three letters.

Because they all knew what would happen next.

And their expectations were not in vain. As the backdrop continued to tremble, a loud click~ rings out as the fixtures holding it in place release, and the curtain slowly descends from its height of twenty metres.

Just as the crowd cheers, the high-end speakers surrounding the venue play a melodious electronic cello tune.

But quickly, the song is relegated to the background as a powerful and magnetic male voice takes the spotlight.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, all individuals in person, as well as the viewers watching from Modu-Panda, Welcome, to TMY's first music festival." The male voice possesses a voice that can captivate any audiophile, filled with emotion yet leisurely. Accompanied by the enchanting cello melody, his voice spreads throughout the venue.

At this moment, the backdrop has already descended halfway.

After an opening segment in English, the male voice smoothly transitions to Chinese at this moment, saying, "For electronic music fans, it feels like we've been waiting for a long time for this moment. For all the rest of you, only two months have passed since we started to know TMY. From Light Cloud Music, and then at the Canxing Nova Awards, we truly became familiar with this figure, and now..."

The backdrop has completely fallen to the ground.

"Welcome, everyone, to TMY's world." The male voice, delivering his crucial closing statement, passed the torch toward center stage.

Click~

Whoosh~ whoosh~ whoosh~

BANG — - -

As the backdrop falls, though it is still daylight, a dazzling and stunning display of colourful lights bursts forth, capturing everyone's eyes and creating a breathtaking scene.

The sounds of brilliant fireworks echoed as colourful sparks cascaded downwards from above. Finally, the true face beneath the backdrop is revealed.

A towering steel structure, over ten meters high, assembled with giant screens embedded within. The framework was surrounded by an array of fully equipped lighting fixtures.

In the center of the stage stands a mesmerizing DJ booth, where a young girl with a small frame, light blue hair, a radiant smile and a calm demeanour overlooked the sea of people below from her elevated platform, with her hands behind her back.

The girl on the stage wore a serious-looking shirt, a creased short skirt and white stockings, the distinctive uniform of Shanghai No. 7 Middle School.

While clearly the focal point, at a slightly lower position on the elevated platform, there was a piano placed diagonally, if viewed from the center of the stands.

The piano was an upright piano, with its front panel open, displaying its components to the world. Sitting on a bench in front of the piano was a second figure, sitting gracefully.

This figure wore a flowing and soft princess hairstyle and a sky-blue off-the-shoulder evening gown with a floor-length skirt that encircles the piano in layers.

Though the girl standing at the highest point of the stage was undoubtedly unfamiliar to many, the woman in the evening gown on the lower stage was a real celebrity, especially when not trying to conceal her appearance.

"Make some fucking noise, T! M! Y! and Song! Zi! Yin!" shouted the male voice, his final words resonating loudly, even sounding a bit raspy from overuse.

His words caused the stunned crowd to roar back to life, creating a tsunami-like scream and cheers sweeping through the stands, almost forming a visible sound wave.

She is none other than Song Ziyin from the famous Chinese girl group 'Dream Girls!'

The live chat exploded.

"OMG, can someone fill me in on why I'm literally on my knees praying, watching this live stream?"

"I just gasped, ready to explode with excitement. The event just kicked off, and there's no time to chill before they blow us away again!"

"Song Ziyin!"

"Current scoreboard: Team Song Ziyin is leading by a single point!"

"No freaking way! Is that person on the DJ stage actually TMY? Or are they pulling off an epic prank?!"

"This is insane, folks! Song Ziyin is killing it, but seriously, can someone confirm if that's the real deal TMY?"

"I have no clue, but I'm getting all lovey-dovey vibes right now..."

"Oh damn! Person above me, I clicked your profile, and guess what? You're a girl! Did something mind-blowing awaken in you?!"

"Alright, folks, grab your swords! It's time to rock!"

"A glance etched this image deep in my memory. That figure has become the ultimate star of the show!"

"I still can't wrap my head around it. TMY looks like a regular student. Isn't that blowing your mind?"

"Totally agree!"

"Right now, all that's on my mind is this: if that's the real TMY, then China's electronic music scene just got its ultimate mascot!"

- - - - - - - - - -

Amidst the hustle and bustle of Modu-Panta Live headquarters in Shanghai, a swarm of people gathers inside a spacious office, their eyes glued to a colossal screen suspended in the center. They are completely captivated, unwilling to miss even the tiniest detail.

Zhao Zhenghan, the freshly appointed Technical Director at Modu-Panta, darts out of the Marketing Manager's office, clutching a tablet tightly. He barges into the packed office, his anxiety barely contained as he calmly approaches Xiao Wang, one of the programmers. "Xiao Wang, how many viewers are currently flooding the livestream room? Give me the lowdown on the overall traffic data."

"Reporting, Director. At present, TMY's electrifying livestream has amassed a staggering 4.3 million viewers, devouring a whopping 33.27% of the platform's total traffic..." Xiao Wang's voice quivers as he continues, "And it's soaring at an alarming rate. Director, we should..."

"This... even Zhao Zhenghan, known for his unshakable composure and unwavering nerves, can't help but feel his eyes twitch in disbelief upon hearing the programmer's report. He stammers in complete shock, "What did you just say? How... how many?"

"In response, Director, the current count stands at a mind-boggling 4.341 million, gobbling up over 30% of the entire site's traffic, and it's still skyrocketing." Xiao Wang takes a deep breath, reiterating his earlier words, before adding, "And these figures are legit, untampered with. We didn't fiddle with the backend. Due to concerns of server overload, buffering glitches, blackouts, crashes, and dreaded lags, we swiftly activated our backup servers to handle the load before we could even inform you."

"Hiss..."

Zhao Zhenghan is genuinely dumbfounded. As the programmer unveils, the viewer influx in a single livestream room has already surpassed the mind-numbing 30% mark of a major live streaming platform. What sort of data is this? What kind of magnitude are we dealing with?

What sets TMY apart from countless other popular streamers on Modu-Panta is the authenticity of these statistics, unadulterated and pure! No falsification!

Comparing TMY's viewership and popularity to renowned heavyweights like "Liu Si Kai," "Ma Lao C," and "Yun De Se," it's evident that TMY is outshining them, if not leaving them in the dust!

However, there's a significant disparity between TMY and her fellow streamers. While they are contracted talents on the Modu-Panta platform, TMY is an external collaborator. Therefore, the viewership data in her livestream room is undeniably genuine, unlike the fluctuating figures of many other streamers.

It's akin to the devoted fan base found on Weibo. After all, how many individuals in the nation can spare time daily to indulge in live streams? It's implausible to have millions of people glued to their screens every day.

The sheer number of people present for this stream was downright spine-chilling! Even the mighty Fortnite streamers, during their peak popularity, still had to bow their heads in the face of these numbers.

This live stream had more people watching than Panama had citizens!

Nevertheless, after a deep breath and some moments of tranquillity, Zhao Zhenghan regains his composure.

He did not lose his composure despite the overwhelming response. He knew that so many people gathered in the live stream room mainly due to TMY's legendary presence. She was like a walking news sensation, attracting attention in every aspect.

As a prominent producer and winner of the Best Electronic Song in October, TMY carried prestigious honours in the eyes of industry peers. Not only did all her recent works experience explosive growth in terms of popularity, but countless celebrities, including renowned actress Xia Zilan, emerging director Zhang Yuan, and popular idol Song Ziyin, openly praised her work.

Furthermore, an air of mystery surrounded her, keeping her constantly in the news. During her relatively short time in the spotlight, she had hundreds of articles and thousands of theories made about her identity.

Looking at the dense barrage of bullet comments that completely covered the live stream, Zhao Zhenghan knew he had succeeded. He addressed his team, emphasizing the need for flawless execution and zero mistakes.

"We can do it!" responded the programmers in unison, their enthusiasm resonating throughout the office.

"Very well! After this is over, I will apply for salary raises for all of you in the department, as well as an opportunity for an all-expenses-paid trip abroad!"

"Hurray for the director!"

The office erupted in cheers.

- - - - - - - - - -

"I'm so excited! She's revealing her face! This is TMY!"

"What? It's Song Ziyin? Where's Jing Qiuhua? Could it be..."

"Are you kidding me? Song Ziyin can't be Jing Qiuhua. Their voices are completely different. You can clearly tell they are two different people."

"They're both so beautiful..."

"Indeed, I'm already screenshotting like crazy."

"Everyone, be quiet and listen to the song. The main event is about to begin!"

"Stop!"

Meanwhile, in the live stream chat, the bullet comments were scrolling rapidly, especially after Miaoyi's true identity was revealed. The comments reached their peak, resembling a flurry of activity.

However, in the next moment, as Miaoyi's smile deepened and she raised her jade-like hand, the bullet comments on the screen suddenly decreased to a peak level, as if they had an unspoken agreement. This was miraculous and could not be appropriately observed while splitting your focus.

Perhaps, at a moment like this, people could only think about one thing: to listen to the music attentively. After all, how could they miss such a captivating melody?

Swish...

As Miaoyi made her move, a large display screen on the massive steel stage lit up with a mix of English and Chinese characters, just like at the beginning of the show.

[Faded - TMY - Song Ziyin]

In that instant, Miaoyi reached out her hand toward the monitoring headphones on the DJ deck, took them slowly, and put them on.

She lightly pressed a key.

Following the sound effect from the sound matrix system, the waiting Ziyin, poised below the stage, as if receiving a command, stretched her delicate figure and hands before pressing down on the piano keys...

In an instant, the melodious sound of the piano, enhanced by top-notch audio equipment, reverberated throughout the venue.

At that moment, many people sensed a sense of divinity in this musical piece...

What kind of music was "Faded"?

Perhaps there was only one answer: music that originated from the depths of the divine realm. At least, that was the first thought of the tens of thousands of spectators present at the venue and the millions of viewers watching the live stream.

- - - - - - - - - -

Song Ziyin, dressed in an elegant evening gown, deviated from her usual vibrant style. She gently caressed the piano keys while the giant screens on the stage displayed an array of white feather effects, indicating that the Video Jockey behind the scenes had done an excellent job coordinating with the lighting technician.

"Faded," another new song that fans had never heard before, began. It carries an unfamiliar melody and style, yet it continues to astonish and combines the elements of live performance and electronic music mixing.

At this moment, many of the audience members, regardless of whether they are TMY fans or not, are quickly captivated.

Several people seem to have noticed something different - the sensory experience while listening to this song.

This "Faded" possessed a grand and majestic sensory experience, unlike any of TMY's previous songs. So far, the performance resembled a classical piece more than electronic music.

That revelation was truly astonishing because that kind of experience was never achievable in previous electronic music.

That peculiar feeling made people involuntarily want to continue listening, becoming immersed in the music.

Song Ziyin reached the end of the intro part of the melody, and instead of beginning the song, she looped back to the beginning. This simple technique allowed the song to start almost instantly once a cue was given.

As the piano melody repeated, Miaoyi, standing at the highest point of the main stage, took a deep breath and lifted a microphone to her face. She said, "How are you feeling right now?"

The next moment.

"AAAAAAAHHHHHHHH"

An overwhelming response flooded the venue, with the audience raising their arms and screaming, their voices even overpowering the music, creating a terrifying scene.

"..."

A series of meaningless shouts burst forth like a torrent. No names were called out, no singing along with the melody, and no response to the question posed. It was just screaming at the top of their lungs, trying to be heard by their idol. That sudden outburst startled Miaoyi, who had just intended to gauge the audience's reaction. Her hand trembled for a moment, almost pressing the wrong button.

But she managed to steady herself.

Afterwards, despite Miaoyi feeling slightly startled, she stood at the DJ booth at the highest point, overlooking the vast sea of people below, both astonished and proud.

That feeling was truly fantastic, incredibly fantastic...

Miaoyi quickly found her rhythm again, considered her upcoming plans, and smiled mysteriously.

So far, everything had gone smoothly. There were still a series of big moves yet to be unveiled. After spending nearly half a month working tirelessly at home, Miaoyi had prepared for everything.

For example, the wild performance of "With You, Friends" that Miaoyi had played at the beginning, and then the ongoing performance of "Faded" - both songs were remarkable.

She believed that the audience, even if everyone in the audience were not electronic music fan, would find those two singles appealing.

The reason was simple: those two electronic songs were masterpieces.

"With You, Friends" was actually one of Skrillex's classic masterpieces, a top-notch Dubstep, Brostep, and Trap producer/DJ from Earth. The style of the song could be defined as Brostep!

Skrillex was a legendary American DJ in the United States who popularized the "Drop," now seen in almost every electronic and pop song. He was an 8-time Grammy Award-winning master, and until Miaoyi crossed over, he held the record for the most Grammy Awards won by a DJ.

The previous song, "With You, Friends," was one of Skrillex's classic representative works. It was a Brostep that didn't sound like Brostep because of the high-pitched, animal-sounding vocals. However, it contained deep loneliness and sadness beneath that cuteness and playfulness - this was "With You, Friends."

Of course, Miaoyi used a modified and refined version for this performance, which was more suitable as an opening for the live show.

Perhaps after the conclusion of this live performance and the official release, Miaoyi would bundle and release the alternative version as well.

Afterward, it was the ongoing performance of "Faded," a well-known single by Alan Walker. "Faded" is characterized by its catchy melody, rhythmic beats, and a blend of electronic and pop elements. It was released in 2015 and gained significant international recognition.

Alan Walker is one of her inspirations, at least initially, for why she wanted to remain anonymous, as he is known for wearing a mask at all his live performances. While she didn't want to copy him so entirely as to copy his mask idea, she had been drawn to the anonymous producer concept.

At this moment, the crowd finally died down after her brief words, so Miaoyi finally gave Song Ziyin the signal. In the next moment, Her voice rang out over the crowd, piercing through the dense mass of voices.

"You were the shadow to my light..."

The raging masses seemed to calm as thousands of people strained their ears to try and hear her words clearly. This was a new song, and as such, no one knew the lyrics already.

Quickly, Song Ziyin progressed through the song as she made it to the crucial section. Carefully, Miaoyi, with one hand on the turntable, gently turned a knob. In the next moment, the song began building up, as Miaoyi played the accompanying melody.

As Song Ziyin no longer needed to play the piano, at least not currently, she stood up and began walking toward the front of the stage. She continued singing, now with Miaoyi supporting her and keeping her timing from slipping.

The song continued building as symbols and snares began marching the piece toward the beginning of the chorus and the ever-important drop.

"Where are you now..."

"Were you only imaginary..."

Suddenly, Miaoyi moved quickly, as her hands flew across her equipment. After Song Ziyin took a breath, Miaoyi got into position.

...

Simultaneously, as Miaoyi dropped the beat, Song Ziyin belted out the final line, leading into the chorus.

What does it look like when an explosion rips through the air? The answer is unfolding before our eyes. The audience below the stage ignited like dynamite, perpetually in motion, erupting wave after wave, fueled by unstoppable energy, unbothered by fatigue.

At this moment, a singular thought dominated their minds: "This is beyond incredible! It's as if life itself has reached its climax, its pinnacle."

And whenever Miaoyi casually shifted her gaze to a specific section, a flurry of whispers erupted among some audience members: "Oh my god, that DJ is looking at me! Me!"

This debut performance was an undeniable triumph, with the electrifying atmosphere engulfing the entire venue. Miaoyi had dedicated two weeks to meticulous preparation, and the results were extraordinary.

Time flew by, slipping through their fingers like sand.

A single track could never play out in its entirety at a live show. When DJs took the stage, their mission was far more than playing music like software. It was an immersive performance, an art form in itself.

Hence, when Miaoyi flawlessly transitioned between songs, displaying her seamless mixing skills, it left many in awe.

Previously, in the minds of many, TMY was solely seen as a pure producer, never venturing into the realm of live performances, let alone DJing. Naturally, a widely circulated belief emerged: "Perhaps TMY can't even handle a turntable."

But now? Miaoyi shattered those notions by responding like a swift, defiant slap across the face, effectively silencing the skeptics.

And in this very moment, the live audience and the online world went into a frenzy for various reasons.

Because as TMY embarked on her very first live performance, the newly created China Fame Management Bureau finally unveiled this year's highly anticipated Annual Celebrity Rankings.