Capítulo 29: Recording

Ethan had spent the last two days at home, but now it was time to move forward. Sitting behind the wheel of his small Toyota Camry—a gift from his dad on his 18th birthday—he drove toward Los Angeles. The hour-long drive stretched on, and by the time he arrived, fatigue tugged at him. Still, excitement and nerves propelled him forward as he pulled into the parking lot of Universal Music Group's LA branch.

The building, though smaller than the headquarters in the Netherlands, exuded a unique charm. Ethan stepped inside, his heart pounding as he took in the lively energy of the place. It was finally happening—he was here to officially release his three tracks and take his first steps toward recording his debut album.

He approached the front desk, where a blonde-haired receptionist sat, typing away without sparing him a glance. "Hello, I'm looking for Jessica Paige," Ethan said politely.

Without looking up, the receptionist replied curtly, "She's busy right now. Leave your number."

Ethan frowned, unsure of what to do. Tapping his fingers lightly on the desk, he tried again. "Excuse me—"

The receptionist finally looked up, prepared to snap at whoever was interrupting her. Her eyes widened as recognition dawned. Ethan Jones, the new sensation, stood before her. The very artist her boss had cleared her entire schedule for. Her face flushed as she scrambled to recover.

"Mr. Jones! I'm so sorry for how I acted. Please, go right in. Miss Jessica is expecting you," she said, her voice trembling with embarrassment.

Ethan offered no response and simply walked past her, leaving the receptionist wishing the ground would swallow her whole.

As he ventured deeper into the building, he was struck by the flurry of activity around him. Workers moved with purpose, conversations buzzed in every corner, and the atmosphere hummed with creativity. Ethan stopped a passing employee to ask for directions.

"Excuse me, can you point me to Jessica Paige's office?" he asked.

The man, clearly in a rush, gestured vaguely toward the far end of the hall without breaking stride. Frustrated but determined, Ethan followed the direction given.

Just as he passed the reception desk again, the blonde receptionist hurried to meet him. "Mr. Jones! My apologies for the confusion earlier. Miss Jessica's office is right this way," she said, leading him with a nervous smile.

Ethan finally reached the door and knocked.

"Who is it?" came Jessica's familiar voice.

"It's me, Ethan," he replied.

"Ethan, dear, come in!" Jessica called warmly.

Pushing the door open, Ethan stepped inside. Jessica sat at her desk, looking poised as always. Beside her was Bill, who gave Ethan a nod, and another man with flowing hair and an unmistakable aura of authority.

"Sorry I'm late," Ethan said as he entered. "The drive took longer than I expected."

"It's fine. Great to have you here," Jessica said with a smile. "We were just talking about you—or, more specifically, your tracks."

"Ethan," Bill interjected, his excitement palpable, "let me introduce you to Max Martin. He's the producer Universal brought in to work on your tracks and, hopefully, your album. He's one of the best in the world."

Max extended his hand with a friendly smile. "Hello, Ethan. Nice to finally meet the person everyone's been raving about."

"Nice to meet you too," Ethan said, shaking his hand firmly.

After a brief exchange of pleasantries, Max clapped his hands together. "Alright, let's head to the studio. I need to see what you've got in person," he said, eliciting a round of laughter.

Jessica, relieved that Ethan's performance was in good hands, ushered them toward the state-of-the-art recording studio. Ethan's jaw dropped as they stepped inside. The room was outfitted with top-tier equipment, identical to what he'd seen at the Netherlands headquarters. It was awe-inspiring.

Without wasting time, Ethan handed Max a USB drive. "These are the beats for the three tracks. I'll start with Shape of You," he said confidently.

Max nodded and loaded the track, his focus unwavering. Ethan stepped into the booth, his pulse racing. This was the moment he had been waiting for. As the beat filled the studio, he closed his eyes and let the music guide him.

His voice flowed effortlessly, filling the room with a melody that seemed to command attention. Outside the booth, Bill and Jessica nodded along, visibly vibing to the performance. Max, meanwhile, sat with his eyes closed, analyzing every note with a critical ear.

When Ethan finished, the room fell silent for a moment. Then Max pressed the intercom button. "Ethan, that was beautiful," he said, his voice filled with genuine admiration. "You really are the real deal."

Ethan exhaled deeply, relief and pride washing over him. Max turned to Jessica and Bill, a rare smile on his face. "No wonder you wanted me on this project. This kid is going to change the game."

Jessica beamed, and Bill looked like a proud father. Ethan, still catching his breath, allowed himself a small smile. This was only the beginning.

AUTHORS NOTE:

I created a poll on my Ko-fi account to choose which album he should sing first your participation would be greatly appreciated the poll is opened for the next 5 days pls vote

https://ko-fi.com/adavid