บท 35: Reactions around the world II

As the world was being swept away by "Shape of You," the center of the storm, Ethan Jones, was attending his fourth interview of the day.

"Hello everyone, Justin Sylvester from E! News here, and with me is the latest pop sensation, Ethan Jones!" Justin introduced with his trademark all-smiles demeanor. Ethan, sitting across from him in the recording room, just smiled and waved.

"Hi, everyone," Ethan said.

"And yes, people, he is even better looking than he appears on camera. If I didn't have a boyfriend, the Lord knows," Justin teased.

Ethan just laughed.

"So, Ethan, I want to ask a few questions that have been the most searched about you for a while now."

"Okay, fire away," Ethan said, leaning back in his chair.

"But before that, congratulations on hitting 14 million streams and counting in under 24 hours! You broke the record set by BTS just last month," Justin said.

"Thanks! I'm so grateful to everyone for streaming my track. Also, stay tuned for more, and yes, an album is in the works," Ethan said, winking at the camera. "He's picking up fast," Bill thought, pleased from the side.

"Alright, then, let's head to the questions. The most searched question is: Does Ethan Jones have a girlfriend or a boyfriend?" Justin asked.

"No, I'm single," Ethan replied, rolling his eyes. This question had come up in every interview today.

"You all heard that, ladies and gentlemen, the man is single!" Justin said, clearly amused.

"Okay, next question: Is Ethan Jones an industry plant?"

"I keep hearing that. I even had to Google the meaning. What I gathered is that people are baffled by my quick rise to fame and success. I'm gonna take that as a good sign—looks like I'm doing something right," Ethan answered, shrugging with a confident smile.

"Question 3: How tall is Ethan Jones? Ooh, now that's a question I'd like to know, too," Justin said.

"I'm 6'1," people," Ethan answered.

"Damn, boy is tall! Aren't you just the complete package? Okay, on to the next question," Justin said, clearly enjoying himself.

Meanwhile, inside an expansive mansion in Chatsworth, California, a luxury home in the Indian Falls Estates, Polo G was busy with his own situation. The property, known for its Mediterranean-style architecture, spacious layout, and luxurious amenities—including a game room, a large pool, and a tennis court—was where Polo G was spending his downtime.

Andrew Lieber, his agent, was walking toward the basketball court. He needed to talk to his client. As he entered, he saw Polo playing a casual game of basketball with a couple of friends.

"Hey, Polo, we need to talk," Andrew called out. Polo, who had just missed a three-pointer, looked up and saw his agent signaling him. He glanced at the ball that failed to go in, then turned to his friends.

"Business call. I'll be right back," Polo said, grabbing a towel and jogging over to meet Andrew.

Once he was there, Andrew got straight to the point.

"Polo, the agency needs you to do more marketing for your album," he said.

"What? More marketing? I thought I was done with that for a while," Polo replied, not pleased.

"Yeah, we know, but the competition is tougher than we anticipated, so we need to push harder to top the charts."

"Is this because of Migos' Culture III? If it's that, trust me, we're good. I did Rapstar justice—I'm getting the top spot for sure," Polo said with massive confidence.

"It's not just about them. Have you heard of this new singer, Ethan Jones? He released a track called 'Shape of You,'" Andrew began, but Polo cut him off.

"Wait, the YouTube kid?" Polo asked.

"Yeah, him. Have you heard of him?" Andrew smiled, happy that Polo knew who he was talking about.

"I've heard the song. It's a banger, but I don't think it should affect us. Plus, we hit different demographics," Polo said, sounding confident.

"Exactly. And sorry to say this, but pop music is more widely accepted across different demographics," Andrew added, trying to get his point across.

Polo thought for a while before responding. "Alright, if it means that much, let's go with some tweets and all should be fine. The listening party is tomorrow anyway."

Later that day, the internet was still buzzing about Shape of You, when a tweet from Polo G started gaining traction.

@Polo_Capalot:

@EthanJonesMusic got the whole board nervous. The kid's song is going crazy on all platforms, but stay locked in—Hall of Fame drops tomorrow 🔥 🦅

P.S. If you want a novel where the MC is talented at the sport he loves, is arrogant, and doesn't rely on cheats, check out my new book The Next Big Thing. It's good—trust me!