noveldepot Chapter 46 My First Close Encounter with Hollywood
Chapter 46 My First Close Encounter with Hollywood
Vanessa Williams then suddenly spoke up.
"I know who you are!"
"what?"
Why didn't you go to the game on the 17th?
"On the 17th?"
"In the five-game series between the Knicks and the Rockets, everyone said that the Knicks lost to the Rockets because you didn't go."
Spike is trying to find out how to contact you.
Vanessa's words left both Manken and Christina speechless.
However, Christina was the first to react, pointing at Xu Shengjie and screaming "Ahhh!"
"You're that yellow executioner."
"What?"
Xu Shengjie was also dumbfounded. What executioner? Could it be that my identity as an executioner of the Ghost Shadow Gang has been exposed?
Pshaw, I left the gang a long time ago!
"That move you used to take down Vernon that day was really cool."
Unfortunately, I didn't see what happened next; my dad said it was too gory and wouldn't let me watch.
Vanessa added, "Spike said that if you had been there during the fifth fight, Hakeem wouldn't have dared to be so arrogant."
Xu Shengjie couldn't help but laugh.
"I might not be a match for Da Meng, and that guy went berserk that day. I reckon if I were there, he would have taken me down too."
"Yes, that day, Da Meng was really too brutal."
Vanessa appears to be a Knicks fan.
That's normal, though, she's a native New Yorker.
Born in Dary, New York, raised in New York, deeply influenced by Broadway, a true New Yorker under the Stars and Stripes.
Manken, on the other hand, seemed a bit confused.
He is also a basketball fan, but not a Knicks fan.
He spends most of his time in Los Angeles, so it goes without saying which team he's a fan of.
The Lakers weren't involved in this year's Finals, so Manken didn't pay attention to it.
This yellow-skinned kid sounds quite famous? A Knicks player? I've never heard of any Knicks players of Chinese descent.
Christina quickly introduced them to Manken.
Vanessa smiled and said, "Jeffrey, what made you think of this song? Do you know the plot of Pocahontas?"
"I'm not sure, I just thought of Princess Potanka."
He pointed to the concept art on the table, "It has a name written on it, Pocahontas."
The newspaper had previously published basic information about this animated feature film… so while chatting with Tina just now, a melody suddenly popped into my head, and then the lyrics just naturally came to mind. Yeah, that's it!
"very nice!"
Without Christina, Vanessa might not have believed Xu Shengjie's story.
but now……
What can I say?
It can only be said that God's guidance led him to create this song.
It was also God's guidance that led her to hear this song.
The reason it's described as "God's guidance" is because Vanessa's third album has been lacking a single that she's truly satisfied with. This album, which began development three years ago, was delayed until now due to her pregnancy and childbirth.
This is an album she values highly. Vanessa attempted to showcase her extraordinary creativity and fighting spirit in this album, hoping to integrate more musical elements. R&B, Ballad, Folk, Jazz, and Latin are all included.
Furthermore, Babyface and Sting wrote lyrics and composed music for her, which shows her great ambition.
But I always feel like something's missing.
To that end, she began performing on Broadway at the beginning of the year to find inspiration and signed a nine-month performance contract.
But I haven't had any inspiration.
I came to the recording studio at the invitation of Alan Menken.
Disney's "Pocahontas" is nearing completion, and Menken hopes to collaborate with Vanessa to create the theme song for the animated film.
In fact, the song "The Color of the Wind" was composed by Menken, with lyrics by Stephen Schwartz, Disney's renowned lyricist, and sung by Vanessa. However, the song won't be released until next year. At this point, Menken and Vanessa are meeting for the first time, and neither of them even has a clear idea of the song in their minds, yet it still captivates Vanessa.
"Did you like this story?"
"No, I feel nothing at all, I don't like it at all, it feels like dog poop."
Xu Shengjie's answer surprised Manken, Vanessa, and Christina.
Why?
"Because I know the true story behind this story."
"what?"
"If you don't want to let it affect your mood, you might want to find a book called 'The True Story of Poka Hontas,' which is an account from the indigenous people and is completely different from so-called historical records. The animated story is a beautiful story, but the real story... is disgusting. However, this does not affect my songwriting."
Manken and Vanessa looked at each other in bewilderment.
As a member of the production team, Alan Menken was naturally familiar with the background of the story of "Pocahontas".
Pocahontas was indeed based on Pocahontas, also known as Princess Potanca.
But he wasn't really familiar with the story of Princess Potanka.
The script was heartwarming, beautiful, and touching, but he really didn't know what the real story was like.
"Jeffrey, we are just artists. What the facts are has nothing to do with us."
The song you just sang...
"The Colors of the Wind".
"Yes, the color of the wind, I like it very much, and Vanessa likes it very much too."
so……"
"So Ms. Vanessa wants the copyright to this song?"
Vanessa glanced at Xu Shengjie and nodded with a smile.
"No, I heard this song first, and I asked Jeffrey to write it out in its entirety. This song is mine."
Christina, like a cub guarding its food, immediately jumped out and shouted.
Manken smiled.
He said softly, "Tina, I know you like this song."
But the question is, do you think you can perfectly express the mood of this song right now?
Its lyrics and melody are simple, but precisely because of this, it requires profound singing skills and a thorough understanding...
"What do you think, Jeffrey?"
Christina turned her head and looked at Xu Shengjie.
Xu Shengjie looked at her and suddenly laughed, "Tina is indeed still a bit lacking in experience."
Furthermore, I believe that only Vanessa's voice and singing skills can perfectly express the mood of this song... Harmony between humanity and nature seems easy at first glance. But is it really? This song hides fantasies and expectations, but they are just fantasies and expectations, because we all know that it is not an easy thing.
So, it was beautiful, but more than that... it was regrettable.
A beautiful regret!
Christina's little head was a bit fuzzy.
Vanessa, however, seemed lost in thought.
"I can hand over the performance rights to this song, but only the performance rights. I want the full copyright... If Mr. Menken and Ms. Vanessa really like it, I will contact my agent and get in touch with you."
"broker?"
When Xu Shengjie uttered that word, Manken knew that this kid was not to be fooled.
"Okay, I'll be in New York for a while. You can have your agent contact me."
Vanessa expressed her approval.
"I've been performing on Broadway lately, so feel free to contact me anytime if you're interested."
By the way, could you give me an address? I'll be performing in "Kiss of the Spider Woman" this weekend, and I'll send you two tickets in advance. It's for that hot red-haired girl.
Who is it?
Manken didn't notice that Christina's face fell.
Vanessa laughed and said, "That's Jon's daughter. She's currently rehearsing on Broadway, and it seems like the show will premiere at the end of the year."
"Jon's daughter? She's a rebellious kid."
Jon Voight is not Nobady; he's quite famous in Hollywood.
So while Jolie may seem unknown in New York, in reality, the men in the entertainment industry all know that she exists.
This is the advantage of being a second-generation celebrity.
"By the way, Jeffrey, are you here to record a song today?"
"Well, not really, I just came to ask for advice."
"Ha, then we should have a good chat. Disa Cheung really admires your song!"
……
Vanessa had other matters to attend to, so she took her leave.
Before leaving, she also got Xu Shengjie's contact information.
This is a big shot, not a nobody.
The first African American Miss America, named one of the "50 Most Beautiful People in the World" and one of the "Ten Most Beautiful Women in America".
Their second album, "The Comfort Zone," released in 91, achieved double platinum sales.
It was nominated for a Grammy Award, won ASCAP (Association of Composers, Authors and Publishers of America) Best Work of the Year, and received the NAACP Image Award.
It topped the music charts in Canada, the Netherlands, and Australia; reached number three on the UK charts; and was in the Top 5 in Japan.
In 92, she firmly established her status as a world-class expert.
At the same time, she is also an excellent actress...
In short, this is the closest Xu Shengjie has ever been to Hollywood since his rebirth.
This kind of connection was extremely important to Xu Shengjie, so he didn't mind getting to know Vanessa better.
After all, Vanessa is only 31 years old this year!
She was in the prime of her life, and in Xu Shengjie's opinion, she was an African-American beauty who was no less stunning than Halle Berry.
Tsk tsk tsk!
It's just something I think about in my mind.
Xu Shengjie and Manken discussed the idea behind "You're Beautiful".
Christina listened silently, her lips pursed, lost in thought.
They talked about music arrangement and lyrics.
Xu Shengjie was able to explain things reasonably at first, but he couldn't keep up with the deeper questions.
After all, he learned his musical skills from a girlfriend in his previous life, who was a top student at the Central Conservatory of Music.
The two only spent a year together before going their separate ways.
As a result, Xu Shengjie didn't manage to extract more talent... but in China, it was enough! The Chinese music scene has always been a playground for charlatans; countless people live off one song for a lifetime. He wouldn't be intimidated in that circle.
But if he really talked to a professional, he felt that his level of knowledge was even inferior to that of X Tina.
"Jeffrey, are you nineteen years old?"
"yes!"
"Listen to me, your talent is extraordinary."
I'm not just talking about songwriting and composing; you also have a wide vocal range, an excellent foundation, and your image... is different from the common perception of Asians—you're a handsome young man. However, if you want to go further in this field, I suggest you pursue systematic learning. Syracuse University's music department, Vanessa's alma mater, is excellent.
Columbia University and New York University's music conservatories are also among the top music conservatories in the United States.
Vanessa and I can help you write recommendation letters; we believe admission won't be too difficult for you.
I think you just want me to take out student loans!
Xu Shengjie muttered to himself...