[TS] Starting the Broadcast - Chapter 102

Song.

It can be said to be a part of our lives that is more deeply rooted than any other cultural element in our lives.

People always listen to songs.

When they're happy, when they're sad, when they're angry, when they want to fall in love, when they want to take on a new challenge... Looking at countless situations and cases, songs are truly an inseparable part of us.

As such, interest in songs and analysis of the singers who sing them was like an unavoidable fate.

Is there any living creature that likes to rank things as much as humans do?

Starting from singers, then vocal styles, popularity, how many times they won on credible broadcasts.

Endless comparisons and efforts to prove the superiority of the singer one likes continue.

Then overheated debates eventually lead to a more fundamental question.

How can we define a well-sung song?

Rhythm? Pitch? Technique? Emotion?

People's claims differed.

Some people said solid singing skills without wavering are important, while others argued that songs that can move listeners are the best rather than such formulaic singing.

Those claims were also tremendously divided according to people's tastes.

High notes are good.

No, stable low notes are the best.

Clear voices are good.

What nonsense!

Husky voices that sound like they're scraping are unique and really charming.

I thought.

There's really no correct answer for this part.

Even if over 90 people say it's good, 10 people can say they don't like it when it comes to people's tastes.

If you add things like preferred music genres on top of that, there really was no answer.

Ballad, hip-hop, rock, disco, jazz, classical, trot, dance, etc. How can you satisfy everyone with all these options?

And with just one person's voice.

It was an impossible premise from the start.

But... I thought.

What if it's not just one person's voice?

It's not simple impersonation.

If it's possible to satisfy far more options with a sincere, inherent voice?

Wouldn't that make it possible to satisfy the tastes of so many people and give joy to the majority?

With that thought, I invested points to acquire my current abilities.

The top priority investment was diversification of vocal tone.

A whopping level 5!

It cost a lot of points too.

It took 380 to upgrade from level 3 to 4, and then 570 to go from there to level 5.

Just this alone cut my remaining points from 3650 to 2700.

The next thing I chose was vocalization.

It cost 280 to upgrade from level 2 to 3.

After all, vocalization needs to have solid roots to be able to sing without mistakes, so it was a choice for stability.

And another core following diversification of vocal tone!

I raised expressiveness to level 4.

Going from 2->4 cost 250+400 for a total of 650.

This left me with 1770 points.

From here on it's not upgrades but new choices.

I acquired high note and low note abilities at level 3 each.

Since they're not universal abilities, the point cost was cheaper than expected.

400 points each for a total of 800 points.

Now 970 points remained.

The last choices were two things.

First, I acquired Breathing Technique 3 for 450 points.

It's an ability that supports vocalization, which is the core of singing, and it's also involved with lung capacity, so if this is lacking you won't be able to sing properly towards the end.

Now that I have Breathing Technique 3, I'll be able to show strong power or deep resonance even towards the end of a song without falling behind at all.

Then the grand final choice!

It was vocal volume.

What's the use of singing well and having a beautiful voice?

In the end, the voice needs to be delivered to the listeners to be able to give them emotion or whatever.

So I learned Vocal Volume 3 by investing 520 points.

With this, I finished a clean selection without leaving even 1 remaining point.

Looking at that composition, it's truly splendid.

[Vocal Tone Diversification 5, Expressiveness 4, Vocalization 3, Rhythm Sense 3, Breathing Technique 3, High Notes 3, Low Notes 3, Vocal Volume 3]

It was a match-up that didn't fall far behind even compared to appearance, which I had invested the most points in since becoming a woman.

Unlike appearance, I had innate talents in vocalization, rhythm sense, expressiveness, etc. related to singing from the start.

Anyway, my weapon is prepared.

Will I be able to satisfy the ears of the JYC Entertainment judges, such a huge agency, with this?

The song begins.

"Oh?"

"Could this be?"

"You chose this song?"

A gentle piano accompaniment spreads.

"I was happy. The times with you. You must have had a hard time."

"Resignation with this voice?"

"Good. I wanted something this bold. Very fresh."

Big Mama member Lee Young-hyun's masterpiece, "Resignation".

After losing someone, realizing that you can't do anything anymore now.

And realizing it's irreversible, expressing that feeling sorrowfully.

Unlike the original, the song started with such a clear and pure voice that most of the judges seemed puzzled.

"It's not that I didn't know your heart. I felt it too. Letting you go, sending you away... I'm still not used to it."

The judges focus a bit more on this different attempt.

Now I decided to erase their reactions from my mind and focus on the song too.

I spit out feelings of resentment towards that person weakly.

And I ask accusingly.

If you liked me, if you loved me... why did you say such things if you were going to end it like this?

If the original singer sang about a woman's calm yet sad emotions and resentment, what I'm talking about is the very end after digging even deeper.

Giving up, despair, and lastly the han (resentment) that remains.

Now it's soon the highlight part of the first verse.

The vocal tone changes.

The clear and pure voice that was ringing out pouring out pent-up emotions all at once changes to a strong resonance similar to the original singer.

"Do I... have to hate you? Or do I have to blame myself? If only... I could turn back time, I just want to go back to how things were before."

That intensity!

It was such a jarring difference that you could mistake the person singing in front of you as not one but two people.

Moreover, the judges' eyes widen at the contrasting charm coming from the completely different vocal tone.

This isn't the end.

The interlude ends and the second verse begins.

Once again, as if by magic, the vocal tone changes.

A heavy low tone that resonates in your chest.

Furthermore, the temperature difference from the dynamics in pitch manipulates the listeners' hearts.

It's so sorrowful and heart-wrenching.

One of the judges' eyes redden at the delicate expression of emotion as if reciting their own story.

Once again the song heads towards its climax.

"Do I have to hate you? Or do I have to blame myself? If only I could turn back time... I just want to go back to how things were before."

I showed off my vocal volume to the fullest.

A powerful voice filling the not-so-small audition venue.

And the song heads steeply towards its end.

"Alright. I won't ask anymore. If you want to leave my side, leave without looking back. I won't shed tears. It'll just make my heart weak. I can faintly see your figure moving away from me! I guess tears are coming!"

Memories of separation that could exist for anyone.

It doesn't just apply to romantic relationships.

Parents who left your side early.

A friend you can never see again due to an unfortunate accident.

Faded memories, your shining self from a time you can no longer look back on.

I convey that feeling to the people in front, pressing it into each letter and word of the lyrics.

"I think I'll miss you a lot! I'll have to endure it. So I can forget. I won't love again. I want to give my last love to you who turned away!"

I pour out all the emotions carried on piercing high notes.

Love, longing, sadness, and farewell.

I said it simply but it was by no means an easy thing.

Being able to hit such solid high notes with vocal volume that makes the space resound isn't something even fairly experienced professional singers can easily think of doing.

The professional singers I'm talking about here refer to skilled vocalists, not idols.

Now the gentle piano sound heading towards the end.

It returns to the clear voice from the beginning.

Moreover, the resounding vocal volume that made the judges' bodies flinch disappears, replaced only by a labored recitation barely reaching their ears.

"I hope you'll be happy. Meet... a better woman... than me."

I give up and let go of everything.

A head drooping powerlessly towards the floor.

Throwing away even memories, feelings, and lingering attachments for him.

I resign (體念) everything.

What's this? The song ended, but what's with this reaction?

With no response coming back, it's awkward to even lift my head that was lowered to the floor.

The reaction seemed good up to the middle for sure, but I couldn't observe after that because I was concentrating.

Could I have messed up a part?

Screech-!

While my mind was getting tangled up in various thoughts, the sudden sound of a chair being dragged.

Someone clearly stood up.

When I slightly raised my head, I saw Producer Bae Il-man approaching with a very flushed expression.

Grab-!

Producer Bae Il-man grabs my hand without warning.

To me wondering "What's with this person?", he throws out a direct statement.

"Let's sign a contract right now!"

"Eh?"

Hey mister. What about the dance? I prepared a dance too...

Clap clap clap-!

At that moment, applause pours out from all directions.

Looking around in bewilderment, the rest of the judges had stood up and were clapping hard.

"I'll draw up the contract right away and set up an appointment with the CEO tomorrow, so let's start with the debut team right away. As expected, my eye wasn't wrong."

"......"

I've been thinking this since earlier, but this guy is rushing too much.

I don't even plan on being a trainee, what debut team?

But the other judges approach too, giving thumbs up and praising the producer's excellent eye.

Oh no, damn it!

This isn't my plan!

[There's a saying in this country that if you like freebies you'll go bald. This is karma for trying to swallow up academy tuition fees.]

'Damn... I want to go back!'

It was a moment when the famous line from the movie Coffee Candy came to mind.