The Tour. | +18 | BWWM

𝄞 03 | Slither Records

I can't believe it. Zoey holds my hand in hers and squeezes. We both got in. Her green eyes shine with so much joy. She's one step closer to her goal. A wavy happy dance I'm holding in reserve until I get home leaks out the side with my leg tapping. She's going to be a music star. That big journal of songs we made together. My jumble of thoughts flashes through my head. I'm blown away.

"We made me..." I whisper the words, and it feels almost like a foreign concept.

"We did," she whispers back. The cool RockStar chic fading into punk with a little R&B girl next door that I grew up with. I couldn't resist the urge to lean my head against hers. It's still thumping, but it's getting better minute by minute, not enough to drive but better. Brenda and another blonde contestant on Team Pop wave Zoey over. I let go of her hand and Zoey went to them.

Megumi the stage manager jogs by me going over the schedule. "Paulie interviews the judges on stage. After the one-on-one interviews are over, each judge will do a performance. Ending on Mr. Kells as the last part of the show. That's the end of the show. Make sure not to miss the limo bus to the hotel." She waves at a guy in all black for the next set-piece as they pull bits and pieces and clear the stage. The band gets their places on stage. And the crew set up for the interviewers. The big screen up top and the screen behind the first interview guest for the show was lit up with Paulie waiting. His title as the CEO of Slither Records in the lower third of the screen. The streaming light blinks red three times, and the interview started.

Adam Ben's leader of team Broadway's wholesome charm is on full display during his interview. He has a casual wholesomeness to him. His curls make him look ten years younger than his years. No matter how hard Paulie tried, couldn't get his weird question to sleaze up the interview. He was polite and kind. Gracious to all Paulie's invasive baited questions. The more Paulie asks this show choir wholesome type of guy questions. The more aww shucks he put out. Adam Ben's was a pro. I am not sure what Paulie was trying to get out of him. It's Adam Ben's. Even for a music nerd, he out musical nerds most musical nerds. But the way Paulie was fishing, you'd think the guy had some wonderful story he wasn't telling. A story with naked people and dicks swinging in the wind at wild Hollywood parties. Even though he was all smiling with Adam during the interview. The more salacious fishing question he asked, the less I like Paulie B, the carnival barker.

***

The Broadway judge finishes his song and everyone claps. He leaves the stage to finish for the day. The Pop judge interview starts. Asher Kells is on stage next to her. Asher's eyes are checked out, bored. Camille the pop judge looks about as bored.

With a casual glance at Asher, you would only see the well, dress man in a bespoke suit. He's covered in tattoos, but the urbane-controlled vibe is clear from Asher. You would completely miss his fingers twitch out air guitar chords if you look closely at his hands. The play-by-play of the interview is something I actively ignore to zero in on body language. Sometimes it's about what is unsaid that's more important than what's said aloud. But Paulie B's smile was getting wider, like looking into the maw of a smiling snake. It reminded me of the Broadway Judges interview when he started muckraking.

"Long time rumors have you and Asher as a couple. Would you be willing to confirm it here on The Tour.?" Paulie's attempt to pull Asher into the conversation.

Camille's cupid bow lips pucker at the question. Oh, she's not happy for sure.

"Paulie, I think that's between Asher and me. It will be our little secret," she smiles at Paulie. Camille steps towards the mic for her solo, leaving Paulie and the interview behind.

"I'll take that as a yes for the relationship," Paulie keeps fishing. That was more than rude. She already said she's not answering dick.

Camille glances at Asher, her eyes shifting quickly, "the show must go on." She says the hook line from her hit song. Then sings her song. The song was something pop with a lot of bubbles. She has a pink tone like a lot of young pop stars but without the high notes that go along with it. Her sound is underestimated. It just needs a little more. Live, she was complete bubbles to her sound, but she had more emotion and vocal range. In my head, I remix the song on my mac, bring up the vocal quality, and dump some of the auto-tune. It's a good song, but the live mix is too close to the album's boring mix. The music doesn't bring out this better live performance. It's bubbly pop but with a live vocal edge that reminds me of pink lilacs. Very underrated artist and I should have given her more credit. Whatever production team works on her song needs to give her something interesting.