ᴏᴀᴋʟᴇʏ ᴄᴀʀʀɪʟʟᴏ was discovered at fourteen years old, being praised as a musical prodigy by the media ever since. His fame had only increased until now. At nineteen old, he's the most remarkable musician of his age, and he's only getting started. At...
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ᴏᴀᴋʟᴇʏ ᴄᴀʀʀɪʟʟᴏ
"What the fuck is this?" I asked my manager as I listened to my own song, if I could even still call it that.
"What do you mean?" Mason asked, looking at me like I'd asked him the most ridiculous thing.
"This atrocious sound? Do not touch my music," I said, turning down the volume on the speakers.
We were in the studio. I was busy recording my last few harmonies on one of my songs until Mason interrupted and made me listen to this bullshit. This mass produced music you'll hear on the radio for a few months and never hear of again. Littered with electrical sounds and effects I'd never used before.
"It's not bad," my producer Ryan tried to calm me down. A redhead in his mid thirties, usually with enough facial hair to make it weird that he was currently clean shaven. He looked at the speakers as though watching them would make it easier to listen.
"Did you do it?" I asked. I knew for a fact he didn't. I always liked his production, and this sounded nothing like it.
"Oh, definitely not," he said defensively.
"Then I don't want anything to do with it."
"Oakley, don't be difficult. it's the same melody and same lyrics. It's just some of the background that might not be how you imagined it," Mason argued.
"It's not the same lyrics if you distort every swear word I sing," I explained. "It's my song, how come I don't have a say in this?"
"It's just so it sells, Oakley. Your demographic is mainly teens and tweens. Some of them don't like swearing in their music. Listen to me, this—"
"I've listened to you enough." I closed my eyes and let out a deep sigh. This EP had become too good to be wasted on radio plays. "I don't want to go on tour, but I'm going anyway. At least let me have this."
"You won't sell as much if—"
"I don't care."
"Oakley, the label won't let you just do whatever. You're not tied to some indie label like your little girlfriend, okay? So you either do what sells, or you do nothing at all," Mason said, slamming the door shut as he walked out.
I'd worked with him for quite a while now, but he'd never talked like this to me before. Not with this full dismissal of anything I had to say.
"You're not the first one this happens to," Ryan said, gently placing a hand on my shoulder. "Your time will come."
"I'm such a dumbass," I said. I should've never signed that contract. Any other label would take me, but now I was stuck with Stellar for another half year.
